Chamber Legal Expenses

 

 Underwritten by
Groupama Insurance Company Limited, Groupama House, 24-26 Minories, London, EC3N 1DE

The Coverholder - Composite Legal Expenses

As a member of your local Chamber you have access to:

Your Business Problems
Disputes and offences are problems your business will frequently face. These can be
solved by negotiation or representation. Your business requires the support of
professionals given the complex legal problems it faces today.

The Solution
 We have designed an economic service with a 24 hour helpline supported by legal
expenses and assistance insurance which will take away your legal expenses worries.
Our 24 hour helpline manned by lawyers and other professional advisers will give you
confidential guidence and counselling. Where there is insurance in force you won't
even have to pay the bill.

Employment Manual
The problems of recruiting, managing and disciplining staff are very complicated. An
employment manual which will guide you through personal procedures is available on
request. The 24 hour helpline is there to provide you with all the support you need.

Employment Representation
The costs of your defence in respect of actions brought by employees in disputes such
as unfair and wrongful dismissal, equal pay, redundancy payments and pension rights.
The Legal Helpline will vet matters which may give rise to a claim.

Employment Awards
Providing the advice given by the Legal Helpline is followed, if your business is taken to
an Industrial Tribunal or other judicial forum we will pay the Industrial Tribunal
compensation award in the event of failure in your Employment Representation.

Any claim where a dispute of which the time of occurance was within the first 90 days
of the first period of insurance will be excluded.

Prosecution Defence for Employers
The costs of defending a prosecution for an offence relating to your normal business
activities. You are also covered for appeals against the service of Improvement and
Prohibition notices under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. There is no
cover for fines or penalties you are ordered to pay by a criminal court or any
prosecution alleging dishonesty or intentional violence.

Prosecution Defence for Employees
The costs of defending your employees, directors or partners for prosecutions relating
to your normal business activities. There is no cover for fines or penalties they are
ordered to pay by a criminal court or any prosecution alleging dishonesty or intentional
violence.

Personal Injury
Legal Expenses cover is included for employees, directors or partners for personal
injuries.

Any claims falling within the Small Claims Court limits will receive full legal advice and
assistance from the telephone Legal Helpline Service which will include the payment of
any unrecovered issue fee but the appointment of a solicitor is at our discretion. We
may also attempt negotiation followed by alternative dispute resolution before a
solicitor is appointed.

Business Motoring
We will pursue the recovery of uninsured losses with legal fees cover up to £50,000 per
incident following road accidents. Whereever possible in non fault accidents we will
provide replacement cars on a credit hire basis and also a credit repair service to
assist the cash flow needs of your business.

The Cover, again with legal fees cover of up to £50,000 per incident includes the
persuit of damages and compensation for personal injuries to employees and authorised
passengers following a road accident.

In addition we will persue or defend motor related contract disputes but you will be
responsible for the first £150 of legal fees and there is no cover for the first six months
of the first period of insurance. There must be a minimum amount on dispute of £500.
Legal Fees for motor related contract disputes are restricted to £1,000 per incident.

We will also defend motor related prosecutions of the business and employees including
representation at hearings in respect of the suspension, revocation or curtailment of
the business's or employee's driving/operating licenses. Legal costs relating to alcohol
or drugs, parking or non-endorsable offences, fixed penalty offences unless the
employee's driving license is under threat of suspension, the first £150 of legal fees and
legal costs where the wmployee has 6 or more penalty points (actual or pending) at the
time of the incident are not covered. Legal fees are restricted at £1,000 per incident.

Jury Service and Attendance Expenses
The cover for Jury Service and Attendance Expenses pays the salary, up to £100 per
person per day up to a maximum of £1,000 per claim, or employees directors or partners
who have to attend a court or tribunal for a case covered by the insurance. It also
covers attendance at court for Jury Service but not the first five working days of
service, pre-existing summonses or amounts which can be recoverd from the court.

Protection of Licenses
We support your business where it is dependent on holding a statutory license in
respect of appeal costs against altering, revoking or suspending the license. There is
no cover for costs in respect of an original application or standard renewal.

Data Protection Act
You are covered to defend civil proceedings brought against you under the Data
Protection Act 1998 and to appeal against:-

  1. The refusal of the Data Protection Registrar to register your business, or to alter
    your registered particulars.
  2. Enforcement, De-registration or Transfer Prohibition notices served on you, under
    the Data Protections Act.

Property Legal Protection
Support is provided in respect of the pursuit of legal rights of your premises. It enables
your business to pursue claims arising from negligent acts and omissions of others and
to persue liability for wrongful acts under the rule of Rylands v Fletcher (1868).

Disputes with Landlords
Cover here extends to costs incurred in representing your interests in a dispute with
your landlord arsing out of the lease or tenancy of the business premises. It will enable
you to persue or defend in respect of the agreement but there is no cover for disputes
regarding payment, re-negotiation of rental terems, service charges or any relevant
taxes.

TAX, VAT. PAYE and NIC Investigations including Inland Revenue Schedule D and
Corporation Tax Investigation
We will pay professional fees incurred with our consent as a result of:

  • Comprehensive Enquiries
  • In-Depth Investigations
  • VAT Disputes
  • PAYE Disputes
  • NIC Disputes

Which start and are notified during the period of insurance. Any claim which occurs
during the first 60 days of the first period of insurance will be excluded.

Claims Helpline
24 hours a day, 365 days a year telephone Legal Helpline Service to deal with any of
the business's legal problems. Lawyers and other professional advisers will give advice.
This service may be used as often as required.
Telephone 0870 220 8515.