A Pre-Paid Legal Service plan? What can a prepaid legal plan do for me and my family? Is it a complete family insurance plan?"

<body bgcolor="#000000" link="#0000FF" vlink="#008080" alink="#0000FF"> <p align="left"> <font color="#413938" size="2" face="Tahoma, Verdana"> <img border="0" src="links/graphics/impactlogo3.jpg" alt="Prepaid Legal Services page" width="551" height="72"></a></font></p> <div align="center"> <center> <table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" width="98%" id="AutoNumber1"> <tr> <td width="100%" bgcolor="#29007D"> <font face="Verdana" size="4" color="#FFFFFF">Prepaid Legal Services</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" align="left" valign="top"> <p align="center"> <font color="#000000" size="6"><br> Prepaid Legal Service Plans</font><p> <font size="4" color="#000000" face="Arial">Find out more about <a href="http://www.prepaidlegal.com/info/jkraft" title="prepaid legal">Prepaid Legal Family plans</a>. </font> <p> <font size="4" color="#000000" face="Arial">Find out more about <a href="http://www.prepaidlegal.com/biz/jkraft" title="business legal plans">Prepaid Legal Business plans</a>. </font> <p> <font size="4" color="#000000" face="Arial">Find out more about <a href="http://www.prepaidlegal.com/go/jkraft" title="prepaid legal business opportunity">the Prepaid Legal Business Opportunity</a><br>  </font><p align="center"><b><font face="Arial" size="2"> <a href="http://www.strive4impact.com">Back Home</a></font></b></p> <p> </p> <h2 align="center">The basics of prepaid legal services</h2> <center> <p><i>By Liz Strillacci<br> Insure.com</i></p> </center> <p>If you have a will to be written, need tax advice, or are adopting a child, the attorney's fees can empty your bank account fast. Prepaid legal services can help ease some of the sting in paying for a lawyer.</p> <p>Prepaid legal service plans work much like HMOs. The risk for legal services is pooled and spread over a large group of customers. Members of the group pay an annual fee and have access to an established network of attorneys for advice and service, just as HMO members have access to a network of physicians. And like HMOs, plan members can always choose to use a lawyer out of network, though the plan won't pay for it.</p> <font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" color="red" size="3"><center> <p> </p> <p><b>Common services covered by prepaid legal plans</b></p> </center></font><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> <li>Writing a will for you and your spouse. </li> <li>Creating trusts. </li> <li>Court representation on charges such as DUI. </li> <li>Mediation in neighbor disputes. </li> <li>Representation in real estate transactions. </li> <li>Review of contracts. </li> <li>Divorce<p>Prepaid legal plans are typically offered in two models: "access" and "comprehensive." While every plan differs in the specifics of what it covers, access plans generally cost much less and provide quick access to an attorney for advice and simple legal services. Access plans average about $150 per year for a family. If you sought an attorney's help on your own, hourly rates average anywhere from $145 per hour up to $210, so if you use a lawyer just once a year with a pre-paid legal plan, you've probably saved yourself money. But be aware that some plans require a co-pay for services just as there is for doctor visits and prescription medications. </p> <p>Comprehensive prepaid legal plans provide a much broader range of services that require more time and effort on the part of attorneys, such as wills, trusts, deeds, or contracts. Comprehensive plans can provide for legal representation in negotiations and in court cases such as divorce or child custody, and in some cases may cover all costs involved in litigation. These plans can cost $300 a year or more and are most beneficial to people who own more than one piece of real estate, have complicated family situations with wills and trusts, or who run their own business and need business support and advice. </p> <p>In both cases, benefits often have caps or maximums, but comprehensive plans will usually have higher limits. </p> <p>The benefits of pre-paid legal plans, particularly the more affordable access plans, include easy access to an attorney, significant cost savings, and, in many cases, preventive services that can help with issues before they reach crisis proportions. For instance, you may be able to call on a lawyer for advice on mediating a dispute with a neighbor over property lines instead of arguing until the dispute becomes a lawsuit. </p> <p>Plans can vary in their offerings but most offer unlimited phone access to a lawyer as part of the plan. Some go as far as to offer unlimited office visits, depending on which plan you've paid for. Members are usually allowed to choose any attorney from the network, but sometimes you'll have to select an alternate due to case loads, . </p> <p> </p> <div class="subhead"> What to look for</div> <p>In addition to a clear outline of what is and is not covered under the pre-paid legal plan, there are a few more things to consider when signing up for prepaid legal services. The plan should have directions on how to resolve a dispute with or complaint against an attorney in the plan. </p> <p>There should be information on secondary sources for resolution as well. In states that have legal insurance laws, the plans will be regulated by your state department of insurance. However, not all states have specific laws addressing legal insurance. In that case, each state's bar association can provide an outlet for complaints against attorneys.