Legal Insurance Coverage

The ARAG® Legal Insurance Plan has provided comprehensive legal guidance, services and resources and resources to M-DCPS employees and their families for over 25 years. The legal plan includes:

• No waiting periods on ANY coverages (including bankruptcy and divorce). You can use the plan as soon as your coverage begins.
• Broad coverage of life’s everyday legal issues. More coverages for your investment including defense of motions to modify, administrative hearings and IRS audit protection and collection defense.
• Freedom of choice for representation. You can choose ANY attorney you want to work with, in or outside ARAG’s Network. ARAG doesn’t assign attorneys for representation.
• A trusted carrier with national reach. As a leader in legal insurance in the United States for more than 40 years, you have access to ARAG’s nationwide network of more than 13,000 attorneys.

You can use the ARAG Legal Plan as soon as you become a member, NO waiting periods. Benefits include:

In-office Legal Representation

Attorney fees for most covered matters are 100% paid-in-full when you work with your choice of a Network Attorney with NO waiting periods unless otherwise stated. Network Attorneys provide legal representation – including review and document preparation – for covered legal matters including:

To locate a Network Attorney in your area, call the toll-free number, 1.800.360.5567, or visit ARAGLegal.com/myinfo, enter Access Code: 10287mds, click on the “Attorneys” tab at the top of the page and select “Find an Attorney”.  You can also log in as a member for more details.

You can see a Network Attorney for legal representation – including document review and preparation.

You may also select a Non-Network Attorney and the plan will reimburse you according to scheduled limits. The legal services that are available are listed on the chart in this section.

If you need legal representation for a legal situation that’s not covered under the ARAG Legal Plan, you can still save money through the Reduced Fee Benefit. Network Attorneys provide a reduced fee of at least 25 percent off their normal hourly rate for any legal situations that are not covered or excluded.

Telephone Legal Advice and Consultation

Attorneys can easily handle certain legal matters over the phone. You can consult with a Network Attorney over the phone as often as necessary – for any of the following legal needs, including:

• General Legal Advice and Consultation on virtually any legal matter
• Standard Will Preparation
• Living Will Preparation
• Durable Powers of Attorney Preparation
• Small Claims Assistance
• Follow-up Calls and Letters
• Specific Document Preparation
• Document Review

Identity Theft Services

You have toll-free access to Identity Theft Case Managers who will help you get your life back in order and repair any damage done to your identity. The case managers will:

• Explain what identity theft is and how to prevent it
• Provide resources to minimize and recover from identity theft
• Explain plan coverages that may be relevant to the identity theft, such as Consumer Protection
• Provide Identity Theft Prevention and Victim Action Kits
• Monitor the resolution of the situation

Immigration Assistance

To help with the immigration process, your plan includes:

• Legal advice and consultation
• Immigration processes and guidelines.
• Filing and processing of applications and petitions.
• Laws and regulations governing various types of immigration benefits, including asylum, adjustment of status, business visas and employment authorizations.
• Deportation and removal proceedings.
• Document review of any immigration forms.
• Document preparation of affidavits and powers of attorney.
• Preparation for immigration hearings.

For additional immigration services, Network Attorneys provide a reduced rate of at least 25% off their normal rates for any representation-based immigration services. Network Attorneys will bill the member directly.

Online Legal Tools and Resources

The ARAG Legal Center provides easy online access to legal tools and resources, including:

• An Education Center™ offering a wide range of tools to educate and empower you to handle your legal issues, including the Law Guide, Guidebooks, LawExpresso® and the Legal Glossary.
• Hundreds of DIY Docs®, when you want the convenience and control of preparing legally valid documents yourself.
• Assessments, calculators, and profiles to learn what legal matters may impact your life.

Financial Education and Counseling Services – ARAG Exclusive

You have access to professional Financial Counselors and online resources exclusively through your ARAG Legal Plan. Experienced Financial Counselors are available to answer questions and provide guidance on a range of financial topics including:

• General Financial Planning Information and Guidance
• Cash and Debt Management/Budgeting
• Retirement and Investment Planning
• Federal Tax Information and Education
• Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs)

You also have access to online resources through the ARAG Legal Center that provide:

• Interactive Education Modules
• Life Events Guides and Financial Articles
• Self-Guided Money Management Tool
• Financial Calculators