Legal protection

The insurance covers legal advice and representation of the legal interests of those insured. The following costs are covered:

• Lawyers' fees
• Experts' fees
• Court and procedural costs
• Litigation costs (court and procedural costs) as an advance so that the suit can be dealt with
• Compensation for the counterparty
• Bail advances (as an advance payment)
• Costs of mandatory appearance before a non-Swiss court
• Cost of translations

Helvetia's legal protection insurance consists of basic cover, plus various policy supplements. Some services can only be taken out with your client advisor.

Basic legal protection insurance covers private disputes – whether as a pedestrian, a cyclist, a passenger, a party to a contract, a consumer of goods or services, a patient or an Internet user.

It covers:

• Consultation of a lawyer of your choice
• Non-contractual damages
• Criminal and administrative proceedings
• Disputes with insurance companies, health insurers and pension funds
• Contractual disputes
• Legal disputes relating to Internet crime such as cyber-bullying, blackmail or credit card misuse
• Legal disputes arising from infringement of copyright, name and trademark rights

With the following policy supplements you can extend your cover to other areas of law.

Traffic:
Disputes as an owner, holder, driver or renter of motor vehicles and watercraft.

Employment:
Disputes as an employee or civil servant in the context of the insured person's workplace or with their employer, and criminal proceedings in the context of the insured person's occupation.

Tenants:
Legal disputes as a tenant of an apartment/property with the landlord or neighbours.

Owners of residential property:
There are two policy supplements for owners of residential property. However, the only difference between them relates to whether or not the property is owner-occupied.

• Property owners' disputes with tenants or neighbours
• Construction and planning disputes
• Disputes as the commissioning party in relation to building projects

With individual insurance, the policyholder is the insured person. With family insurance, all family members living in the same household are insured.

You have a choice of three sums insured: CHF 500,000, CHF 750,000 or CHF 1,000,000.

Policyholders enjoy full cover after a waiting period of three months from when the policy is taken out. However, exceptions apply in certain cases: there is no waiting period for disputes relating to cyber-crime, for example, nor for trademark or naming rights disputes. Further information can be found in the Terms of Insurance.

24/7 assistance: Helvetia provides you with round-the-clock assistance 365 days a year.

48h claims payment: Helvetia guarantees claims payment within 48h following a successful claims review.

Helvetia offers a comprehensive range of services. The full package can be booked online for just CHF 14. These services always have to be included when taking out legal protection insurance. When combined with private liability insurance, travel and household contents insurance, the services apply to all products and only need to be taken out once.

Waiver of premiums: In the event of earning disability, you will benefit from a waiver of insurance premiums until the agreed end of the contract. However, you will continue to benefit from insurance cover.

Waiver of gross negligence: Helvetia waives its right to a reduction in benefits in the event of grossly negligent conduct.

Home Assistance: Helvetia will assume the task of providing a trade service, organizing construction management, removing wasps', hornets' and bees' nests, taking immediate measures in the event of a technical defect and organizing a security guard service.

Locksmith service: If you unexpectedly find yourself unable to gain access to your home, Helvetia will organize a tradesperson to provide access.

Card blocking service: At your request, Helvetia can block lost credit and debit cards as well as SIM cards.

Legal advice: Legal advice for all legal disputes is provided by the independent legal service of Coop Rechtsschutz.

Psychological follow-up support: Helvetia will pay for the cost of psychological support provided by a qualified doctor, psychologist or psychiatrist after an insured event.