Pre-Pay Your Way to Security and Peace of Mind

Words: Jessica Luca

Mention the word ‘lawyer’ to most people and they will either snort with derision or scowl with contempt, before launching into an anecdote about exorbitant legal costs or a long-winded and painful process with little or no satisfaction.  This less than positive attitude towards the legal system causes most, otherwise sensible, adults to stall whenever a legal issue arises.  Whether it’s for fear of being slapped with a hefty bill for a five-minute phone call, or simply not knowing who to call, people generally regard contacting a lawyer as their last possible resort.  But with Australians being two to three times more likely to find themselves in court than in a hospital bed, it’s about time we started educating ourselves about how we can stop the costly and time-consuming horror stories we hear about at dinner parties from becoming the stories we experience and tell.

There’s nothing better than stepping out in a pair of brand new bought-on-sale shoes.  Except maybe knowing exactly what to do when the heel snaps off the first time you wear them and the wafer-thin sales assistant refuses to reimburse your hard-earned dollars because ‘we don’t refund sale items’.  It’s a simple, somewhat crude, example, but an alarming number of women wouldn’t know their legal rights in this sort of situation. 

Getting access to legal advice doesn’t have to be a complicated mess, with Pre-Paid Legal Services providing a painless and effective gateway to the legal system for the average you or me.  The company has a range of pre-paid legal plans to suit almost any set of circumstances, providing ease of access to an otherwise confusing and daunting system.  This might all sound new and gimmicky but it’s actually a concept that has been operating successfully in Europe for almost 100 years, and across North America for about 45 years.  The Australasian headquarters has operated out of Perth since 2001, and the company is successfully expanding throughout Australia and into South East Asia. 

Pre-Paid Legal Services provides members with quick and easy access to the legal system, in return for an affordable regular fee.  What this means is that instead of closing your eyes and picking a law firm from random out of the yellow pages, members can give Pre-Paid Legal Services a call and trust that they will be directed to experienced, reputable solicitors.  Members have access to an extensive range of legal services across all areas of law, with everything from advice and consultation, translating and explaining contracts written in confusing ‘legalese’, to pursuing or defending claims in court.   Levels of coverage differ and members have the freedom to select the plan best suited to their needs.  Under a family plan, coverage can be extended to  dependents or children you may have, while small business owners can protect themselves, their businesses and their employees, preventing legal issues from causing disruptions to productivity.  Members can change or upgrade their coverage as their needs change or as circumstances demand.

By having a pre-paid legal plan in place, minor questions of law (like the shoe scenario) can be answered promptly, empowering members to exercise the rights afforded to them by the law.  A major advantage of providing free-flowing access to legal advice is that minor legal matters can be dealt with before they explode into messy and expensive court battles.  Mr. Puttick, Chief Executive Officer of Pre-Paid Legal Services, says “Most providers will tell you that in most cases by the time people walk through the door with a legal issue the issue has already got to the point where it’s becoming a much larger problem”.  The protection provided by a pre-paid legal plan removes the instinct to balk at seeking the advice of a legal professional in the early stages of concern, negotiation or dispute.  “It is our aim to help educate people to be proactive in utilising the service,” Mr. Puttick says, as a pre-paid plan is an ideal preventative measure to ensure no unexpected legal life event becomes a major financial burden further down the road.

The pre-emptive protection of a pre-paid legal plan is ideal for anyone looking to ensure financial security and peace of mind.  Women seeking to educate and empower themselves, independent of a spouse or employer, will find the safety net of a pre-paid legal plan will enable them to strengthen their self-confidence and enhance their understanding and assertion of basic legal rights.  “It also gives the ability for women to seek help early, without having to make a financial decision first so they can establish what rights they have under the law.  In the changing world we now live, legal issues are more prevalent and can be more complex and difficult to resolve.  With a legal plan they have the ability to feel more comfortable in knowing that if a legal issue did arise they have someone they can ring on a regular basis and be directed through to a lawyer who specialises in the area of law they require”, says Mr. Puttick.   Of course, all correspondence between Pre-Paid Legal Services and its members is completely confidential and interactions with solicitors are protected by legal professional privilege, so you can be one hundred percent sure that your personal matters remain just that – personal.

The solicitors tackling the queries and concerns of members belong to reputable, well-established state-based firms.  Mr. Puttick indicates that the processes employed by Pre-Paid Legal Services in the selection of a law firm are rigorous, as are the criteria required.  “Most firms have to have been established in the market for a minimum of twenty years or be able to demonstrate they have the partners or senior solicitors within those firms who are capable of handling the areas of law that we require,” he says, “There’s a two pronged process – we review the firms themselves and then we review the lawyers within those firms”.  Pre-Paid Legal Services prefers to engage the services of state-based firms, which are more suited to meet the needs of private individuals and small businesses compared with the larger, national firms, which focus more predominately on the corporate arena.  Pre-Paid Legal continually monitors the quality of service received by its members through a variety of quality control methods ensuring its primary intention of protecting members and their private and business interests is fulfilled.

