Commercial legal protection

Covers you against legal costs relating to:

  • employment disputes
  • non-motor criminal prosecutions
  • the death or bodily injury of an insured person
  • your property, following damage, nuisance or trespass

You may face additional risks if:

  • you employ other people, even on a part-time or short-term basis
  • you use subcontractors, self-employed or voluntary workers

What's covered

DAS Legal Expenses Insurance Company Limited (DAS) will cover costs up to the level of cover chosen to defend your, or an insured person's, legal rights in all claims arising at the same time or from the same originating cause, relating to:

  • employment disputes
  • non-motor criminal prosecutions
  • some specific civil legal proceedings where it is more likely than not that damages will be recovered or a successful defence will be made
  • your property, following damage, nuisance or trespass
  • the death or bodily injury of an insured person
  • a full or aspect inquiry by HM Revenue & Customs.
  • a contractual dispute exceeding £250 and relating to the purchase, hire, sale or provision of goods or services
  • the recovery of money and interest due from the sale or provision of goods or services exceeding £250.

For full details of what's covered, see your policy documents.

What's not covered

This policy will not cover:

  • costs incurred before DAS have agreed to accept the claim
  • any claim reported to DAS more than 180 days after the date the insured person should have known about the insured incident
  • claims arising from tax avoidance schemes
  • any dispute arising from an agreement entered into prior to the inception date of the indemnity provided by this section if the date of occurrence is within the first 90 days of the indemnity provided by this section
  • claims relating to patents, copyrights, trademarks, merchandise marks, registered designs, intellectual property, secrecy and confidentiality agreements
  • incidents deliberately or intentionally caused by an insured person
  • compensation claims for personal injury or loss of or damage to property in employment disputes
  • compensation awarded in employment disputes for trade union activities, trade union membership or non-membership, pregnancy or maternity rights, health and safety related dismissals brought under section 44 of the Employment Rights Act 1996, statutory rights in relation to trustees of occupational pension schemes, or statutory rights in relation to Sunday shop and betting work
  • failure to comply with minimum wage laws
  • claims relating to any transfer of business which falls within the scope of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 or the Transfer of Undertakings (Pension Protection) Regulations 2005 and any amending legislation
  • claims which lead to an insured person being prosecuted for infringement of road traffic laws or regulations in connection with the ownership, driving or use of a motor vehicle
  • claims relating to any illness or bodily injury which develops gradually or is not caused by a specific or sudden accident
  • the amount of the excess.

For full details of what's not covered, see your policy documents.

 

Who are DAS?

DAS Legal Expenses Insurance Company Limited (DAS) underwrite this commercial legal protection cover. DAS are specialists in legal expenses insurance.

What are legal costs and expenses?

By this we mean the costs associated with defending your legal rights, such as your solicitors' or barristers' fees and the costs of the other party in a disagreement should you lose and have to pay them.

Will a legal problem that exists before my policy starts be covered by legal protection insurance?

No, disputes existing before your policy starts are excluded.

If a new legal dispute arises, should I notify my own solicitor first?

If something happens and you think you will need to make a claim on your commercial legal protection insurance, it's important that you get in touch with DAS before taking any other action.

What civil legal proceedings are covered?

There are a number of civil legal proceedings covered by commercial legal protection insurance, such as defence against a claim for compensation under the Data Protection Act 1998. But these are quite specific, so for a full picture you should check the wording on your policy.

What if the cost of defending a claim goes over £100,000?

£100,000 is the most DAS will pay to pursue or defend your rights in all claims arising at the same time or from the same cause. If your claim or claims look likely to go above that limit, you'll be informed by your allocated solicitor or legal representative. You'll be responsible for the payment of any costs that go over the indemnity limit.