What are MetLife Legal Plans?
MetLife Legal Plans provide legal assistance for a variety of situations you may encounter at any stage of your life. Having a legal plan can provide you with peace of mind, knowing you have access to legal advice from licensed and experienced attorneys across the United States. The plans cover most common and reoccurring issues such as family law, real estate and finance, wills, business and contracts, collections and warranties, and vehicle and traffic violations until the case is closed or resolved. The most common reasons to enroll in a legal plan like these MetLife plans are for the peace of mind to know you have legal access, and to avoid high out-of-pocket costs when utilizing the services of an attorney . Legal services include obtaining advice and consultation for a wide range of topics, writing letters and documents, reviewing contracts, and representation in court at no extra cost. Instead of paying high hourly rates, a legal plan weighs the cost per hour against the cost of the plan over the year, and the time you can save by accessing pre-paid legal resources. Enrolling in these plans is easy, and the resources can be utilized right away. MetLife has an online service for members is available 24/7, and its telephone service allows you to speak with a client services representative Monday through Friday during normal business hours.
How MetLife Legal Plans Operates
MetLife Legal Plans operates through a network of participating attorneys. Once an employer has purchased MetLife Legal Plans on behalf of its employees, at the beginning of every plan year, enrolled employees receive a handbook that explains the program. The handbook tells the employee: Employees are advised to find a lawyer listed on the Participating Attorney Directory. Alternatively, employees may call the toll free number to be connected to an attorney in the MetLife network. Law firms that are not listed on the Participating Attorney Directory can apply to the Network, but are not required to participate. Attorneys do not have to represent you just because that attorney’s name is on the directory. Employees should confirm that a prospective attorney will participate for the duration of the services required.
Some services are limited to a one time only basis. The enrolled employee receives 100 points at the beginning of each plan year and draws from it as points are used for covered services. Some preventive "basic" services are offered at a flat point value; others are charged by the hour. High value services (for example, wills and residential real estate closings) are usually charged on the basis of a specified number of points. After that amount is exceeded, the hourly charge applies. A brochure describes the many kinds of legal services that are covered. There is no co-payment or co-insurance. If the enrolled employee and his or her lawyer cannot agree on the value of a service, the consumer can request an adjustment or refer to the Customer Satisfaction Record Search toll free number. If the enrolled employee chooses a lawyer outside the MetLife network, services are covered as long as the plan’s dollar cap—$5,000 annually—is not exceeded. Users of the service have to pay their attorney in full for these services and submit the bill to MetLife Legal Plans for reimbursement. One-stop service is available toll free at 1-800-821-6400. Personal use of the service is allowed and the program provides lawyers who provide services to enrolled employees and to their families even where plans are not provided, but services are available on a commensurate "special discount" basis.
MetLife Legal Plans Benefits
One of the key benefits to MetLife Legal Plans is the potential significant cost savings for policyholders. With the cost of legal services varying widely, this benefit can be substantial. Some policies cover the attorney fees in their entirety for various services such as estate planning, real estate closing, traffic offenses, family law, and consumer needs. Note that these categories are not exhaustive and do vary by policy. Because this insurance plan covers an unlimited number of services within those covered categories, the potential savings can be even more dramatic when many small situations arise over time.
In addition to financial savings, another benefit is the opportunity to receive legal guidance at an early stage in a situation that could turn out to be complicated and time-consuming if left unmanaged. Referral to an attorney with the right experience can nip many thorny legal issues in the bud.
A third benefit is convenience to policyholders. MetLife maintains a network of legal providers that can serve clients in many areas, including planning, real estate, consumer matters, family law, immigration, and traffic cases. Because these attorneys have been vetted for quality and experience, clients can be confident in the network attorney’s knowledge and ability. Additionally, policyholders can transfer between attorneys within the network based on their needs at any given time, even for the same case.
A fourth benefit to MetLife Legal Plans is the flexibility of the insured policyholder. As the plan is structured to cover an unlimited number of services, clients can afford to choose to consult with an attorney on minor cases that may be outside their comfort zone in a manner that they might not without the insurance. Further, it addresses a wide range of situations, from driver’s license suspension to firearm registration, so that people from all walks of life can find value in the services offered by the plan.
