THE COST? - BTE INSURANCE
The term “before the event insurance” is used to refer to an insurance policy that was already in place before the accident or injury in question.
This type of insurance cover is very often included (commonly, free of charge):-
- as an addition to another type of insurance policy (such as a policy for motor or household insurance)
- as a benefit with a credit card
- with membership of a motoring, business or other organisation
Recent studies indicate that around 60% of the population now have this type of insurance cover but many people don’t realise they have it. If you do, it is likely to apply to the legal fees and other costs of pursuing your accident compensation claim in Scotland (including your opponent’s legal fees and other costs if you lose).
An insurance company providing cover will have strict rules in place with regard to each claim. Those rules usually deal with things like: what the insurance company must be told and when; the way in which the claim is dealt with; and the identity of the solicitor that is instructed.
If you do have one of these policies, there will probably be a financial cap on the amount that the insurance company will meet under it. Clearly, that could lead to a difficult decision having to be taken if your claim proceeds but isn’t finished by the time the financial limit is reached. Sometimes, it is possible to pay an additional premium to increase the limit but, if that can’t be done, you may need to meet the cost of finishing the case yourself.
By using a before the event insurance policy to pay for your compensation claim, you’ll need to give the insurance company concerned a large degree of control over the way your case is handled. That has the potential for leading to an unsatisfactory outcome and, as a consequence, you may opt instead to use one of the other funding arrangements in connection with your claim (although you will not be able to obtain civil legal assistance).
If you’re unsure about the way to fund your personal injuries compensation claim in Scotland, call us now on 08448 700 800 to discuss how we can help or simply fill in the CALL ME box & we’ll ring you. Alternatively, you can start your claim immediately by answering a few simple questions on the CLAIM NOW page and we’ll do the rest.
Remember – Your Scottish compensation claim is best dealt with by Scottish specialists and you won’t pay a penny for our help, whatever happens.