At one time or another you may face a situation in life that can lead to legal headaches. It could be a dispute with a home contractor over subpar remodeling work or fighting a traffic violation you felt was unfair. Legal issues like these add a lot of stress to already busy lives, not to mention the financial burden of paying the costly attorney fees it often takes to resolve them.
Legal issues are more common than many people think
Did you know that 85% of US consumers have experienced a legal event in the past three years?1 And 89% of consumers using an attorney without a legal plan report being stressed when it comes to knowing where to turn to get started in addressing their situation.1 That can lead to a lot of financial and emotional stress. That uncertainty – combined with concerns about cost – can delay action, allowing issues to escalate further.
How much does a lawyer cost?
One of the first worries many people have when they encounter a legal situation is the cost of an attorney. Not surprisingly, the rates can vary a lot depending on where you live, what kind of legal expertise you need and the complexity of the issue.
Overall, resolving a legal issue can make costs add up, especially when you consider things like taking time off work to attend legal proceedings, not to mention the obvious expense of paying attorney fees, which currently average $341 an hour.2 And when the average number of attorney hours for a matter like buying or selling a house is 6.3 hours,3 those fees add up fast.
Because the cost can vary, it’s important to ask any attorneys you’re considering specific questions about their fees. Find out what they charge per hour, as well as what kinds of things they charge for — such as phone calls, emails, etc.
Common legal issues that can add up financially
Wherever you are in life, whether it’s landing that first new job, starting a family, moving into a new home, or nearing retirement, legal costs can emerge at any stage of life, often when you least expect them. Common examples include:
- Creating or updating a will
- Divorce
- Dealing with debt collectors
- Property line and other neighbor disputes
- Bankruptcy
- Buying or selling a home
- Issues with bad contractor work or incomplete auto repairs
- Traffic tickets or moving violations that could lead to license suspension
Each of these issues can involve attorney time, paperwork and court processes – with associated costs.
How legal insurance can reduce the financial burden
A legal insurance plan from ARAG offers an affordable, trusted way to address legal problems and issues. First, we contract with more than 15,000 attorneys, so you won’t waste time trying to find a local attorney on your own. You can go online, use the ARAG Legal app or call ARAG Customer Care to get started on your legal matter.
Second, the plan can help you avoid the financial strain of paying costly attorney fees, as network attorney fees are paid in full for most covered legal matters. And for non-covered and non-excluded matters, you can still receive at least 25% off the network attorney’s normal hourly rate. The plan provides you with a place to turn and an attorney to talk to when you want to address a legal issue, need legal representation or just have a question about the legal implications of an issue.
A smarter way to address legal issues
When legal problems arise, waiting too long or trying to handle everything alone can make matters worse. Legal insurance from ARAG removes much of the uncertainty around cost and access, making it easier to take action.
Whether you need representation, document review or simply answers to legal questions, having legal insurance helps you manage both the financial and emotional burden that legal issues can bring.