Are you thinking of getting on the pre-paid bandwagon? Choosing a
particular enrolment method can be very important in determining the
benefits, costs and conditions of coverage of your legal plan.
A voluntary enrolment refers to a membership of a legal plan where people
“voluntarily” subscribe to a pre-paid legal service in response to a direct
email offer, during an employer’s open enrolment period or during
individual sales representations. In this arrangement, you pay the prepaid
charge, get the standard discounts open to all other members of the plan
and get the coverage as per the terms and conditions of the plan.
In a group plan, all members are automatically included in the plan because
of their status as a group. For instance, many employees enjoy a 100%
participation in legal plans sponsored by their employers. They do not have
to pay any pre-paid charge or premium, as legal coverage in the work place
is now regarded as an employee fringe-benefit.
Some universities also provide legal coverage for their students, financing
the plans from their general tuition fees
legal plan
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Group legal plans
Group legal plans in the workplace have experienced rapid growth recently
because of their usefulness to both employer and employee alike.
For the employee, a group legal plan is a cheap way to get legal coverage
in much the same way as other traditional benefits. For as little as $20
per month deducted from payroll, an employee is put in touch with an
attorney who can draft his will, buy or refinance a home, adopt a child
and plan an estate. Unlimited legal advice is offered at no cost to the
employee.
The benefits for the employer include increased efficiency and
productivity from their workforce, and reduced administration costs to
handle personal matters. Another very attractive benefit is the very low
cost involved in researching and implementing a group legal plan. In fact,
such plans cost employers very little in terms of time and investment.
Group plans are structured on a voluntary basis, paid for through payroll
deductions from the workforce. Additionally, the carrier handles all the
claims, redundant paperwork and customer service related to the plan.
Group legal plans
because of their usefulness to both employer and employee alike.
For the employee, a group legal plan is a cheap way to get legal coverage
in much the same way as other traditional benefits. For as little as $20
per month deducted from payroll, an employee is put in touch with an
attorney who can draft his will, buy or refinance a home, adopt a child
and plan an estate. Unlimited legal advice is offered at no cost to the
employee.
The benefits for the employer include increased efficiency and
productivity from their workforce, and reduced administration costs to
handle personal matters. Another very attractive benefit is the very low
cost involved in researching and implementing a group legal plan. In fact,
such plans cost employers very little in terms of time and investment.
Group plans are structured on a voluntary basis, paid for through payroll
deductions from the workforce. Additionally, the carrier handles all the
claims, redundant paperwork and customer service related to the plan.
Group legal plans
Common Services offered by Pre-paid legal Plans
Considering a pre-paid legal plan? He’s a run-down of the services
you’re most likely to get and also some legal documents you need to sign
before you enrol.
Telephone and Office Consultation: You have unlimited telephone access to
a panel of attorneys regarding any legal matter of interest to you. You
can also make brief consultation visits to your lawyer for up to 30
minutes per day at no cost to you.
The only condition placed on these two benefits is that you enquire about
a different legal matter.
This aspect of coverage provided by legal plans is one of the most
beneficial becjavascript:void(0)ause it promotes preventive law. Preventive law is very much
like preventive medicine – it helps in anticipating potential problems and
taking the appropriate legal steps so that unnecessary legal problems or
risks are avoided. With a simple phone call to your lawyer you can avoid
getting embroiled in a hellish legal situation, and you can even identify
legal rights you don’t even know you had.
Follow-Up Service: The panel of lawyers will write letters and make phone
calls on your behalf to adverse third parties. Such follow-up service may
be all it takes to solve many of your legal problems.
Legal document review: Simple personal legal documents, such as your
insurance policies, sales contracts and leases will be reviewed. Any
questions of legal nature that you have about the documents will also get
answered by your attorney.
Drafting of wills: A will is a written document that regulates how you want
your property distributed after your death. Your attorney will draft your
will according to your state’s laws so that it’s valid when you die. He
will also advise you on any provisions you might want to consider, such as
appointing a guardian and establishing a trust.
Discount on regular fees: Any additional services not covered in the
written fee agreement will be at regular fees – either hourly or flat –
with a discount between 20 to 30%. These services generally include family
matters, such as divorce and the custody of children, and court
representation, such as traffic tickets and lawsuits.
Some of the legal paperwork you need to read carefully, agree on and sign
include the following:
Written fee agreement: This is an agreement that outlines what services are
provided in the plan, how much it costs and the methods of payment.
Grievance procedure: This document details the procedures that will be
taken by the provide to resolve any complaints about attorneys or disputes
regarding service fees.
you’re most likely to get and also some legal documents you need to sign
before you enrol.
Telephone and Office Consultation: You have unlimited telephone access to
a panel of attorneys regarding any legal matter of interest to you. You
can also make brief consultation visits to your lawyer for up to 30
minutes per day at no cost to you.
The only condition placed on these two benefits is that you enquire about
a different legal matter.
This aspect of coverage provided by legal plans is one of the most
beneficial becjavascript:void(0)ause it promotes preventive law. Preventive law is very much
like preventive medicine – it helps in anticipating potential problems and
taking the appropriate legal steps so that unnecessary legal problems or
risks are avoided. With a simple phone call to your lawyer you can avoid
getting embroiled in a hellish legal situation, and you can even identify
legal rights you don’t even know you had.
