Will my policy cover any legal dispute?
The policy covers a range of insured perils.  The Limit of Indemnity is £50,000, and the policy wording lists the incidents against which the policyholder is insured.  However the legal helpline is available to offer guidance affecting a business even if it falls out of the scope of the legal expenses cover.

What do ‘legal costs’ include?
These include solicitors or barristers fees and charges for disbursements, not to mention the opponent’s costs should you be liable to pay them.

If I have a legal problem before my policy starts will this still be covered?
Matters which you are aware of before the start of the policy are excluded.

If I speak to a legal advisor on the telephone does this automatically trigger a claim?
If a policyholder calls the legal advice helpline to discuss a problem that might lead to a claim this does not mean that a claim has been registered.  The policyholder will still need to contact us to report a claim.

What is meant by reasonable prospects?
It is not beneficial for anyone concerned to support a claim which has little chance of success.  In civil claims the appointed solicitor must agree that there is a better than 50% chance of the claim being successful in order for us to proceed.  Reasonable prospects must always exist throughout the duration of a civil claim.

Will I be able to choose my own solicitor?
If it becomes mandatory for you to be represented by a lawyer, or if there is a conflict of interest, you may choose your own representative.  Otherwise, one will be appointed by us.

What happens if I’m not happy with the way the appointed solicitor is dealing with my claim?
If there is a disagreement about the handling of a claim another suitably qualified person can be agreed upon to decide the matter.  If a suitable person cannot be agreed upon, we will ask the president of a relevant national law society to choose a suitably qualified person.

What happens if my own solicitor begins work on my dispute, before I notify you and I incur costs?
If a policyholder has a claim they should not ask a solicitor for advice unless we have given permission for them to do so.  If they do, we will not pay the costs involved.  There is also the chance that a claim could be prejudiced by not taking and following our advice from the time they became aware of a dispute.

What happens if my legal costs end up going over my limit of indemnity?
The indemnity limit is £50,000 and this is the maximum that would be paid out in the event of a claim.  If a case is likely to exceed this limit then the policyholder will be informed, but the policyholder will be responsible for any costs over the indemnity limit.

Why might my claim end up being a negotiated settlement rather than going to court?
It is often more beneficial for both parties to try and reach a settlement rather than go to court which is both stressful and time consuming.  The majority of legal disputes are in fact settled by negotiation.  Our Claims Administrator will also provide the most appropriate solution to a legal dispute which may well entail entering into negotiation as the fastest and most effective way of resolving a dispute.

Is there a charge for using the Eurolaw Commercial Advice and Tax Advice Helpline?
The helplines are free to all policyholders and are available 24 hours a day 365 days a year.  There is no limit to the number of calls a policyholder can make to these services.