A good legal expenses insurance policy should provide you with comprehensive protection when “safeguarding your legal interests”. In order to enjoy the most comprehensive legal protection possible, it is important to obtain good advice on the relevant modules before taking out a policy. Legal expenses insurance does not automatically protect you in every legal dispute. This makes it all the more important to select the right products or modules for your own needs. The risk exclusions and reasons for refusal stated in the policy must also be taken into account when taking out legal expenses insurance.
Depending on its structure, legal protection insurance offers you national or worldwide cover. However, there are different waiting periods (up to 12 months) depending on the class of insurance. There is no insurance cover for disputes that arise before or during the above-mentioned waiting periods.
However, there are also areas of law that are generally not covered by legal expenses insurance, such as asset management/investments, gambling/betting, patent and copyright law, public procurement law.
The modules in detail (see also Konsument 3/2017 Legal expenses insurance p. 10ff):
Vehicle legal protection insurance
– Legal protection for damages
Assertion of claims for damages due to personal injury, property damage or financial loss suffered
– Criminal legal protection
Defense in criminal proceedings before courts or administrative authorities due to a traffic accident or a violation of related legislation
– Driving license legal protection
Representation in proceedings for the withdrawal and reinstatement of driving licenses within the meaning of the KFG
– Driver legal protection
includes the areas of legal protection discussed above, limited to the assertion of claims as the driver of another person’s vehicle
– Vehicle contract legal protection
Protection of legal interests arising from contracts relating to the insured vehicle, trailer or accessories
General compensation and criminal legal protection
– Legal protection for damages
Assertion of claims for damages due to personal injury, property damage or financial loss
– Criminal legal protection
Defense in criminal proceedings before courts and administrative authorities due to negligent criminal acts and omissions
– Labor court legal protection
Disputes arising from an employment or apprenticeship relationship before the labor court
– Social insurance legal protection
Disputes with social insurance institutions regarding contribution payments, supplements, etc. before the courts
– Legal advice legal protection
Costs for oral legal advice once a month; this does not include taxes, customs duties and other charges by a lawyer or notary selected by the insurer (initial consultation)
– General contract legal protection
Protection of legal interests arising from contracts under the law of obligations for movable property and from repair and other work contracts of the policyholder for immovable property; depending on the insurance provider, there are considerable differences in cover and possible exclusions for this module; this module can usually only be taken out with two other modules
– Legal protection for property ownership and rent
Protection of interests arising from residential property and the assertion of claims for damages arising from damage to the insured property
– Legal protection in inheritance and family law
Disputes in the area of inheritance law and custody law
– Patient legal protection
Treatment errors, sloppiness, lack of information by doctors, etc
– Bullying and stalking legal protection
Temporary injunctions in the event of constant stalking, text message bombardment, call terror, bullying on social media; under certain circumstances, this also covers the costs of any psychological counseling;
– Data legal protection
Helps with the assertion of requests for information, deletion or rectification against private service providers