The most common mistake is hiring a lawyer and going to court without requesting coverage confirmation: if the case is excluded, you pay. The right order: dispute → coverage request → written confirmation → your lawyer. And a refusal is not the end: the arbiter decision and ombudsman overturn many refusals.
Legal Insurance: How to Use It
The policy is useless if you cannot trigger it. The order: first the coverage request, then your free choice of lawyer, and if the insurer refuses, the arbiter decision.
✓ Verified: 18/07/2026
WHAT TO DO
› Details and tips
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Max recommends:
In a dispute with my employer I first got the coverage confirmation by letter, then the lawyer filed. The insurer paid fees and court directly — nothing left my pocket beyond the deductible.
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Lea recommends:
Coverage refused — ask your lawyer for the § 128 VVG arbiter decision: their assessment of the odds binds the insurer. A free, underrated lever policyholders often do not know.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What to do first in a dispute? ▾
Do not hire a lawyer blindly but first request coverage confirmation (often the lawyer does this). The written confirmation guarantees the case is not excluded and costs will be covered.
The insurer refuses coverage — the end? ▾
No. Under § 128 VVG a refusal triggers the arbiter decision: your lawyer gives a reasoned assessment of the odds that binds the insurer unless it appoints an arbitrator. Plus the insurance ombudsman.
Who does the insurance pay — me or the lawyer? ▾
Usually the lawyer, court and experts directly by invoice. Your job is to get the confirmation and pass it on; billing then runs between lawyer and insurer.