When you take out your motor trade insurance, you could be forgiven for saying ‘no’ to extra cover options. After all, it’s the hard-earned money from your business that you’re having to spend on insurance. But an increasing number of people are considering motor legal protection as a worthwhile additional policy. So, what does it do for you, and is it worth it?
What is motor legal protection?
Motor legal protection – also known as legal expenses cover – is all about covering some of the costs that aren’t included in your motor insurance or motor trade policy. So, if you get into a car accident and it ends up in court, motor legal protection will cover expenses in pursuing or defending that case. If you get injured in a non-fault car accident, it can also help you to claim back the costs of treatment for that injury.
Good motor legal insurance will also give you access to legal advice, and cover out-of-pocket expenses such as hiring a car because yours can’t be driven following an accident, or even your motor insurance excess when you’ve made a claim.
Is motor legal protection worth having?
That’s for you to decide, but for our money, we’d say yes. If you do end up with a claim, or have to go to court because of a road traffic accident, motor legal cover could save you thousands of pounds in legal costs. It also gives you peace of mind that if you do have a legal dispute relating to your vehicle, even a contract dispute about a vehicle purchase or work done to a car, you can get the advice and support you need to handle it.
It’s worth noting that with motor trade insurance, lots of traders will include their personal vehicles on their trade policy. If this is you, then you might want motor legal protection just to make sure any issues you have in your own car are covered. The cars you buy and sell may not do many miles, but your own vehicles could do more and therefore the odds of a claim could be higher.
What won’t it cover?
Like any insurance, motor legal protection has limits. You have to claim within a set period of time, and if the chance of success is very low for a court case, your insurer may not agree to pay out for legal action. You’ll have to check the policy wording for approved costs, to be sure any expenses you want to claim are covered by the policy. And of course, you can’t claim for incidents that happened before you took the insurance out!
How much does motor legal protection cost?
The price of motor legal expenses insurance varies, and can depend on whether you want cover for multiple vehicles or just one. For traders, to get motor legal cover across a fleet driven by multiple drivers will typically cost more than for just one private car, but it’s not a fortune. Motor legal expenses cover for motor traders from Tradesure costs just £39.
It’s always best to check with your broker to make sure the cover you’re considering is right for your needs.
If you have any questions about motor legal protection, or your motor trade insurance generally, our team are here to help. Send us a message below, or call us on 0121 248 9300.
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