I can accept that it maybe just me, but very seldom do I require the services of an attorney. I find consulting a lawyer to be like going to the doctor, if I’m patient the illness will eventually pass on its own, and I’ll be none the poorer. Unfortunately however many in this day and age have come to think of every illness as something we should necessarily prepare for ahead of time. Now I’m generally an advocate of saving and preparing for the future, but I’m not a huge fan of dumping money into a program I hope to never use. I do not mean to imply that insurance is not valid and important, but I already pay for home and car insurance. Not only that, but certain members of our government now think it necessary to force me to buy health insurance or accept a government plan! What does this have to do with legal services? Well Prepaid Legal is applying the principles of an insurance company to small claims litigation.
The concept is simple. For around twenty six dollars a month members can get legal advice on a variety issues like purchasing a home or preparing a will from a Tyler Texas attorney. The company offers assistance with such matters as opposing speeding tickets, or small claims issues like theft of service, or defective products. Prepaid also has packages for businesses who would like to offer legal protection to their employees. Securing Identity and personal information is a big part of what the firm is selling. Should a member fall victim to identity theft, they offer legal and financial protection throughout the process of restoring the client’s good name.
I think that the Prepaid concept is actually a sound one. For very little money anyone can afford to keep an attorney on retainer. And most trivial legal issues can be resolved with stern warning letter from the firm’s staff. What bothers me most is what the growth of this market says about our society at large. How litigious have we become as a people when the next form of insurance we feel compelled to buy is essentially legal insurance? And how overregulated are we?
Regardless of how we may feel about it, this is the society we live in and some people are clearly more comfortable knowing legal aid is just a phone call away. For those people, Prepaid Legal is certainly a viable option worthy of some investigation. As for me, I’ll continue to plod along and keep my nose as clean as possible. Perhaps I will consider becoming a member of Prepaid when I become an internet millionaire with enough disposable income to insure every area of my life. Until then, I’ve got more immediate concerns. For those who are interested in Prepaid Legal I suggest visiting their website at www.prepaidlegal.com .