Seeking info on Rechtsschutzversicherung

[cuznbob 30]

This is something I've been thinking about for quite a long time now but seems to be very complex. As a non native and of course not understanding all laws and contracts I thought maybe it would be a good idea to have a Rechtschutzversicherung policy. Does anyone here have one of these policies? Has anyone ever used it? Any info will be appreciated.

[poppet 4,010]

We have a 'Rechtschutzversicherung' with the Allianz. Mostly I believe that marriage and building disputes are generally not included, but can be for an extra fee. You will have an excess of about €100 per claim and off you go.

 

Generally what happens is when something happens you go to the lawyer - if you haven't got one, I would recommend trying to find a large practice with specialists in different areas rather than a 'Mädchen für alles'. After a brief taking of the details, they will contact your insurance with details, to make sure you are covered for this particular case.

 

We pay for a family of 3 about €35 a month, which I know is peanuts; we are covered for everything. But I must come clean and say that my wife used to work for the Allianz and got an enormous discount. At present, and for the last 8 years, we have been involved in a building dispute. The allianz have covered everything to date - no questions asked. 3 other disputes in the last 12 years have been paid for too.

 

No-one can tell you whether you need one, but it can be very expensive without.

 

Aspekt Online offer ggod comparisons on what is available.

[arunadasi 7,074]

We have had one for years. It covers everything except business disputes (work,elf-employment etc). We pay EUR 205 a year and the whole family is covered. We've used it a few times over the years, and it came in most handy in a dispute with m husband's ex-wife. We were able to recover EUR 20000 from her. More recently, they resolved a dispute with a creditor of ours. I've also been able to turn to them for advice, most lately in a more complex situation with my husbands adult children form his first marriage, who pretty well ripped him off by getting him to sign away his entire Pflichtteil from his inheritance. I am considering whether or not to take action, and it;s nice to know that if I do, there will be no costs. I probably won't, though. BTW, we are with the DAS.

[HEM 11,080]

 

We have had one for years. It covers everything except business disputes (work,elf-employment etc).

 

Actually to have your Rechtsschutzversicherung cover any disputes with your employer is rather important (depending on your circumstances).

 

That was certainly the advice given me my a soliciter/Notar friend when I first set up here X years ago...

[bigkiwi 23]

Mine costs 18 euro a month, Arbeitsrecht is not covered but if I pay extra I could have that too.

 

Yes I have used it,....against 1 and 1 the internet providers. After signing a new contract for a new internet connection they seemed to think that switching my internet on 6 months later was perfectly acceptable, I rang my legal insurance company to confirm that I was covered, passed the insurance details on to the lawyer and successfully fobbed 1 and 1 off.

The system works.

I would allways recomend legal insurance for living here, it's a culture thing, Germans run off to lawyers even for the slightest of disputes.

[YorkshireLad6 7,152]

There are 4 major basic elements of Rechtsschutzversicherung:

 

1. Contractual disputes
2. Labo(u)r disputes (e.g. with your employer)
3. Motoring related disputes
4. Accommodation (home rental or ownership) disputes

Most policies allow you to combine any or all of these elements to suit your circumstances or requirements.

 

Most policies will not cover you for any dispute already started when you sign up and all have waiting periods of 3 or 6 months after the policy starts before you can make a claim

Some cheaper policies require you to use their own chosen or preferred lawyer - others allow you to use the lawyer of your choice

Usually when making a claim you need to present the essence of your case to the insurance company before they decide if they will support (and pay) for it. In most cases the lawyer will do this for you. Any decent lawyer will maintain contact with the insurance company during the progression of a case to ensure continued cover for the claim.

Many policies have an optional excess (deductible) to make the premiums cheaper.

Most policies cover both you and your family members living in your home.

They only pay out for the legal support you need to pursue your case, not any subsequent fines or penalties you may incur.

 

I believe such insurance is essential for every naive foreigner living here. Expect to pay €150-350 per year depending on content and level of cover.

[arunadasi 7,074]

I forgot to mention -- our legal insurance also covers disputes aborad. I now live in England but have maintained the insurance for no extra cost. A ocuple of years ago my son, while with my cra in London, came back to find it clamped just five minutes after the time limit ran out. Because it happened on a Sunday he could not get it unclamped until a day later, had to stay an extra day in London, missed a day of university, and had to pay unclamping and storage fees to the clamping company. I got a UK lawyer through DAS and they sorted it out. We got a cheque for £300!

[arunadasi 7,074]

 

Actually to have your Rechtsschutzversicherung cover any disputes with your employer is rather important (depending on your circumstances).

 

That was certainly the advice given me my a soliciter/Notar friend when I first set up here X years ago...

 

 

 

Normally, perhaps, but we didn't think we'd need it, and certainly haven't ever had cause.

[YorkshireLad6 7,152]

 

Normally, perhaps, but we didn't think we'd need it, and certainly haven't ever had cause.

 

But that's the whole point of insurance - you NEVER need it. Until you do.

[arunadasi 7,074]

Well -- my husband, as a Beamter (now retired), belonged to a Gewerkscahft that would fight his labour battles for him. And I, self-employed, am a member of a professional society that also does the same. So we are safe! :)

[pipa 2]

considering how litigious Germany seems to be and how many lawyers there are here in Munich, it may very well be a good idea. You should decide which of the 4 components you need

 

* Contracts (e.g. problems getting out of cellphone/DSL contracts, etc.)

* Arbeitsrecht (e.g. problems with your employer, esp regarding things like Zeugnis, reasons for parting ways, etc)

* Auto/Verkehrsrecht (also interesting for those who don't own a car since it includes bicycle accidents or if someone in a car injures you; check with your insurance to be sure). If you only care about car insurance, then ADAC should suffice.

