Covered Services

The Retiree Group Legal Services Insurance Plan is a voluntary, retiree-paid plan that provides comprehensive legal coverage. It is designed to meet the most common personal legal needs of an individual and their family. Covered services include:

100% Paid-in-Full Network Attorney Fees for Most Covered Matters, including Coverage for in-office Advice, Representation and Consultation

The Plan pays 100 percent of network attorney fees for most covered matters. Once you have enrolled in the Plan:

• The retiree will receive a welcome kit containing information on how to access resources and network attorneys.
• The retiree can  work with an attorney in the office or over the phone
•  and will have access to hundreds of California attorneys who belong to the ARAG attorney network. 
• Network attorney fees for most covered matters are paid in full unless the Plan indicates the covered matter is subject to an hourly limit.
• The Plan does not provide coverage for certain costs such as filing fees, reporters’ fees, court reporters’ fees, expert witness fees and other related expenses.
• The retiree will also have the flexibility of using an attorney who is not part of the network. In this case, if the matter is covered by the Plan, the retiree  would file an indemnity claim for the attorney fees paid by the retiree and be reimbursed up to the amount specified in the Plan.

The Plan’s covered services include, but are not limited to:

• Will and trust preparation
• Domestic matters (divorce, child support, custody, visitation, alimony, adoption)
• Bankruptcy proceedings
• Consumer protection
• Defense of criminal misdemeanors
• Debt collection
• Buying or selling a home

The Plan also Includes Identity Theft Protection, Which Encompasses the Following Services:

• Single-bureau credit monitoring
• Internet surveillance
• Identity theft insurance (up to $1 million**)
• Full-service identity restoration
• Lost wallet services
• Change of address monitoring
• Child identity monitoring

After enrolling, the retiree can  sign up for identity theft monitoring services by logging into their account at ARAGlegal.com/account.

• The retiree can create a new member account or log in to their existing account.
• On the member home page select Tools and then Identity Theft.
• The retiree should follow the Activate Monitoring prompts to create a new account to initiate online monitoring.
• The retiree can also activate monitoring for their family members who are covered by the retiree  plan.

Toll-free Telephone Legal Advice

The Plan also provides a convenient toll-free number (800) 511-4007 that gives the employee access to a telephone network attorney for legal advice on most personal legal issues (no limitation imposed on the number of calls or the length of the calls). These attorneys can also assist members with preparing and reviewing a simple will and other personal legal documents.

Note: Telephone consultation cannot be used for legal matters that are specifically excluded from the Plan (e.g., the Plan member cannot use the Plan for phone consultation regarding a grievance they have filed against the state). Telephone consultation service is available Monday – Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time.

Preventive Legal Services

For matters that are not specifically excluded, the Plan provides four hours annually that can be used for in-office advice, representation, or preventive services.

Other Legal Services

• DIY Docs®: This is an online document creation tool with a variety of legally valid documents, including state-specific templates for wills, powers of attorney and more.  
• Reduced-Fee Legal Services: If the retiree matter is not fully covered and is not listed under “exclusions” in their Plan document, then the retiree is  eligible to receive the reduced-fee benefit and work with a local network attorney who will provide legal services at a rate reduced by at least 25 percent off the network attorney’s normal hourly rate. 
• Reduced Contingency Fees: Network attorneys can represent the retiree under a contingency fee arrangement. The fee paid to the attorney is based on the success of their case and is a percentage of the amount of money awarded. The retiree  is responsible for paying any costs.
• Learning Center:  The retirees have access to an online collection of educational articles, informational guidebooks and short videos that provide helpful tips regarding timely legal and financial topics.
• Mobile App: Provides a variety of tools, including searching for network attorneys, starting a will or traffic ticket case, and contacting ARAG. To install the app, visit the App Store (Apple) or Google Play (Android) and search for ARAG.

Exclusions

There are certain legal services that are specifically excluded from coverage in the Plan. Some of these services are as follows:

1. Matters against us, the policyholder or an insured against the interests of the named insured under the same certificate.
2. Legal services arising out of a business interest, investment interests, employment matters, employee benefits, your role as an officer or director of an organization, and patents or copyrights.
3. Legal services in class actions, punitive damages, personal injury, malpractice, court appeals or post judgments (settlement agreement signed by all parties, final binding arbitration, judgment issued by a court).
4. Legal services deemed by us to be frivolous or lacking merit, or in actions where you are the plaintiff and the amount we pay for your legal services exceeds the amount in dispute, or in our reasonable belief you are not actively and reasonably pursuing resolution in your case.