Exclusive access to legal expenses cover

11 March 2020

West Midlands members are the only officers in the country to benefit from legal expenses cover as part of their Federation membership.
The off-duty legal scheme covers a wide range of situations where professional fees could be incurred and in almost all cases will be accessible by members not covered under other elements of the Federation package of protection.

“We felt it was important to have this cover in place,” says Steve Grange, secretary of West Midlands Police Federation, “While membership of the Federation gives officers the umbrella of a wide range of support, this extra legal cover has proved to be useful for situations that fall outside the general member benefits.”

Cover is available for the Federation member, their spouse or co-habiting partner, children, stepchildren, adopted and foster children, and grandchildren normally resident with the member as well as parents and grandparents of the member and the member’s partner, again where normally resident with the member.

The member only cover includes professional fees incurred:

• In the pursuit of legal proceedings following any event causing loss or damage to the home
• In the defence of any civil legal proceedings against the beneficiary in respect of alleged act or omission as a trustee of a fund set up by the beneficiary’s employer
• In respect of representation of a beneficiary at a public inquiry ordered by a district auditor
• For representation by an appointed representative at an investigation by Independent Office for Police Conduct – provided the beneficiary is a police staff member at the time of the investigation
• In providing representation during an investigation where the beneficiary is subject to a Regulation 15 Notice
• Where filing for bankruptcy is recommended as the most appropriate option by the insurer’s debt advice specialist
• For advice and guidance where the beneficiary has been wrongfully arrested and imprisoned where it was not reasonably necessary to do so during the investigation.

The member and family cover includes legal proceedings to recover damages or compensation following an event or medical, clinical or surgical intervention causing death or bodily injury to a beneficiary and professional fees incurred in pursuit or defence of legal proceedings as a result of a contractual dispute where the amount in dispute is more than £50.

There is also the facility to claim for professional fees incurred pursuing legal proceedings to recover uninsured losses as a result of a motor accident causing loss or damage to the vehicle and also in cases of identity theft.

Find out more in the policy document