Parents are liable for their children. Everyone has probably heard or read this saying at some point. While this statement rather refers to property damage and the assumption of the damage, parents are constantly in the line of fire of disputes. The neighbor complains about children playing, a child is said to have scratched a car or shot the roses in the bed. But legal disputes can also befall parents when their rights need to be enforced. This article explains why legal expenses insurance is an important investment for parents

Figure 1: Children discover the world with their curiosity – unfortunately, this can sometimes lead to legal disputes with other people. Image Source: @ Myles Tan / Unsplash.com

What Are The Reasons For Legal Protection Insurance?

Legal protection insurance does not represent the policyholder in legal disputes. In exchange, it pays the costs of such a dispute. And parents can face quite a few disputes in the child’s first eighteen years

• Damage to property – it itself would be covered by the liability insurance, but if the injured party sues, parents have to defend themselves. This is especially true in cases where the child did not cause any damage. If the resident’s car was scratched in the afternoon while their own child was at soccer practice, they may not be at fault. The complaint, on the other hand, must be averted
• Neighbor disputes – children’s noise is to be tolerated, but many a neighbor does not understand this. If disputes arise, even in the home, legal protection insurance helps families with the cost burden
• Accidents – unfortunately, they can always happen. Legal expenses insurance helps to claim victim compensation or compensation for pain and suffering. Victim compensation is of course recoverable even if the child has been harmed in some other psychological or physical way
• Internet – whether the child has unlawfully concluded a contract, the revocation of which must now be asserted, or whether a film, book or series has been downloaded and the warning lawyer is at the door: The Internet holds not only dangers for children, but also the usual temptations
• Rights – legal protection insurance represents the rights of parents. The daycare place was not provided or suddenly canceled? The health insurance does not want to pay for an important treatment?

However, what legal protection insurance covers also depends on the contract chosen. Social law, for example, usually has to be insured separately, as does tenancy law. Traffic law and civil law are always included. Not insurable are family law disputes from the area of divorce law and, of course, criminal law, insofar as it counts about intentionally committed crimes. If the 16-year-old breaks the window out of frustration because the neighbor is always grumbling, the legal expenses insurance will not cover the costs of legal counsel

How Expensive Is Legal Expenses Insurance?

It is not possible to give a flat rate for the costs. After all, parents do not take out legal expenses insurance solely because of their child but because they want to cover their costs. The more legal areas are insured, the more expensive it becomes. Again, it cannot be said that X amount is added for each area of law

• Probability – Insurance companies always check the probability of a legal case. In areas where legal cases are more likely, the fees increase, while more rare areas are cheaper. However
• Cost burden – theoretically, traffic law should be the most expensive area of insurance, because accidents or misdemeanor cases come up virtually every day. But the total costs of these legal cases are rather low, which is why this area is again favorable. Social and medical law, on the other hand, is used less, but the amounts in dispute are enormous and these proceedings often drag on through the instances

Family rates are generally more expensive in total, but cheaper than individual single rates for all household members. According to Test.de the costs of a legal protection insurance amount to between 187.00 and 672.00 euros annually

It is important to compare different offers and to consider whether the excess variant should not be chosen. Here, a fee is due for each legal case, which is usually 150.00 euros. The rest of the costs are covered by the legal protection insurance. If you already have other insurance policies, such as home contents or liability insurance, you should ask your insurer for a quote. It is not uncommon for there to be combination rates or discounts as soon as several insurance policies are taken out in one house

How Can Children Be Insured?

Legal protection insurance differs from statutory health insurance. While in the latter case children are automatically co-insured with one of their parents, private insurance policies must be extended to cover the child if the tariff has not already been taken out accordingly in advance

• Family tariff – whoever has chosen the family tariff automatically has legal protection for the minor child. Incidentally, it is irrelevant whether this is the natural child or that of the partner. The insurance company only has to be informed in advance in writing about the newly added child
• Singles’ tariff – here, too, the child can be additionally insured. Again, an informal letter to the insurance company is necessary so that it learns about the additional ‘insurance customer’

Family rates are always cheaper than single rates for all family members. Underage children must be insured through their parents anyway, as they cannot be independent policyholders

By the way, co-insurance does not necessarily end when the child reaches the age of majority. During education, up to the age of 25 at the latest, the insurance remains in force. However, the child must continue to live at home and be registered there during this time. Therefore, if the education requires a move away, the insurance company must be spoken to and a solution sought. Often, a separate tariff is now necessary

Figure 2: Those who also cover themselves in terms of litigation can participate in their children’s lives in a more relaxed manner. Image source: @ Ramin Talebi / Unsplash.com

Conclusion – Just Wave The Card

The advertisement has not been shown for a long time, but those who have an insurance card from the legal expenses insurance can go through life with a clear conscience. This is especially true for parents who are no longer responsible only for themselves and their behavior, but also for that of the child. Or for parents who stand up for the rights of the child and want or even have to go to court. The costs of the legal protection insurance may hurt at first, but a normal objection against the penalty notice including proceedings costs quite around 500.00 euros at the lawyer