PrePaid Legal Services and companies like it sell plans that are billed as "legal insurance." These plans supposedly help the average consumer received "free" legal services in many cases, and discounted services in other cases. They're often marketed as offering help to the "little guy" who might otherwise not be able to afford a lawyer.

The truth? These plans offer very little real help to consumers. Many types of cases are excluded under the plans, so you won't be receiving any "free" services related to them. If you do happen to qualify for services, you'll find out quickly that the services are very limited and are mostly only for time spent on trial. Many hours of legal services will be needed prior to the trial, but most of this is excluded from the plans, and plan participants will have to pay out of their pockets for those services.

More details in this video. (Disclosure: I was paid by Fraud Discovery Institute to help research the issues raised in this video.)



Tracy L. Coenen, CPA, MBA, CFE performs fraud examinations and financial investigations for her company Sequence Inc. Forensic Accounting, and is the author of Essentials of Corporate Fraud.