We’ve teamed up with Mercer Voluntary Benefits and LegalEASE to bring you this legal plan.  Through a strong partnership, we are able to provide the LegalEASE Benefits Plan, a robust product offering that protects you when it matters most.

A legal insurance plan can ease the biggest stresses – finding and paying for legal expertise when you need it most.

 

Life events can lead to unexpected legal concerns that are difficult to handle alone. Enrolling in a legal insurance plan reduces the stress of finding and paying for an attorney when it matters most.

You must work at least 20 hours per week to be eligible. Also eligible are the Member's spouse and Member's unmarried dependent,  including stepchildren, legally adopted children, children placed in the home for adoption and foster children, up to age 26.

The Member may continue coverage by electing the option of portability when the Member no longer qualifies as an eligible employee of the Policyholder or as a Member of the group to which the Plan is issued. The Member must apply for portability within sixty (60) days of this disqualifying event and make arrangements for premium payment. Portability coverage will take effect, subject to payment of the initial premium, as of the date the Member's coverage under the group policy terminates.

As a LegalEASE plan member, you have access to a national network of over 20,300 attorneys who are matched to your specific legal needs. Being a LegalEASE member also saves you time and costly legal fees. But most importantly, it gives you confidence and provides coverage* for:

• Home and residential
• Financial and consumer matters
• Family matters
• Estate planning and wills
• And more

Please check your enrollment link/materials for a complete list of benefits.

*Limitations and exclusions may apply. For a complete list of coverage details please refer to your Certificate of Coverage.

 

The specific exclusions to the plan can be found in the certificate of coverage provided to you upon membership. Some of the legal matters not covered under the plan include: preparation and filing of individual tax returns, trademark or patent matters, business or commercial interests, or employment related matters. The specific Policy language is provided below:

The following benefits are excluded:

• Appellate court proceedings, class actions, interventions, derivative action and amicus curiae filings.
• The preparation and filing of individual, partnership or estate tax returns, appellate or administrative proceedings related to tax returns, litigation before the U.S. Tax Court, U.S. Court of Claims or any other federal, state or other courts with respect to tax matters.
• Matters relating to securities, trademark or patent matters; business or commercial interests, including, but not limited to, professional, partnership and/or corporate matters; matters involving the law or laws of jurisdictions other than the United States and its territories; any matters involving a government (domestic or foreign) entity or agency except as specifically described under Covered Services; farm related issues; matters involving commercial or rental property transactions, including the purchase, sale or lease of investment or income-producing property. A two-family house, whether or not used by the Member as his or her primary residence, is deemed an investment or income-producing property.
• Legal services that are fully paid for or provided at no cost by any governmental agency, organization or insurance company.
• Matters that the attorney deems frivolous, spurious, harassing, or unethical (collectively referred to as “frivolous”) or otherwise prohibited by the Model Rules of Professional Conduct of the state in which the attorney is licensed.
• Costs associated with covered legal services, including but not limited to, all fines, court costs, penalties, sanctions, expert witness fees, bonds, bail bonds, attorney fees, exhibits, deposition costs, filing fees, transcripts, postage, telephone, photocopying, recording fees, messengers, judgments, jury fees, court reporter fees, investigative costs and all other incidental and out-of-pocket legal and litigation costs.
• Any services on behalf of a Covered Family Member against the interests of the Member.
• Any employment-related matter. This includes, but is not limited to, any dispute involving the Member’s employer or its affiliates, their officers or directors, the Member’s employee benefit plans, credit unions, programs or arrangements sponsored by an employer, or cases involving workers’ compensation, unemployment compensation, sex harassment, age discrimination, etc.
• Any dispute or proceeding against the following persons or entities, their officers, directors, employees, or agents: any person or entity involved in the sale, marketing, administration or other processes related to this Legal Services Contract; Legal Plan Administrator or its subsidiaries; Reimbursement Administrator or its subsidiaries; Contract holder; Member’s employer; Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company it’s parents, subsidiaries or any affiliated or successor company, plan underwriter or reinsurer; Plan Sponsor; or any Participating and/or Non-Participating Attorney, if the dispute or proceeding pertains to services provided under the Legal Services Contract.
• The Legal Services Contract will not provide services in connection with pre-existing matters, which includes any matter where the Member and/or Covered Family Member is on notice as to a pending legal dispute or has previously contacted an attorney, except when prior coverage under another Legal Plan provided by the Contract holder can be demonstrated.
• Where there are specific hours or dollar amounts provide in this Legal Services Contract, or where a maximum is set under the Managed Case Rules, the Member will be responsible for all attorney fees incurred over the maximum. Additional exclusions related to each service are included in the Covered Services.

