If you’re considering using a legal protection plan or prepaid legal plan, you might be wondering how it will benefit you and your family. When you join a legal plan, you pay a monthly fee – $28 a month for example – and whenever a legal issue arises, your attorney fees are covered by the plan. Here are five benefits of joining a legal plan that you won’t get hiring a private attorney:
1. Save money.
Probably the biggest benefit of becoming a member of a prepaid legal plan is the money you’ll save. Did you know that attorneys charge between $100 and $500 an hour? Contrast that with the average cost of a legal plan – about $250 a year.
With a prepaid legal plan, you can receive a year’s worth of legal service for what it would cost for one hour of an attorney’s time in the private market. Instead of waiting until the last possible second to call a lawyer, you can be proactive, knowing the attorney’s fees are paid for.
2. Help finding an attorney.
Most prepaid legal plans have an extensive network of attorneys who partner with the plan to provide their members legal services. You could walk into that same attorney’s office as a private client, but as a plan member, you’ll pay a lot less for their services.
Legal plans have standards for who they’ll accept in their network, so you know anyone you choose will be qualified. Plus, they can give you a list of attorneys in your area by their specialty. It’ll save you a lot of time and will be more trustworthy than a google search.
3. For the little things.
You might think of hiring a lawyer if you’re going through a divorce or are involved in a lawsuit, but what about for minor issues? When you have a legal plan, you can ask a lawyer to write a letter on your behalf to make sure an unscrupulous contractor lives up to his end of the deal or to help you get your security deposit back from a crooked landlord.
A call or letter from a lawyer can move a situation forward much more quickly, and with a prepaid legal plan, it wouldn’t cost you a dime.
4. Think ahead.
With a legal plan, you can be proactive about legal issues, like estate planning. Over half of Americans don’t have a will. Think of how many more people would have a will or trust if they knew it would be covered by their legal plan. A prepaid legal plan lets you take care of you and your family’s future, without worrying about the costs, and get it done by a qualified expert, not a DIY kit.
5. Solid advice.
Many legal plans have a legal hotline where you can call whenever you need legal advice. No more asking your cousin’s best friend who used to be a lawyer or relying on an internet search. A Legal Access Line provides you with accurate advice and is convenient too.
If you need legal help and are on a budget, a legal plan can be a great choice for you. Just make sure you research plans well and get the fine print on what’s covered, if there are any out-of-pocket costs like deductibles you have to pay, and what attorneys are available to you. No one knows when a legal problem could arise, but with a legal plan, you can make sure you’re protected, no matter what.