* Privat (e.g. problems with your landlord, etc.). If you only care about renting/housing-related insurance, it might be more worth it to join a housing Mietschutzverein (eg www.mieterbund-landesverband-bayern.de, http://www.mhmmuenchen.de/)

 

see YorkshireLad6's post for the British version and other details.

 

There is a different price based on how many of these components you want, how much you want to get covered for, the duration of the contract and how much of a deductible (Selbstbeteiligung or "SB") you are willing to pay for each case (typical is 150-250EUR per case but you can also opt for 0 EUR). The more you're willing to pay in the SB, the lower your annual amount will be. Doing so also is with the assumption you won't have a lot of issues you'll be needing to bring to a lawyer.

 

The only thing that is not covered at all is divorce, however consulting with a divorce lawyer is covered by some.

 

There is typically a 3month period after signing your Rechtschutz contract where you can't apply/use it. For consulting with a divorce lawyer, the waiting period is 3years.

 

Quality of the insurance company is based on how fast they respond, if you want 24hour access to a live person, if you care whether they can be contacted easily by phone, how much hassle they give you with paperwork.

 

You can compare options with websites like these

* http://www.financescout24.de/

* http://www.comfortplan.de/rechtschutz.php

 

Or you can talk to someone at your bank or the post office for quotes from their preferred partners.

 

Alternatively, you can trust my friend's recommendations; here in order of best to good:

- Allianz (note: known to be very pricey; Deutsche Bank partners with them)

- DAS (note: lots of reviews online seem to say it's too pricey for what they deliver to you)

- Rechtsschutz Union

- Huk Coburg (note: the Post Office partners with them)

- Allrecht

- ARAG

- Advocard

 

best,

Pipa

[YorkshireLad6 7,152]

 

Well -- my husband, as a Beamter (now retired), belonged to a Gewerkscahft that would fight his labour battles for him. And I, self-employed, am a member of a professional society that also does the same. So we are safe!

 

So in both cases, you do have (or had) insurance that you pay for indirectly. Beware, however there are a number of circumstances that could arise where the Gewerkschaft may not have been prepared to represent him.

[cuznbob 30]

Thanks to all with the very good information, it's much appreciated. Hope it helps some other folks too as I haven't found this theme covered in detail in the forums here.

[cinzia 2,643]

We had Rechtsschutzversicherung while we lived in Munich and were very happy to have it, only because once our landlady knew we had it, she didn't mess with us much. As a foreigner, some people will assume they can take advantage of your likely vulnerable position because you don't know/understand the laws. If they know it won't cost you anything to hire a lawyer, it changes the balance of power a bit.

 

We needed it for some issues in the apartment after we moved back to the States, and it was nice to have a lawyer there taking care of things.

 

(The landlady was selling the flat after we left, and wanted to get us to pay for as much as she could in the way of fixing things up, so she didn't have to do it herself.)

[spatown 115]

 

We needed it for some issues in the apartment after we moved back to the States, and it was nice to have a lawyer there taking care of things.

 

(The landlady was selling the flat after we left, and wanted to get us to pay for as much as she could in the way of fixing things up, so she didn't have to do it herself.)

 

That sounds like par for the course cinzia.

 

We have rechtschutzversicherung, absolutely necessary I think. I've never had that before but after one miserable neighbour made complaints about our fence, our heating etc, we reckoned that it would be a good thing. Then you can sleep easily and feel safe from the machinations of the local ratbags.

 

And with all the info that ?Pipa provided, it should be easy.

[cuznbob 30]

Thanks again to everyone who's replied. I use Gothaer for my motorcycle insurance and have asked them if they have Rechtsschutzversicherung, which they do. I just need to decide which coverage I want and of course shop around. Has anyone any opinions, or examples of using Gothaer as they haven't been mentioned here yet?

 

Of all the types of coverages mentioned above no one has mentioned coverage in criminal cases. I'm not a criminal, but neither was O.J. as proven by his very good lawyer Plenty of innocent people are spending time in the gray bar hotel because they didn't have adequate legal representation and I would hate to be one of them, especially in a foreign land.

[LeonG 14,797]

The problem having a lawyers insurance with the same company you have your motorcycle insurance is that if it's them you have a dispute with, it a conflict of interest.

[Marc S 183]

I haven't been a member for very long but one thing I have noticed is how often people come here with problems and issues that really do need the attention of a Lawyer. Very few of these people have lawyer insurance Rechtsanwaltversicherung (sp). It is to me, one of the most important forms of insurance that an Auslander can have. Too many times I have seen people (students) with restricted work visas posting on her about getting screwed over by employers or landlords etc. It doesn't cost a LOT (I pay 87€ per year) and can seriously save you a boatload of money. I have had to use it once against a former employer and it saved my bacon. Most insurance companies, Huk-Coburg, DAK, sell it as an add on.

 

Once again, get it! even if you never have to use it, the one time you need it you will be EXTREMELY thankful.

 

Feel free to post if you have ever had to use it. I would love to know how many other people have benefitted from having this.

 

Be well people,

 

Marc

 

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[john g. 37,692]

Well, I agree with you , Marc , about the importance of legal insurance for foreigners here. I´d advise against just mentioning the price of 87 euros a year without your mentioning what sort of a package you have. There are many possible combinations as well as other issues such as deductible/excess and the limits/extents of the cover.

I am a professional independent insurance broker and authorised advertiser. Contact me.

[Hutcho 2,227]

I'm beginning to think Rechtsschutzversicherung is a bit of a joke. Every time we've had the situation where we'd like to use it (3 now), they have got themselves out on some fine print clause. Are there any reputable ones out there that will actually cover a lawyer when you need one?