What are the advantages of real estate legal protection insurance?

Table of contents

What is covered?
Costs
Benefits
Services
What you should consider

What is real estate legal protection insurance?

Real estate legal protection is insurance that covers legal disputes relating to real estate and the following legal areas:

• Tenancy and lease law (important: Legal protection for landlords is not usually included in most insurance policies' private legal protection. However, it can be taken out as an option).
   
• Neighborhood law
   
• Legal protection for building owners
   
• Public construction law
   
• Expropriation law
   
• Mortgage disputes
   
• Right to damages

Real estate legal protection is also known as “legal protection for homeowners or apartment owners,” “legal protection for houses and land,” or “legal protection insurance for property owners.”

What are some typical cases in the area of real estate legal protection?

• Mortgage disputes
   
• Tenancy law: defects in the rented property, rent and charges, or late payment by the tenant Important; situations affecting the landlord's interests are only covered if legal protection for landlords has been taken out as an additional option.
   
• Neighbor law: noise, odors, view; maintenance of trees and shrubs.
   
• Construction law: objections to construction projects; access to neighboring property during the construction phase, construction defects, damage to surrounding buildings due to construction work.
   
• Expropriation for the purpose of widening a road or stream.

How much does real estate legal protection insurance cost?

If you live in or use the property yourself, personal legal protection insurance, or business legal protection insurance in the case of companies, is sufficient. Private legal protection insurance costs around CHF 160 to CHF 400 per year with Protekta, our partner in the field of legal protection. The exact price depends on the services selected.

The cost of real estate legal protection for properties that you do not use yourself varies depending on the number and type of properties as well as the desired services. The best thing to do is to clarify your needs and the costs during a no-obligation consultation.

When is real estate legal protection insurance useful?

Real estate legal protection insurance is generally useful for all property owners. If you live in or use your property yourself, the real estate legal protection insurance included as standard in personal legal protection insurance is sufficient. Legal protection for landlords is not included in this case.

The same applies to companies that use real estate themselves: in this case, business legal protection insurance is sufficient.

If the real estate is not inhabited or used by the owner themselves, additional real estate legal protection is necessary. This is particularly useful for owners, landlords, lessors, and heirs of real estate that is not intended for their own use. This means you can always count on the expertise of experienced lawyers in the event of legal disputes. If the dispute is brought before the courts, the insurance also covers the costs of lawyers, experts, court fees, and legal proceedings.

What services are covered by real estate legal protection insurance?

In addition to legal advice, Protekta's real estate legal protection insurance covers, if necessary, the costs of mediation, lawyers, expert opinions, courts, travel to attend hearings abroad, translations, proceedings, and compensation paid to the opposing party.

In addition, real estate legal protection insurance for properties not occupied by the owner provides assistance in the event of legal disputes with tenants or for the recovery of undisputed, due and non-prescribed claims, such as unpaid rent.

After what waiting period does real estate legal protection insurance take effect?

You can use the free JurLine legal information service by phone as soon as you take out the insurance, regardless of whether your problem is covered or not.

For disputes involving the assumption of costs, there is generally a waiting period of three months (known as the “waiting period”). Disputes whose cause dates back to the waiting period are generally not covered. Real estate legal protection insurance cannot be taken out retroactively. 

It is therefore advisable to take out real estate legal protection insurance in advance, even if you do not think you will need it immediately. It is better to pay a few hundred dollars a year for insurance than to have to pay high legal fees in the event of a dispute.

What should you look out for when taking out real estate legal protection insurance?

For real estate that you live in or use yourself, private legal protection insurance or, for businesses, business legal protection insurance is sufficient. For real estate that you do not live in or use yourself, you need additional real estate legal protection insurance.

The costs and scope of real estate legal protection vary greatly depending on the property insured. So ask for free, no-obligation advice to find out which insurance cover is best for you.

Legal advice by telephone is generally included as soon as the contract is concluded. Legal disputes and any costs for lawyers, experts, and proceedings are usually only covered after a waiting period of three months.

Make sure that your real estate legal protection also covers your building insurance in the event of a dispute. If it is the same company, this may be excluded.