Recover costs following an accident that wasn't your fault
Drivers' Legal Protection is included as standard in our Classic and Premier car insurance options
and will cover up to £100,000 towards legal expenses which you may incur if you have an accident that wasn’t your fault where there’s a responsible third party. The policy is underwritten by RAC Insurance Limited.
If you report the incident as soon as possible, Drivers’ Legal Protection cover could help you with recovering the below from the responsible third party:
- Alternative travel costs for commuting whilst your car is out of action
- Compensation for personal injury
- Loss of earnings
- Cost of replacing damaged possessions
- Repair costs for damage caused by potholes when driving on public roads
Find out more about our car insurance cover options
Things you should know
- Details of the third party at fault must be known to proceed with your claim.
- There must be over 51% chance that legal proceedings will be successful.
- Legal proceedings must not be commenced without the Insurer’s permission.
- Legal expenses or other costs are not covered if they are incurred prior to the insurer accepting the claim.
A quick guide to drivers' legal protection
Legal costs can quickly spiral out of control, especially with the associated costs like hiring a lawyer, but drivers' legal protection can protect you against that happening. Here’s what you need to know about it.
What is drivers’ legal protection?
Drivers' legal protection is insurance that covers you against the legal costs of recovering uninsured losses, such as excesses, that can arise out of a car accident that wasn’t your fault, and where there is a responsible third
party. It’s not included in most standard car insurance policies, so you’ll usually need to ask for it to be added on.
Protection through Swinton may include:
- Motor prosecution defence if you are accused of or have committed a driving offence
- Support through a dispute regarding a vehicle sale or purchase and servicing / repairs not up to expected standard
- Access to a 24hr legal helpline
What does drivers' legal protection cover?
Drivers' legal protection will
help when you have been involved in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, and where there is a responsible third party. Some of the situations when this may happen are:
- If a car accident leaves you too injured to work and you lose out on income as a result.
- If you need to take another driver’s insurance company to court to recoup money owed to you following an accident.
- If you have additional expenses caused by an accident, such as taxi fees incurred while your car is out of use.
- If you want to recover excess costs that you’ve had to pay following an accident that wasn’t your fault.
How do I make a claim using driver's legal protection?
To make a claim you should contact Swinton Accident and Claims Service 24-hour claim line on 0333 035 9003.