Legal Protection Guarantee
Many people living in France are unaware of the relatively common ‘legal protection guarantee’ which, I would humbly suggest, is an essential additional insurance well worth the money (and no, I am not getting any commission from this post from anyone 😊).
If you are lucky, you will never need it, but increasingly clients are coming to me for translation and interpreter support for accusations, or legal cases, being made against them. Often after the sale of a house, sometimes as landlords, sometimes linked to their business activity. There are also complexities on occasion from a wide range of other situations where an accusation is made, or following a road accident.
While I am delighted to be able to support them to navigate the legal system by appointing a lawyer; acting as a point of liaison, and translating for meetings and correspondence, it would be best for all involved if at least the weighty costs of a lawyer could be reduced or omitted.
This is where a “legal protection guarantee” called “la garantie protection juridique” comes into its own and can significantly lighten associated costs.
The French government’s public service website https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F3049 explains in a nutshell:
"Legal protection" guarantee is an insurance that allows you, in case of a dispute with a third party or in case of legal proceedings, to obtain assistance from your insurer. You can purchase this warranty alone or with another insurance contract. Its cost varies according to the formula chosen. The costs covered by the guarantee and the excluded costs are indicated in the contract.”
This simply means that, depending on your specific contract (so check the small print carefully), if you have “la garantie protection juridique” some or all of your legal costs in defending an action against you, or when seeking compensation from a third party, may be paid for under the guarantee. This could include obtaining legal information, finding an amicable solution to a dispute between you and a third party (such as a neighbour); appointing a lawyer to defend your case, or paying for an ‘expert’ to make a neutral inspection or assessment on your behalf.
Legal protection is usually not automatically included in house or professional insurance, so you need to specifically ask for a quote and then ask for it to be added. Do check exactly what it does and doesn’t entitle you to, and if you don’t understand what the scope of the contract is, then ask them to explain it in detail.
For me, that peace of mind is well worth the relatively small additional monthly cost.
Note to the reader: As ever, I’ve done my utmost to give you the facts and clear explanations prior to publication, but you’ll need to keep an eye on updates as they become available by checking the links provided.
Jenny Smith EI, French Wordsmith, offers comprehensive administrative, translation and support services for English-speaking people in France on just about anything you can think of – from business and building to health, home, residence and schooling. Go to www.frenchwordsmith.fr for full details of her services.
