Motor Legal Protection , is it worth it ?

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussion' started by HarryS, Aug 23, 2017.

  1. HarryS

    HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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    When you renew the insurance on your car you are offered Motor Legal Protection. On a new policy this is sometimes free (first year ) or about £28 . This is to cover for incidental losses or claims on your insurance policy. Now is this actually worthwhile , or is it a nice little earner for the insurance companies and is rarely used ?
    There are companies, as below , where you can take out MLP separately . £15 for one person £20 for two . I think this is the way I will go on our new insurance.
    Just got a new quote saving nearly £100 on MrsH's insurance requote . It does pay to search every year.
    MotorLegalProtectionPlus | driver guardian
     
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    • ricky101

      ricky101 Total Gardener

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      A vexed question, often wonder if it won't end up like the PPI saga.

      Also check your home insurance, some also offer legal protection included or where you can add it.
       
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      • shiney

        shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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        I agree with ricky. Some home policies cover it but it depends on what the problem is. They may not cover trying to recover your no claims discount.

        Some insurers make it an integral part of the policy and you have no choice. Ultimately it may depend on total cost, how it compares with others and whether you feel competent to handle any problem yourself.

        In the long run, it's generally better to have the cover even if it's just for peace of mind. Whether you have included in your policy or as a separate one is a matter of choice and whether it's worth it to you for what may only be a few pounds difference. This is what the insurance companies count on.

        Ask what the legal protection covers - or doesn't cover.
         
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        • clanless

          clanless Total Gardener

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          I've paid for but never used Motor Legal Protection cover - I've decided not to pay for it this time around.

          My decision is partly based upon the 'where there's blame there's a claim' scenario - if the other driver is at fault - then the blame/claim solicitors will take on the case - and get their fee from the other party - in this case I have the cover for 'free'.

          If it's clearly my fault - then it's my fault - no solicitor will be able to get me off the hook :yikes:.
           
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          • martin-f

            martin-f Plant Hardiness Zone 8b

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            I've never paid extra for it, as mentioned some polices come with it,

            Slightly of topic, but what about protected no claims bonus, is it worth paying extra to protect your bonus please.
             
          • clanless

            clanless Total Gardener

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            I've looked into NCB protection and decided it's a waste of money.

            If you have a look on the LV web site - they explain how a claim impacts upon your bonus - I was surprised to find that in return for say a £20 NCB premium - I would protect £30 worth of NCB. You're not told this - you assume that all NCB will go - it won't - only a proportion of it.

            If you have built up a few years NCB - you notice that the amount of additional discount is less each year - so losing 2 years NCB when you have 10 years in total is not a lot of mullah.

            I'm not paying for NCB protection this year either.
             
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              Last edited: Sep 27, 2017
            • HarryS

              HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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              Never bothered with the extra cost of NCB protection . These figures are off the top off my head , someone can correct these . If you make a claim you should just lose 2 years bonus ,i.e. if you have 9 years you should go back to 7 . But most companies will knock you back to 3 years ( I have just read , below ! ) So I will still get a new insurance quote every year and not take up on the NCB protection or the Motor legal protection . Although I may take a separate MLP policy out for £20 for both of us.
              It is a case of you pays your money and you takes your choice.

              How does no claims bonus work? | MoneySuperMarket
               
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              • martin-f

                martin-f Plant Hardiness Zone 8b

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                Thank you,
                I'm up to five years NCB now and was wondering if it was worth having extra cover next year now ive got a few yrs under my belt, ill carry on without it many thanks.
                 
              • clanless

                clanless Total Gardener

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                Here you go - real figures just obtained from the LV website:

                £9.15 to protect £14 worth of NCB.

                8% difference between 4 years NCB and 9+ years NCB.

                Either way the insurers will win - by increasing your base premium after a biff - or reducing your NCB if they pay out - even if it's not your fault.

                What a swizz.
                 
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                • Charlie996

                  Charlie996 Gardener

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                  It doesn't work like that.

                  Say your premium is 100 quid less let's say 40% NCB
                  You then pay 60 quid.
                  you have a bump.......
                  So you premium goes up because you are a higher risk so let's say it doubles to 200 quid
                  If you have protected your NCB then you get the same 40% so you pay 120 nicker.

                  So your NCB remains the same but the premium goes up because you have had a bump and are considered a higher risk obviously.

