What does free choice of lawyer mean?
If you have a legal assistance insurance, you will receive help in case of a legal conflict. Sometimes a conflict can be solved with a letter from the insurer or with the help of a mediator. If the conflict has escalated too far, legal action may be required in the form of a trial. For this you need a lawyer. Insurers have their own lawyers, whom they will offer to you. However, you are not obliged to actually choose this lawyer. You may always choose your own lawyer. We call this the right to free choice of lawyer.
Lawyer of choice
In the event of a legal conflict, engaging a lawyer is not always necessary. That is why the right to free choice of lawyer only applies if your legal expenses insurer decides to carry out a legal procedure. During a legal procedure you always have the right to your own lawyer. An insurer can never deny you this right to free choice of lawyer. You must always ask permission from your insurer. However, this is only a formality, because the insurer cannot refuse you this if you have legal assistance insurance. So you can always choose your own lawyer.
When to hire a lawyer?
Whether it is necessary to hire a lawyer depends on the type of conflict you are involved in. Is it a traffic conflict, such as a traffic violation? Then the case will be heard by the cantonal judge and a lawyer is not required. If the case goes to a civil court, the involvement of a lawyer is mandatory. When taking out insurance policies, legal expenses insurance is often not considered. Yet it is a good insurance to have. A legal conflict can occur just like that, for instance in traffic or at work. With a legal assistance insurance you are always assured of legal help.
Up to what amount is covered in case of free choice of lawyer
Each insurer has a maximum reimbursement for external costs. This can differ per insurer and can always be found in the policy conditions. A legal expenses insurer makes a distinction between necessary and non-necessary costs. The moment the costs are not necessary, the maximum reimbursement will decrease. So the moment you choose your own lawyer, while your insurer provides one, they see this as not strictly necessary costs. When you choose your own lawyer, it is more expensive for your insurer than when your own lawyer handles the case. That is why fewer costs are reimbursed when you use your own lawyer. However, this is not the case with every insurer; with some the amount remains the same. Therefore you should always check the conditions of your legal expenses insurance to find out up to what amount a private lawyer is reimbursed.
Take out legal expenses insurance with free lawyer choice through Alpina right away!
Don't wait too long to take out legal expenses insurance. This is because most insurers apply a waiting period of 3 to 6 months. This means you cannot use the insurance right away. They try to prevent that the insurance is only taken out when legal help is already needed. Ongoing conflicts are therefore also excluded from coverage. Take out legal expenses insurance with free choice of lawyer? At Alpina.nl you can easily compare legal expenses insurance and then take out insurance directly online.
See also
- Is there also a legal expenses insurance without waiting period?
- Is my family covered by my legal expenses insurance?
- What is the best legal expenses insurance?
- What is the cheapest legal expenses insurance?
- Is there any point in taking out legal expenses insurance during a conflict?
- What is the excess for legal expenses insurance?
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