</p> <p>In addition, if you sign up for a legal-services plan with your employer as part of workplace benefits, the legal services are covered under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). This federal regulation is a guideline to how employee benefits are managed and provided to employees. </p> <p>Choosing your attorney from the network list is up to you, so you'll want to do a little homework before making your selection. If you already know an attorney on the list, it makes it easier, but if you're looking at a list of strangers, it's buyer beware. You can contact your state bar association to find out if complaints have been filed against particular attorneys. If the plan you've joined has other members whom you know or work with, you can ask them for references. Groups and employers that offer these plans should have researched law firm or attorney backgrounds before selecting them, but it always pays to back that up with your own research. </p> <p>Make sure you review your existing insurance policies before selecting your pre-paid legal plan. Some legal protections and defense costs may already be covered, and you don't want to pay for coverage twice. For instance, your car insurance protects you in the case of car accidents with liability and medical coverage. Your home insurance covers you in the case of injuries on your property. If your policies already include these, don't pay for them again in a pre-paid legal plan. </p> <p>Pre-paid legal service plans are available to individuals or families through legal service organizations and sometimes through churches, educational institutions, alumni associations, business groups, credit unions, and employers.</p> <div class="tableheader"> <font color="#cc0000">Pre-paid services vs. legal insurance</font></div> <div class="tabletext"> "Prepaid legal services" offer specific services for a reduced price. You pay your annual fee and the plan pays the lawyer bills. <p>"Legal insurance" can also include coverage of specific legal services, but its main function is to protect an individual against all legal costs. </p> <p>Legal insurance will reimburse the policyholder or pay on behalf of the policyholder all fees, costs, and expenses for legal services including court judgments, up to the policy limits. </p> <p>In addition, legal service insurance will provide bail money, something most pre-paid legal services do <em>not</em> provide. </p> <p>Legal insurance will also pick up where your auto or home insurance leaves off. For example, if you are sued for recovery of damages in a car accident because they exceed your insurance limits, legal services insurance can kick in to protect you. </p> <p>Legal insurance also does not restrict your choice of attorneys to a network, but rather will provide coverage regardless of which attorney you select. However, legal insurance is much harder to obtain in most states because few insurance companies offer it. Pre-paid legal plans are much more accessible to the general public.</p> <p align="center">--- Post this article about legal services on your site --<br> --- Just cut and paste the article below  --</p> <p align="center"> <textarea rows="3" cols="75" name="pre_paid_legal_services"><h2 align="center">The basics of pre-paid legal services</h2> <center> <p><i>By Liz Strillacci<br> Insure.com</i></p> </center> <p>If you have a will to be written, need tax advice, or are adopting a child, the attorney's fees can empty your bank account fast. Pre-paid legal services can help ease some of the sting in paying for a lawyer.</p> <p>Pre-paid legal service plans work much like HMOs. The risk for legal services is pooled and spread over a large group of customers. Members of the group pay an annual fee and have access to an established network of attorneys for advice and service, just as HMO members have access to a network of physicians. And like HMOs, plan members can always choose to use a lawyer out of network, though the plan won't pay for it.</p> <font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" color="red" size="3"><center> <p> </p> <p><b>Common services covered by pre-paid legal plans</b></p> </center></font><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> <li>Writing a will for you and your spouse. </li> <li>Creating trusts. </li> <li>Court representation on charges such as DUI. </li> <li>Mediation in neighbor disputes. </li> <li>Representation in real estate transactions. </li> <li>Review of contracts. </li> <li>Divorce<p>Pre-paid legal plans are typically offered in two models: "access" and "comprehensive." While every plan differs in the specifics of what it covers, access plans generally cost much less and provide quick access to an attorney for advice and simple legal services. Access plans average about $150 per year for a family. If you sought an attorney's help on your own, hourly rates average anywhere from $145 per hour up to $210, so if you use a lawyer just once a year with a pre-paid legal plan, you've probably saved yourself money. But be aware that some plans require a co-pay for services just as there is for doctor visits and prescription medications. </p> <p>Comprehensive pre-paid legal plans provide a much broader range of services that require more time and effort on the part of attorneys, such as wills, trusts, deeds, or contracts. Comprehensive plans can provide for legal representation in negotiations and in court cases such as divorce or child custody, and in some cases may cover all costs involved in litigation. These plans can cost $300 a year or more and are most beneficial to people who own more than one piece of real estate, have complicated family situations with wills and trusts, or who run their own business and need business support and advice. </p> <p>In both cases, benefits often have caps or maximums, but comprehensive plans will usually have higher limits. </p> <p>The benefits of pre-paid legal plans, particularly the more affordable access plans, include easy access to an attorney, significant cost savings, and, in many cases, preventive services that can help with issues before they reach crisis proportions. For instance, you may be able to call on a lawyer for advice on mediating a dispute with a neighbor over property lines instead of arguing until the dispute becomes a lawsuit. </p> <p>Plans can vary in their offerings but most offer unlimited phone access to a lawyer as part of the plan. Some go as far as to offer unlimited office visits, depending on which plan you've paid for. Members are usually allowed to choose any attorney from the network, but sometimes you'll have to select an alternate due to case loads, . </p> <p> </p> <div class="subhead"> What to look for</div> <p>In addition to a clear outline of what is and is not covered under the pre-paid legal plan, there are a few more things to consider when signing up for pre-paid legal services. The plan should have directions on how to resolve a dispute with or complaint against an attorney in the plan. </p> <p>There should be information on secondary sources for resolution as well. In states that have legal insurance laws, the plans will be regulated by your state department of insurance. However, not all states have specific laws addressing legal insurance. In that case, each state's bar association can provide an outlet for complaints against attorneys.