                  Quite where or how you get £9.15 to protect £14 of NCB I can't work out. If you do have a bump that protected NCB is worth a lot more if you are dead unlucky and have another later on.

                  As for legal protection it's the old old... If you don't have it and need it it's suck a lemon time. If you never use it it's money kinda wasted.

                  Personally I don't bother ...
                   
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                  • shiney

                    shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                    I agree with @Charlie996
                    Your protected No Claims will be protecting a high base premium and not the level of premium you were paying.

                    Even if it's not your fault they may bump up your premium a lot more.

                    Someone I know had theirs increased by £300 :hate-shocked: (b***** thieves!) even though it wasn't their fault. They also had Legal cover but the legal people said that the legal cover doesn't extend to reclaiming increased premiums. I handled it for them and put pressure on the insurers and they then managed to get most of it from the other people (otherwise, on their behalf, I would have issued a summons to the person who caused the incident).

                    Generally it is best to have both legal cover and no claims cover. They shouldn't be expensive and it's worth the peace of mind. Fortunately I've never had an accident that was my fault and am able to handle most cases myself, but have still used the legal cover. Once, my car was written off by a drunk driver. His insurers wouldn't accept responsibility and cancelled his insurance. My insurers said they would pay out (they had to) and I didn't lose my NCB or had my premium increased (I had a big fight with them over the premium). The main problem was that they just wanted to offer me the 'Book' price on my car which wasn't sufficient to replace it with a similar car in similar condition. I pushed the Legal Cover people to insist that all I wanted was the same model, in the same condition (before the accident :snorky:) whether it was cheaper or more expensive. It worked. :blue thumb:

                    All insurances are usually worth the money (although most of them are thieves!) simply because of how much it costs you if the horrible event happens.

                    The biggest loss that most people suffer through being uninsured is by not having household contents insurance. :sad: Fire, burglary, flood etc. which all seem to be on the increase (washing machines and tumble dryers catching fire, cooker doors exploding, floods all around the country).

                    Another insurance that is definitely essential is holiday insurance (if you go on holiday) but I think that this is one of the biggest rip-offs out of the lot. It's usually much cheaper to buy a separate holiday insurance than to buy it with your holiday. Airlines and holiday companies usually charge exorbitant amounts. some travel agents will offer cheaper separate policies but you can usually get what you want online if they don't offer it. Always read what you're covered for.

                    I travel a lot and have a separate policy that covers us for the whole year (as many trips as we like) and worldwide. It's a top level policy (you have a choice of levels) and only costs £160 to cover both of us (although we're over the age that a lot of companies will insure :old:). Most holiday companies will charge £40-£70 for a two week holiday!
                     
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                    • clanless

                      clanless Total Gardener

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                      I have always had comp insurance on my car - apart from one year when I was particularly poor. Yep, that year I had a prang - a mini bus drove into the side of me. Luckily the driver admitted liability :phew:.

                      Some years before that, a guy pulled out in front of me, brakes slammed on but too late.

                      I had to take a month off work and it was inconvenient getting around - as the car was a write off. The idea of claiming for injuries etc was nowhere on the radar. How things have changed today.

                      Do you know, I received a bill for the ambulance to attend - what a cheek :mute:
                       
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                      • clanless

                        clanless Total Gardener

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                        And of course there is the time when I was caught driving at 31 (cough) in a 30 mph zone.

                        I advised my insurers at renewal time - and the annual premium reduced :scratch:.

                        I was quite pleased :biggrin:.
                         
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                        • shiney

                          shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                          Yep! If it was your fault they'll charge you. :noidea:
                           
                        • Charlie996

                          Charlie996 Gardener

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                          Not sure if anyone gets charged for ambulance anymore ?

                          Look how many call an ambulance for no real reason. IMO they should pay !

                          Years ago if you called an ambulance for no real need you had to pay.... I had a knock on the door from and older lady who thought she was having a heart attack but was worried about ringing because she was scared of the cost..... As the hospital was literally a mile away I loaded her in my car. It was a Granada Ghia and my pride and joy !!! She weed on the seat before we got out of our road.... Ohhhh blooming hell.... Followed shortly by.............you guessed it a threpenny bit...... Ohhhhhh bu££er.....

                          No wonder they charged !! :biggrin:
                           
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