All the leaves are brown and the sky is grey

Hearty casseroles and soups, the rugby season and chatting in the office about the Christmas party; it must be autumn. At this time of year we all crave the last glimpses of light and finer weather before the clocks fall back an hour, signifying the end of British Summer time. As the nights draw in you want your home to be warm and cosy, somewhere to hide away from the worst of the winter weather.

If your boiler won’t work or a freeze causes a burst pipe it can make things really uncomfortable.

Many people in the UK don’t know about Home Emergency Insurance or think that their home insurance covers it. Here at ARAG, we need your help and expertise to spread the word about how our Defaqto 5 star standard product plugs the gap.

This is a typical example of the way our cover helps customers.  During a particularly cold snap last winter, on a Saturday morning, our insured’s boiler broke down. The lady had three young children, so they were naturally keen to resolve the problem as soon as possible. The insured contacted us and we immediately appointed a contractor who attended the same day. A replacement part was needed but thankfully this was available locally so was fitted immediately so the family was able to enjoy the benefits of a cosy home.

Help is available when needed most. Our service operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and for additional peace of mind all our permanent repairs are guaranteed for 12 months. An emergency is a stressful situation and people expect things to be rectified fast. That is why we have chosen our partners very carefully and constantly monitor performance to maintain great standards.

So as we prepare for a busy period of emergency calls, now is the best time to advise that our Home Emergency Insurance cover will help keep your customer’s home safe and comfortable to live in.

Glynis Moss

Marketing Executive  

The importance of BTE insurance as a funding option

I first worked with Rocco Pirozollo general editor of the Law Society Litigation Funding Hand Book when we both sat on the ABI’s Legal Expenses Insurance committee many years ago and more recently when I chaired an ABI-sponsored but independent working group which reported on consumer aspects of BTE. I was flattered to be approached by Rocco towards the end of 2012 to write a chapter of “the handbook”.

Rocco’s vision was to provide comprehensive practical help to busy litigators following the Jackson reforms. He has written three chapters of the book himself while inviting others to contribute the different chapters according to their fields of expertise. The project moved slowly for a time as reforms were rolled out and new cost rules published but earlier this year it was full steam ahead and it was great to see the book published in September.

The panel litigator system that legal expenses providers operate is disliked by many law firms so it may not be surprising that the BTE chapter is tucked away at the back of the book.  However, legal expenses policies provide welcome financial support to consumers and businesses. At ARAG we aim to be fair to our customers and to their preferred law firm when freedom of choice of lawyer applies.  My hope is that by being fully informed of pros and cons of many possible funding options litigators will feel more comfortable about recommending BTE as a preferred method of litigation funding.

Lesley Attu Product Development Manager

http://www.litigationfutures.com/blog/a-handy-handbook