Zurich North America Offering Group Legal Expense Coverage

Zurich North America is now offering group legal expense insurance benefits to companies with 500 or more employees.

In partnership with Advisory Communications Systems, Inc. (ACS), a provider of legal expense policies, the Zurich program confronts typical legal problems faced by employees, including housing and real estate matters, wills and estate planning, consumer issues, contracts, criminal matters, family law issues and auto related matters.

Employers can choose from among three plan options, depending on the needs of its employees.

Option 1—Lawphone® Legal Access Plan: provides unlimited telephone access to legal and financial advice, will preparation for employees and spouses, and a 25 percent discount on legal fees from a large network of participating attorneys in the United States and Canada. It includes a financial counseling and tax helpline that is provided by Ernst & Young LLP to assist with investment strategies, tax questions, debts and other financial counseling services.

Option 2—Legal Security Insurance Plan – basic: includes all of the benefits of Option 1, plus fully-paid coverage for legal concerns such as wills, divorce and buying a home. The plan generally pays 100 percent benefits to insureds who use a network attorney and fixed reimbursement for attorneys outside of the plan.

Option 3—Legal Security Insurance Plan – extended: offers the benefits of both Options 1 and 2, plus additional coverage including drafting of living trust documents, refinancing of principal residence, bankruptcy (Chapters 7 and 13), foreclosure, tax audits and serious traffic matters.

Coverages maybe underwritten by member companies of Zurich North America, including Zurich American Insurance Company. Certain coverages may not be available in all states, and certain coverages may be written on a nonadmitted basis through surplus lines brokers.