Legal costs are often framed in terms of the cost of a ticket, settlements, or court and attorney fees — often unpleasant thoughts. But people who have the right legal insurance plan can think about legal costs in terms of how much they can save by having affordable access to professional legal advice.
Typically, employees can purchase a legal insurance plan for around $20 a month. This gives them access to a national network of credentialed attorneys. And for covered services, the network attorney fees are usually paid-in-full.
A legal insurance plan can quickly pay for itself, when you consider the average attorney fee (currently $368 per hour1 for most legal services).
Take a look at some typical legal expenses as it relates to attorney fees:2
Traffic violation defense: $1,288
Defending a traffic violation can vary greatly in cost, but the average cost for a relatively straight-forward case can cost more than $1000 — far more than the yearly premium for a comprehensive legal insurance plan of around $240.
Wills: $1,546
This fundamental estate planning document can provide peace of mind for your family, but even a simple will can get more involved than you’d expect, especially if you have children.
Consumer protection: $2,502
Protecting you from a range of issues, such as debt collection, problems with contractors or disputes with warranties or contracts can be costly, time-consuming and unpleasant. Legal insurance can help reduce the added cost and stress of dealing with these situations.
Selling your home: $2,155
Transferring property from one owner to another, such as selling your home, can involve an attorney providing consultation, reviewing documents and attending the closing as necessary. Having legal insurance means you’ll have someone there to represent your best interests — at a fraction of the cost.
Adoption: $3,275
Dealing with the stress, paperwork and waiting that may come with the adoption process can be both fiscally and mentally taxing. Having legal insurance can alleviate some of the pressure by providing an affordable way to handle the matter.
These are just some of the typical attorney fees one might encounter in everyday life. The true advantage of legal insurance is that it gives you a place to turn for help when dealing with these common issues – and it won't break the bank.
1 Average attorney rates in the United States of $368 per hour for attorneys with 11 to 15 years of experience, The Survey of Law Firm Economics: 2018 Edition, The National Law Journal and ALM Legal Intelligence, November 2018.
2 2018 ARAG claims data, calculated by multiplying average hours by the average hourly attorney rate of $368.
