Before-the-Event
Insurance
Affordable coverage for legal disputes for businesses, individuals and families
What is BTE (before-the-event) insurance?
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BTE Insurance, commonly described as Legal Expenses insurance, offers a way for individuals, families, or businesses to cover the costs associated with common legal issues, ensuring affordable access to legal advice and representation in court. This type of insurance is particularly valuable when unexpected legal problems arise, helping to overcome the financial barriers that might prevent people from pursuing their legal rights.
The Basics
BTE insurance typically covers the gaps that other insurances leave open, helping to relieve some of the financial pressure when unexpected legal issues arise.
It gives you access the legal system to both DEFEND and PURSUE your legal rights.
‘Before-the-event’ cover, means your policy will need to be in place before you need it.
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BTE covers legal fees and other associated costs, enabling you to confidently pursue a claim. It empowers individuals to claim the compensation to which they are rightfully entitled.
BTE typically pays for solicitor’s fees, expert witness costs, court fees, and sometimes the opponent's legal costs if they become payable.
It can safeguard your assets, your livelihood and protect you, your family and your business from unexpected legal costs.
Duties of Policyholders: they must inform insurers promptly about potential claims to ensure coverage.
Policyholders are entitled to choose their own solicitors in most cases. Vie Legal Insurance can also recommend an expert panel of solicitors for cost and quality control.
SMEs
The unpredictable nature of business operations often brings legal challenges. From day-to-day operations to unexpected disputes, legal issues can emerge, making access to the legal system an intricate, expensive, and time-consuming endeavour.
Legal Expense Insurance offers an affordable and prudent solution, providing businesses the confidence and support needed to address legal disputes without bearing significant financial burdens.
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Suitable for SMEs and Sole Traders, ensuring they receive the appropriate coverage for any legal issues that may arise during their daily activities.
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Examples of standard cover:
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Navigating audits and tax investigations.
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Resolving contractual disputes with suppliers and/or customers.
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Resolving disputes with employees that escalate e.g. defending an unfair dismissal claim.
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Dealing with damages, trespassing, or nuisances to your business premises.
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Addressing threats of revocation or suspension of a business license.
Individual & Families
Many individuals believe they're unlikely to find themselves embroiled in legal conflicts, yet disputes with employers, landlords or disagreements with neighbours are not uncommon. Initiating legal proceedings to address these matters can be daunting, not to mention financially draining.
BTE Insurance provides coverage for legal fees and expenses across a wide array of disputes, granting individuals and families the means to access legal aid in defence of their rights.
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Examples of standard cover:
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Employment-related disputes, e.g. unfair dismissal.
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Conflicts arising from the purchase or sale of goods and services, e.g. defective building work
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Neighbouring disputes e.g. installation or removal of boundary fences.
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Investigations or audits related to personal taxation.
Landlord
We can help landlords protect their rights in disputes by providing coverage for commercial property owners for the legal expenses involved in tenant disputes, including eviction due to violations of the lease agreement.
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Situations like a tenant failing to pay rent or causing damage to the property can be both time-consuming and costly to resolve. In such instances, Before The Event (BTE) Insurance proves invaluable.
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Examples of standard cover:
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Navigating audits and tax investigations from the ATO regarding the property
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In pursuit of recovery of rent arrears if a tenant falls into arrears and continues to ignore reminders for payment
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Criminal charges for action taken in the capacity of the landlord such as unlawful entry to a rented property
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If someone damages, trespasses on or causes a nuisance to a property
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To pursue legal rights to repossess the property that has been let under a tenancy agreement
Marine, Yatch & Motorboat
This coverage is designed to shield you from unforeseen legal disputes on the water. While your boat may be insured against physical loss or damage through standard Boat or Marine Insurance policies, these usually don't cover the legal expenses needed to protect or assert your legal rights.
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It can be a preemptive measure, covering legal costs to ensure comprehensive protection for legal issues that may arise from using your watercraft.
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Examples of standard cover:
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Collisions or crashes
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Accidental damage
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Fire, storms, floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, and explosions
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Theft
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Vandalism or acts of malice
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Medical Professionals
Examples of standard cover:
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Disputes with employees (private practitioners only)
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Disputes with employers (salaried practitioners only)
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Disputes arising out of commercial contracts
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Appeals against town planning decisions
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Tax audit disputes
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Disputes between partners
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Witness practice expenses
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Division of general practice activities (defence)
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Disputes with hospitals/nursing homes
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Administrative appeals tribunal or ombudsman hearings
Associations & Unions
Disbursement funding allows law firms to cover the upfront costs of litigation, from court fees to expert witness fees, without straining their cash flow. It's a game-changer for taking on high-value cases too.
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Disbursement funding when utilised with disbursement only insurance means the law firm/client are protected if a case is unsuccessful
Flexibility and Customisation
Get to Know Us
Vie Legal Insurance distinguishes itself in the legal expenses insurance market through its flexibility and personalised approach.
Rather than applying a generic strategy to all clients, they focus on cultivating long-term, reciprocal relationships, allowing them to tailor coverage to meet individual needs.
Our deep expertise and involvement in the industry enables us to provide dynamic and innovative insurance solutions that are responsive to the evolving legal landscape.
Book a Meeting
Schedule a meeting with us today to explore your specific BTE insurance needs.
