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Legal expenses insurance

Assert your rights without worrying about costs — lawyers’ and court fees can quickly reach several thousand euros.

What is legal expenses insurance?

Legal expenses insurance covers the cost of pursuing your legal interests — from a lawyer’s advice and court proceedings to expert opinions. In Austria there are different areas of legal protection that can be insured separately or together. This lets you assert your rights without fearing the financial risk of a dispute.

Why do you need legal expenses insurance?

A legal dispute in Austria can quickly become very expensive. Even in simple cases, high amounts soon add up:

What does the insurance cover?

Motor legal expenses

Cover for disputes related to road traffic — accidents, compensation claims, licence suspension and administrative penalty proceedings.

Private legal expenses

Cover for disputes in everyday life — from consumer rights and neighbour disputes to compensation.

Employment legal expenses

Cover for employment law disputes — dismissal, severance pay, bullying and pay disputes.

Tenant’s legal expenses

Cover for disputes with landlords or property managers — rent increases, service charges and deposits.

Criminal legal expenses

Defence against criminal charges — from traffic offences to negligent acts.

Social security legal expenses

Support in disputes with social security institutions — pension entitlements, sick pay and incapacity for work.

Cancellation and switching insurer

Switching pays off when important elements of cover are missing or comparable cover is available for considerably less. The following rules apply:

  • At the main due date: contracts concluded for an indefinite period or renewed annually can be cancelled at the end of the insurance year. The notice period is stated in the policy and ranges from one to three months (§ 8 para. 2 VersVG).
  • For contracts longer than three years: as a consumer, you can cancel the contract at the end of the third and every subsequent insurance year with one month’s notice (§ 8 para. 3 VersVG). A discount granted for the long term may then be charged back.
  • Watch out for waiting periods: with a new contract, waiting periods often start again. That is why continuity of cover is especially important here.

Before every cancellation we check that the new contract starts without a gap in cover and, if you wish, we handle the switch for you.

Legal basis: Austrian Insurance Contract Act (VersVG), as of October 2026.

Who is it especially important for?

Legal expenses insurance makes sense for everyone who does not want to give up their rights when it matters:

Which documents are needed?

What we need for an offer

Frequently asked questions

No, a waiting period applies to most modules, usually three months. Motor legal expenses often has none. We will gladly discuss the details individually.

Yes, if necessary it covers lawyers’, court and expert fees and, if you lose, any costs of the other side.

With the right module (employment legal expenses), yes — this is usually not standard but must be added.

If the matter is covered, the insurer pays for initial advice within the agreed limits — usually without an excess.

In principle, yes. Whether this comes at no extra cost depends on the tariff: with tariffs that include an excess, you usually bear part of the costs yourself if you choose your own lawyer. If you wish, the insurer can also recommend lawyers. Before you sign, we show you how your tariff handles this.

In some tariffs, yes: disputes arising from membership of an association or from voluntary work in an association are covered by employment legal expenses (Arbeitsrechtsschutz). We will gladly check how this works in your tariff.

Content reviewed by: Agnieszka Valenta, insurance broker · As of October 2026

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We choose the modules you really need — and when switching we make sure your cover continues without a gap.

Personal advice in Breitenwaida – for clients from the Hollabrunn district, the whole Weinviertel region, as well as Vienna and Burgenland. We advise in English, German, Polish, Serbian and Bosnian.

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