Home Insurance: The Grape That Cost A Supermarket £9,600

When taking out home insurance, many people don't see the point of paying an extra £15-odd per year for legal expenses cover, mainly for two reasons - they don't fully understand what it covers and, those that do understand, think that they'll never need to use it.

However, for people like Miss X - who slipped on a grape while doing her shopping - it can mean the difference between financial ruin and financial recompense.

When Miss X slipped on a grape while doing her weekly shopping at her local supermarket, she didn't realise how much her life would be affected. However, when x-rays showed a fracture to the left wrist (resulting in surgery and the insertion of wires) she was temporarily unable to work and forced to cancel her long-awaited holiday.

Personal injury claim websites were unable to help Miss X as the injury had not occurred at her workplace nor was as a result of a road traffic accident. With bills mounting and a holiday and gym membership paid for that she was unable to use, Miss X was at a loss what to do.

Then Miss X remembered that she had something called 'Legal Expenses Cover' under her home insurance policy. She contacted her insurer who confirmed that they could help her and after undergoing legal action, Miss X was awarded £9,612.58.

Many consumers look for the cheapest premiums possible when it comes to insurance - which isn't a bad thing. However, this can come at a price. This usually involves removing the additional product benefits that insurers don't actively promote such as Legal Expenses Cover to reduce the cost of insurance.

While Legal Expenses cover will vary from insurer to insurer, typical benefits will include legal expense costs for:
• Plastic Surgery (negligent surgeons etc)
• Dental Care negligence
• Employment dispute (not contractual breaches)
• Personal Injury cause at work (this is often more effective that an Industry Tribunal as claims lost will cost the client, plus the defendants legal expenses. Legal Expense insurance will cover all these costs whether you lose or win)
• Boarder Disputes and the Personal Injury caused by these disputes (often very complicated and emotional for our clients prior to a solicitor solving the problem)

Remember, many people think that they will never need to use this type of benefit. However, for those people who have needed to take legal action but cannot afford the costs it has helped some way to recompense them for financial losses and pain.

Check your policy or speak to your household insurer to see whether you have this benefit already in place or whether you can add it on to your existing policy.