</p> <p>In addition, if you sign up for a legal-services plan with your employer as part of workplace benefits, the legal services are covered under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). This federal regulation is a guideline to how employee benefits are managed and provided to employees. </p> <p>Choosing your attorney from the network list is up to you, so you'll want to do a little homework before making your selection. If you already know an attorney on the list, it makes it easier, but if you're looking at a list of strangers, it's buyer beware. You can contact your state bar association to find out if complaints have been filed against particular attorneys. If the plan you've joined has other members whom you know or work with, you can ask them for references. Groups and employers that offer these plans should have researched law firm or attorney backgrounds before selecting them, but it always pays to back that up with your own research. </p> <p>Make sure you review your existing insurance policies before selecting your pre-paid legal plan. Some legal protections and defense costs may already be covered, and you don't want to pay for coverage twice. For instance, your car insurance protects you in the case of car accidents with liability and medical coverage. Your home insurance covers you in the case of injuries on your property. If your policies already include these, don't pay for them again in a pre-paid legal plan. </p> <p>Pre-paid legal service plans are available to individuals or families through legal service organizations and sometimes through churches, educational institutions, alumni associations, business groups, credit unions, and employers.</p> <div class="tableheader"> <font color="#cc0000">Pre-paid services vs. legal insurance</font></div> <div class="tabletext"> "Pre-paid legal services" offer specific services for a reduced price. You pay your annual fee and the plan pays the lawyer bills. <p>"Legal insurance" can also include coverage of specific legal services, but its main function is to protect an individual against all legal costs. </p> <p>Legal insurance will reimburse the policyholder or pay on behalf of the policyholder all fees, costs, and expenses for legal services including court judgments, up to the policy limits. </p> <p>In addition, legal service insurance will provide bail money, something most pre-paid legal services do <em>not</em> provide. </p> <p>Legal insurance will also pick up where your auto or home insurance leaves off. For example, if you are sued for recovery of damages in a car accident because they exceed your insurance limits, legal services insurance can kick in to protect you. </p> <p>Legal insurance also does not restrict your choice of attorneys to a network, but rather will provide coverage regardless of which attorney you select. However, legal insurance is much harder to obtain in most states because few insurance companies offer it. Pre-paid legal plans are much more accessible to the general public.</p> <p align="center">View this information on <font size="-1"> <a href="http://www.strive4impact.com/pre-paid-legal-service-plans.html"> http://www.<b>strive4impact</b>.com/<b>pre</b>-<b>paid</b>-<b>legal</b>-service-plans.html</a></font></p></textarea></div> </li> </font> <p><b>9 Questions to ask a marketing representative for a Prepaid Legal family plan or business plan:</b><br> <br> <font face="Times New Roman" color="#000000" size="3"> 1</font><font face="Verdana" color="#000000" size="2">. How much telephone consultation do I get for my monthly fee? </p> <p>2. Will an attorney provide letters or phone calls on my behalf without additional fees? </p> <p>3. Will an attorney review my legal documents (i.e. contracts, leases, and business agreements)? </p> <p>4. Will I have help for legal issues (i.e. debt collection, bankruptcy, and credit problems)? </p> <p>5. Will you be a legal defense for me for traffic court, civil legal issues, and some criminal legal issues? </p> <p>6. Will I be covered for legal issues if I move to another state? </p> <p>7. What professional ratings do your attorneys hold when it comes to legal ability, standards of ethics, legal experience? </p> <p>8. Do you check on the attorney's timeliness, how quickly they respond to customer service requests, and do you check on statistics of how long it takes for the average legal issue to be resolved? </p> <p>9. Where is the customer complaint resolution system?  Do you offer something in case legal issues don't get resolved? </p> </font> <p> </p> <p> <font size="4" color="#000000" face="Arial">Find out more about <a href="http://www.prepaidlegal.com/info/jkraft">Prepaid Legal Family plans</a>. </font> <p> <font size="4" color="#000000" face="Arial">Find out more about <a href="http://www.prepaidlegal.com/biz/jkraft">Prepaid Legal Business plans</a>. </font> <p> <font size="4" color="#000000" face="Arial">Find out more about <a href="http://www.prepaidlegal.com/go/jkraft">the Prepaid Legal Business Opportunity</a></font><br>  </td> </tr> </table> </center> </div> <p align="center"> <font face="Tahoma, Verdana"> <font size=1 color=white>© Copyright 2004. All rights reserved. Contact: </font> <font size=1 color=#FF0000> <a href="mailto:strive4impact@hotmail.com?subject=Links Page"> <font color="#FF0000">Jonathan</font></a></font></a><font size=1 color=white><a href="mailto:strive4impact@hotmail.com?subject=Links Page"> </a></font></p> </font> <p align="center"><font size="1"><font color="#000080">Check out myprepaidcreditcard for </font><a href="http://www.myprepaidcreditcard.com"> <font color="#000080">Prepaid Credit cards</font></a></font></p>