To those sceptics who think they’ll never need legal advice?  Mr. Puttick says, “Today just about everything we do has some form of legal consequence. So to believe that you’re never likely to need the services of a lawyer is somewhat naive, as legal situations can arise at anytime even if you are law abiding.  If you ask yourself – have you ever... been over charged for a repair, tried to return a defective product, entered into an agreement without fully understanding your rights, signed a contract you wished you hadn’t, needed to prepare a will, purchased or sold a home, been sued or wished you could pursue a debt that was owing to you.  Most of us have, but for many of us the thought of calling a lawyer to help protect or defend our legal rights just isn’t an option.  Either because we don’t know who to call, or we believe it would cost too much.  Instead we choose to ignore the problem or try to handle it personally, neither of which is a satisfactory way to deal with a legal issue.”  Members frequently take advantage of basic legal services such as advice and consultation, assistance in the drafting of wills, contract or document review and conveyancing services when engaging in sale or purchase of property, forming just the tip of the pre-paid legal plan iceberg.  Pre-Paid Legal Services Providers are willing and able to assist in issues across a broad range of areas of law from employment and workplace relations, income taxation, family and de facto law, motor vehicle accidents and fines, medical professional negligence, banking and finance legal services and more.  All plans are comprehensive and service entitlements vary according to the level of coverage you require.  Personal plans are available for individuals, families, seniors and pensioners, and employees and contractors, while business plans provide different levels of coverage for home-based businesses, small business with fifty or fewer employees, and extended businesses with more than fifty employees, as well as a rural plan for primary producers.  A valuable member benefit of Pre-Paid Legal Services is the 24 hour, seven day a week legal emergency service for emergency legal advice.   Particularly helpful in the event of an arrest or detention, the emergency service is available to help members deal with legal situations arising after normal business hours .

Of course, an obvious perk of pre-paid legal plans is the financial advantage it offers.  It’s no secret that the legal system is extremely costly, with legal aid available to only a small percentage of the population.  For the rest of us, pursuing legal action would impose major financial burdens, adding to the stress of an already emotionally draining situation.  Instead of demanding a lump sum of cash whenever a legal problem crops up, pre-paid legal plans provide for pre-payment for legal advice, consultation services, and representation combined with a discount fee-for-service benefit.  It is designed to cover a large percentage of the average person's and small business' legal needs in a given year for a small monthly or annual fee, depending on the arrangement in place.  The price of payments remains constant throughout the term of the membership, so members can rely on a stable and dependable financial routine, no more burdensome than car insurance payments.  From less than a dollar per day the relatively minor financial responsibility of membership broadens the scope of access to allow women who would otherwise be entirely financially dependent upon a spouse to secure their very own piece of independence.  Depending on your level of coverage, an entire month of pre-paid legal coverage is less than what you would spend on dinner on a single night out.

When asked about the philanthropic activities of Pre-Paid Legal Services, Mr. Puttick echoes the philosophy of the company, consistent across the globe, “We give back to the community what the community gives to us”.  This is very much evident in the community presence of Pre-Paid Legal Services, with support given to The Red Cross, The Salvation Army, Anglicare Australia, The Returned & Services League, Neighbourhood Watch and many other charitable programs across the state, as well as the provision of funds and clothing to tsunami and bushfire affected areas.  Pre-Paid Legal Services was also the major sponsor of an International Women’s Day event last year, hosting Quentin Bryce, Governor-General of Australia, who spoke about the path she travelled to get to where she is today, reminding women there is nothing that can’t be achieved. 

In addition to the obvious benefits of legal support to be gained from membership, Pre-Paid Legal Services is also in the process of developing a network of commercial relationships as part of its member benefits program, adding greater value to what is already a valuable service in itself. 

Not only do pre-paid legal plans provide members with a simple and effective solution to dealing with the legal issues precipitated by the challenges faced in one’s personal and business lives, but they’re also provided with a better understanding of their legal rights and responsibilities - an understanding all Australians should have.  Members also have access to unparalleled security and stability, without encountering the hassle and expense which barricades entrance to the legal system for many of us.  Not to mention, you’ll have the confidence to knock the stilettos off any wafer-thin sales assistant with your knowledge of your legal rights!

For more information about Pre-Paid Legal Services and the legal plans they have available simply contact them on (08) 9355 5822; email enquiries@prepaidlegal.com.au; or view their website at www.prepaidlegal.com.au.