When accessing the LegalEASE Plan, simply call 1-888-416-4313. Team members will help you determine what type of attorney you need, where you need an attorney, what dates or deadlines are important and any preferences you may have. LegalEASE contacts providers in your preferred locations or where your legal need is occurring to confirm availability and ensure the attorney can assist. It’s important to LegalEASE to go over the specifics of your legal issue before you go to the attorney’s office, saving you time.

 

If you already have an attorney, and prefer to use her/him as a Non-Participating (Out-of-Network) Attorney, first contact the Member Service Center. Notify the representative of your intention to use a Non-Participating Attorney for a Covered Service. The Member Service Center will send you a claim form to request reimbursement. Your reimbursement will be based on the reimbursement schedule as shown in the Schedule of Benefits of the Plan. If you already have an attorney at the time you become a Member, the Legal Plan Administrator can offer to negotiate with your attorney on your behalf, but does not guarantee the Plan Discounted Rate will be accepted by the attorney or offered by the LegalEASE Plan Administrator.

When you use an in-network attorney, the attorney’s time, as well as their staff’s is covered up to the maximum benefit listed in your Certificate of Coverage, if covered by your Certificate; however, costs associated with covered legal services, including but not limited to, all fines, court costs, penalties, sanctions, expert witness fees, bonds, bail bonds, attorney fees, exhibits, deposition costs, filing fees, transcripts, postage, telephone, photocopying, recording fees, messengers, judgments, jury fees, court reporter fees, investigative costs and all other incidental and out-of-pocket legal and litigation costs are the responsibility of the LegalEASE Member to pay to the attorney. If the Member already has an attorney, the Member may prefer to use her/him as a Non-Participating Attorney. To do so, the Member must first contact the Member Service Center and notify the representative of his/her intention to use a Non-Participating Attorney for a Covered Service. The Member Service Center will send the Member a claim form to request reimbursement. The Member’s reimbursement will be based on the reimbursement schedule as shown in the Schedule of Benefits. If a Member already has an attorney at the time he/she becomes a Member, the Legal Plan Administrator can offer to negotiate with the attorney on behalf of the Member, but will not guarantee the Plan Discounted Rate will be accepted by the attorney or offered by the Legal Plan Administrator.

 

Legal Terminology

The Member or Covered Family Member may call the Member Service Center to obtain a definition or explanation of any term used herein.

Coverage Territory

The coverage territory includes the United States and United States territories.

Premium Refund Provision

In the event that the premium mode is other than monthly and the group policy is terminated or the Member elects to terminate the coverage, a pro-rata premium refund will be made in accordance with the insurance laws of the Policyholder’s state.

Termination and Cancellation of Coverage

Coverage provided to the Member shall terminate upon the first of the following to occur:

1. Cancellation or termination of the group policy;
2. If applicable, the Member fails to re-enroll;
3. The Member is no longer associated with Policyholder; or
4. The Member fails to remit premium when due, subject to the statutory grace period.

 

Coverage provided to a Covered Family Member of a Member shall terminate upon the first of the following to occur:

1. The Member’s coverage is cancelled or terminated; or
2. The family member ceases to qualify as a Covered Family Member as defined.

When coverage for a Member and/or Covered Family Member terminates and a matter is unresolved when coverage terminated, then any further legal work between said Member and/or Covered Family Member and the Participating Attorney shall be outside the scope and coverage of the group policy / Certificate of Coverage. The Participating Attorney shall not be obligated to provide any benefits and any further legal services shall be based upon an independent and separate fee agreement entered into, if at all, between the former Member and/or Covered Family Member and the attorney. If such an agreement is not entered into, then the Participating Attorney may withdraw from any further representation in accordance with applicable law and State Bar standards.

 

Portability

The Member may continue this insurance by electing the option of portability when the Member no longer qualifies as an employee of the Policyholder or as a Member of the group to which the group policy is issued. The Member must apply for portability within sixty (60) days of this disqualifying event and make arrangements for premium payment. Portability coverage will take effect, subject to payment of the initial premium, as of the date the Member’s coverage under the group policy terminates. Credit will be given for any applicable Waiting Period based upon the number of months coverage was in force for the Member under the group policy.

 

Conformed to Statute

Any terms of the group policy / Certificate of Coverage that are in conflict with the statutes of the jurisdiction where issued, are amended to conform to the statutes.

 

Assignment of Benefits

The benefits provided under this group policy / Certificate of Coverage are not assignable.

The Plan excludes any employment related matters as well as any action against the Policyholder and Member's Employer.