Choosing a pre-paid legal plan is a good way to save big bucks, but
choosing a plan you need and a provider you can trust is a different
matter. Here is a number of things to look for in a legal plan from the
very start:
Look for what’s covered: Legal plans are offered in different models and
differ in the specifics of what they cover. While phone consultation and
simple drafting and reviewing of simple contracts are included across the
board, more elaborate and complicated legal matters are not covered.
It’s best to review your own legal needs before you choose a legal plan.
Ask which legal services will you need most and then choose a plan that
provides the best coverage given those needs. For instance, if you are a
business owner, lawsuits, lease and contract negotiations could be high on
your list and you would be looking for a legal plan that provides coverage
accordingly.
Know what legal coverage you already have Don’t pay for coverage twice! If
you have car insurance, then you are covered for liability and medical
protection, home insurance covers you for injuries sustained on your
property… Your existing insurance policies already cover some of your
legal costs and there is no need to pay for that coverage when you select
with a legal plan.
Does the company have an in-house procedure to handle complaints? One of
the stumbling blocks of pre-paid legal services is quality of service.
Newly-licensed attorneys, phone calls not getting answered and that
ointment on any client –lawyer relationship: fee disputes, typically
involving bills made to your credit car to cover for services not included
in your contract… This is just a specimen of the many problems people face
with their plan providers.
Make sure you select a plan that has clear guidelines as to how to settle
dispute when they arise. A company that has a good in-house mechanism to
handle complaints will generally assign a senior attorney with the
authority to handle customer complaints of and disputes with any attorneys
in the network. Secondary sources of resolution may include your state
insurance department or bar association. Check their outlet for complaints
against pre-paid services.
Checking out the business you’ll need to do some homework before you
select your legal provider. Ask these questions: What’s the firm’s
reputation in my area? How many years have they been in business? Have they
been operating in my local area for at least a year without complaints? How
skilled are they attorneys? Do they cover the locale where my business
operates? Some good places to start your background research are your state
bar association, the Better Business Bureau and the Consumer Affairs
Office.
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