With our world becoming increasingly dangerous, it only makes sense to make prevention as a top priority. As health insurance becomes popular with employees, prepaid legal plans are making the transition from the office to the telephone.

What are prepaid legal plans? A prepaid legal plan is a type of arrangement where the person pays or an employer pays on behalf of his employees for legal services they may need in advance. Think of it as a medical benefit plan or any prepaid service. A consumer pays certain amount monthly or annually for specific legal services that can be used when and if needed.

Why the need for a prepaid legal service? Although it is expected for every citizen to know their rights, most of us only refer to them when we are in trouble. So unless you have a personal or family lawyer, a prepaid legal plan is your best defense against anything that has to do with the law.

Depending on your chosen prepaid legal plan, the legal services that are available to you may be limited. Any basic prepaid legal plan may include office consultations, legal advice and review and preparation of some legal documents such as a will or contract. More comprehensive prepaid legal services can cover trials, bankruptcy, settling marital disputes and the like.

Is it worth it to own a prepaid legal plan? Well, with America having dozens of legal cases filed on their courts everyday and people becoming more conscious of their legal right, it pays to be cautious. Prevention is better than the cure. When people understand their rights under the law, they can avoid turning minor problems from exploding out of proportions.

A lot of prepaid legal services have made it easier for plan owners to contact them through the telephone. This not only makes the lawyers accessible to the prepaid legal plan owners but it also makes them more at ease with asking legal advice.

A prepaid legal service clearly benefits its owner because it takes away the hassle of having to mistakenly choose a bad lawyer to an honest one. Often, the companies who offer prepaid legal plans screen their lawyers before hiring them, making sure that you get value for your investment.

There are two types of prepaid legal plan available to consumers. The first is the basic access plan for employees. This is where a member can easily access legal services through the telephone.

Although the package offers a limited number of services, the member can be assured of making better decisions with the proper legal consultation from a lawyer. Should a member from this plan need services beyond what is included in the package, they have to pay additional fees.

The second type is the comprehensive prepaid legal plan. Aside from the consultation services, a comprehensive plan has member can receive employer-funded benefits which includes negotiations with parties, preparing legal documents and representation in court. Some companies offer legal service coverage for families too.

We live in a world where the law has a firm hand in everything. Knowing that you have ability to get legal advice before doing anything consequential is a great way to avoid a lot of trouble on the courts. A prepaid legal plan may very well be one of the best decisions you’ll ever make for you and your family.