Follow-Up Service: The panel of lawyers will write letters and make phone
calls on your behalf to adverse third parties. Such follow-up service may
be all it takes to solve many of your legal problems.
Legal document review: Simple personal legal documents, such as your
insurance policies, sales contracts and leases will be reviewed. Any
questions of legal nature that you have about the documents will also get
answered by your attorney.
Drafting of wills: A will is a written document that regulates how you want
your property distributed after your death. Your attorney will draft your
will according to your state’s laws so that it’s valid when you die. He
will also advise you on any provisions you might want to consider, such as
appointing a guardian and establishing a trust.
Discount on regular fees: Any additional services not covered in the
written fee agreement will be at regular fees – either hourly or flat –
with a discount between 20 to 30%. These services generally include family
matters, such as divorce and the custody of children, and court
representation, such as traffic tickets and lawsuits.
Some of the legal paperwork you need to read carefully, agree on and sign
include the following:
Written fee agreement: This is an agreement that outlines what services are
provided in the plan, how much it costs and the methods of payment.
Grievance procedure: This document details the procedures that will be
taken by the provide to resolve any complaints about attorneys or disputes
regarding service fees.
Are Pre-paid services worth the money?
You may be covered when it comes to health, life, car or home insurance…
but what about legal coverage?
The question is not if you'll need a lawyer, but when: according to the
American Bar Association (ABA) “Americans have come to view legal
assistance as a necessity”. Yet, most Americans have not used a lawyer
more than once due to the sky high attorney fees – anywhere from $100 to
$1000 per hour – and the trepidation involved in the search for legal
services.
Prepaid legal insurance might just be the answer you have been looking
for. The concept is simple: for a fixed monthly subscription, you get
telephone access to advice from a lawyer. You pay a fixed amount in
advance each month to defray the cost of legal services furnished in the
future. These services span various areas of the law, anywhere from reviews
of simple legal documents and the writing of a simple will to more
comprehensive coverage of trials, divorce, bankruptcy and real estate
issues.
Pre-paid legal coverage is a very attractive proposition for people who
don’t have the resources to retain a lawyer on a regular basis whenever
they need assistance. You effectively have a network of attorneys you can
use as retainer to seek preliminary advice about what the issues are and
how the procedures work whenever legal matters arise. Services not covered
by the plan are available to members for a discount on regular hourly rates
or flat fees.
A hard fact, however, is that more than half of new subscribers drop out of
a prepaid
plan after their first year. One reason could be that many members do not
require any legal assistance during their first year, so opt out. Another
reason is the scope of services offered, which are very basic and limited
in nature. Most plans have certain caps or maximums as far as benefits
provided are concerned, and purport to offer discount on standard attorney
fees instead. However, by virtue of simply calling around by yourself you
could probably negotiate a lower rate.
Another problem with pre-paid legal plans is the likelihood of getting
assigned to a novice attorney. Because of cost considerations, many of the
companies behind per-paid services assign trainee or inexperienced
attorneys to handle phone consultation and drafting of simple legal
documents. You are also less likely to build rapport and understanding,
two of the most important attributes of choosing a good attorney, as over
90% of the work is done over the phone.
but what about legal coverage?
The question is not if you'll need a lawyer, but when: according to the
American Bar Association (ABA) “Americans have come to view legal
assistance as a necessity”. Yet, most Americans have not used a lawyer
more than once due to the sky high attorney fees – anywhere from $100 to
$1000 per hour – and the trepidation involved in the search for legal
services.
Prepaid legal insurance might just be the answer you have been looking
for. The concept is simple: for a fixed monthly subscription, you get
telephone access to advice from a lawyer. You pay a fixed amount in
advance each month to defray the cost of legal services furnished in the
future. These services span various areas of the law, anywhere from reviews
of simple legal documents and the writing of a simple will to more
comprehensive coverage of trials, divorce, bankruptcy and real estate
issues.
Pre-paid legal coverage is a very attractive proposition for people who
don’t have the resources to retain a lawyer on a regular basis whenever
they need assistance. You effectively have a network of attorneys you can
use as retainer to seek preliminary advice about what the issues are and
how the procedures work whenever legal matters arise. Services not covered
by the plan are available to members for a discount on regular hourly rates
or flat fees.
A hard fact, however, is that more than half of new subscribers drop out of
a prepaid
plan after their first year. One reason could be that many members do not
require any legal assistance during their first year, so opt out. Another
reason is the scope of services offered, which are very basic and limited
in nature. Most plans have certain caps or maximums as far as benefits
provided are concerned, and purport to offer discount on standard attorney
fees instead. However, by virtue of simply calling around by yourself you
could probably negotiate a lower rate.
Another problem with pre-paid legal plans is the likelihood of getting
assigned to a novice attorney. Because of cost considerations, many of the
companies behind per-paid services assign trainee or inexperienced
attorneys to handle phone consultation and drafting of simple legal
documents. You are also less likely to build rapport and understanding,
two of the most important attributes of choosing a good attorney, as over
90% of the work is done over the phone.
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