Frequently asked questions about legal services plans

We're all familiar with medical insurance that provides essential protection against both routine and unexpected health care expenses. But did you know that there is a similar type of coverage that focuses on legal expenses? Allstate Benefits offers legal service plans that are intended to provide enrollees and their families with financial support if they ever require legal representation.

You may think that you don't need a legal services plan, but there are a surprising number of life events that are best handled with the help of a lawyer. Estate planning, divorce, bankruptcy, adoption and a host of other situations can be greatly streamlined when they are managed by a legal professional.

A legal services plan allows you to seek out high-quality legal representation without having to worry about exorbitant costs. And "exorbitant" isn't an exaggeration— depending on where you live, the average cost of legal counsel can be more than $400 per hour.¹

If a legal services plan sounds like a good fit for you and your family, you probably have some questions that you'd like answered before you decide to enroll. We've put together this FAQ to help address some questions that potential enrollees often have about legal protection.

How does legal protection work?

In many ways, legal protection is similar to medical insurance. Enrolling in legal protection provides you with access to a network of experienced attorneys who provide an extensive list of covered services. Your enrollment in the plan provides you with significant discounts on the fees charged by your legal counsel, covering 100% of attorney's fees for covered matters.

What services are covered by a legal protection plan?

Covered services differ from plan to plan. Allstate Benefits has partnered with U.S. Legal Services to provide enrollees with a suite of group benefit plans that cover a variety of common legal matters, including:

• Traffic violations
• Estate planning (wills, testamentary trusts, POA)
• Debt collection defense
• Divorce
• Child support
• Consultations
• Foreclosure/bankruptcy
• Immigration
• Child custody issues
• Civil law matters

How are in-network attorneys selected?

Attorneys must meet a set of strict criteria to be included in a legal service plan's network. U.S. Legal Services requires a minimum of five years of experience, proper licensing with the applicable state's bar association, and a record that doesn't include any complaints or disciplinary history.

My employer offers an Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) that provides basic legal services. Isn't that enough coverage?

any EAPs typically offer only the most basic legal services: an initial consultation followed by a small discount on further counsel. The Family Defender Plan from U.S. Legal Services pays 100% of attorneys' fees for covered matters, all for less than $20 a month.

Legal coverage provides you with an incredible value for a low monthly rate. If you'd like to learn more about the legal services offered by Allstate Benefits, visit our legal services page or contact a sales representative for more information.

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