Modern home insurance policies can be surprisingly comprehensive. As well as covering you against fire, flood, damage and burglary, home insurance can also include certain types of legal protection. This can be added to your existing home insurance policy, or if your policy is up for renewal anyway, you can purchase a policy that includes legal protection.
Cover for legal disputes are often referred to as home legal expenses insurance and with home insurance at Allianz Your Cover (www.yourcoverinsurance.co.uk), you can add this cover to your current policy. The level of protection offered will vary from policy to policy, so it’s worth checking the specifics to ensure that you know exactly what costs are covered. If you do have to pursue a civil claim, legal protection will typically cover legal costs and expenses up to a certain amount, and for a range of disputes, including:
Personal injury
There are many circumstances in which you could make a personal injury claim. For example, if you were to trip on an uneven paving stone or sustain a back injury as a result of an accident at work, you could sue the respective liable parties for compensation. This type of cover only applies to physical injuries and does not cover psychological or stress-related injuries.
Clinical negligence
If you should suffer injury or illness as a result of an error by medical staff, then you may wish to seek damages against the institution that employs them. Again, psychological injuries or stress are not included under the terms of this type of cover, so if you wish to claim damages for emotional distress caused by clinical negligence, then you would have to pursue the case privately.
Consumer contracts