MetLife Legal Plans Pricing
The costs of both the MetLaw and Legal Plans will vary depending on the specific plan offered. Individual plans may be offered at no cost to employees, in which case the cost for coverage of eligible family members may be shared between employee and employer. If offered through group plans, employees can expect to pay low premiums through payroll deduction. Employees may also have the option of additional voluntary buy-up coverage. Generally, MetLife Legal Plans do not require copays for legal services, although there are some exceptions. Some plans may have costs associated with document review, uncontested divorces or other non-covered services. As with all costs, you should review the Plan Documents, Summary Plan Description, and Summary of Benefits (if applicable) for a full listing of any fees.
MetLife Legal Plans Customer Reviews
From current and former users alike, MetLife Legal Plans has received a mixed response. On relevant review platforms, feedback typically indicates an overall satisfaction rating of between 3.5/5 and 4/5. This has been confirmed on platforms such as Insure.com, where customer satisfaction ratings come in at 4/5 for MetLife Legal Plans.
As might be expected of a national-level company in the insurance space, reviews tend to be somewhat predictable in terms of the features and benefits that current or former customers are most likely to mention.
A common theme when it comes to the positive aspects of MetLife Legal Plans relates to the extensive network of attorneys and legal professionals supported by the service. Many customer reviews indicate that it is easy to locate an attorney who meets very specific niche needs. This is especially relevant given that many users of MetLife Legal Plans are likely to be small business owners , who have highly specific legal needs.
On the flip side, one of the most noticeable drawbacks cited by reviewers is the long waiting times for telephone support through the MetLife Legal Plan support service team. If your case is of an urgent nature, the delayed response time from support can be an issue in some cases. Given that this service is offered by a highly reputable business in the industry though, which has been around for 40+ years, issues such as this are somewhat to be expected.
Overall, customer reviews for MetLife Legal Plans are fairly even-handed, with the most positive mentioned factors being expert knowledge and quick access to a high-quality legal service. The negatives largely relate to the support side of the service, and an on-demand response from a legal support specialist is a service most users would certainly pay for.
MetLife Legal Plans Alternatives
When comparing legal plans, it is important to look at the price, comprehensiveness of the plan, and the customer service. But how exactly does MetLaw stack up to other providers such as ARAG and LegalShield?
ARAG Vs. MetLaw
The ARAG plan offers several distinct packages including a basic package (ARAG Core), superior plan (ARAG Select), and premier plan (ARAG Premier). Each plan offers a different number of covered legal matters.
In addition, the selections vary on whether it includes identity theft protection: On the other hand, MetLaw offers an all-inclusive plan that covers all these matters under one plan. Regarding identity theft protection vs. identity theft restoration, MetLaw covers restoration only as opposed to ID theft protection and ID theft restoration which MetLaw plans do not.
LegalShield Vs. MetLaw
The Legal Shield plan, like the ARAG select plan, has multiple levels of coverage. LegalShield also offers a completely separate plan for businesses.
In addition, LegalShield offers mobile support via its app. Finally, LegalShield also does not offer identity theft protection restoration, while MetLaw does. Here is a breakdown of some additional of the variables that were factored in below:
The Bottom Line: Is MetLife Legal Plans Right for You?
In summary, while MetLife’s clear pricing and flexible options make it an attractive proposition, these plans may not be for everyone. They can be particularly advantageous for those who will likely need several documents drafted – such as wills and healthcare directives – or who have a higher-than-average chance of needing legal services for their elder care or traffic accident needs.
However, those who can predict with a fair degree of accuracy that they will use little to no legal services might find that the monthly fee, however small, is still an unwelcome expense . Others may feel, rightfully, that they don’t need the peace of mind that comes from knowing that a lawyer is just a phone call away, waiting to help if needed.
So what’s the final verdict? As is true for so many aspects of life, the answer is that "it depends," although I suspect that for 90% of readers, the answer to the question posed at the beginning of this article will be "yes." I wouldn’t be surprised if many of you have already signed up to receive a legal plan as an employee benefit.