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Agri-Legal Expense
Are your labour practices up to the legal standards? Would you know what to do or who to turn to if your agri-business faced a wrongful dismissal suit? Or if a client or supplier refused to honour a contract? The cost, complexity, and stress of the legal system often deter agri-business owners from pursuing their rights. That is why McFarlan Rowlands partnered with ARAG to protect you with an Agri-Legal Expense Insurance policy so that you can focus on what matters most: Managing and growing your agri-business.
ARAG is Canada’s only specialty legal expense insurer.
It’s like having a lawyer on retainer! How are you covered? With Agri-Legal Expense Insurance you can protect your business, your family, and your vehicles.
With Agri-Legal Expense Insurance policy, you get:
- Unlimited access to general legal advice and guidance
- An enhanced ability to defend or pursue your legal rights
- Access to specialized legal expertise within some of Canada’s most prominent panel law firms
What does Agri-Legal Expense Insurance Cover?
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Dispute
Description
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Employment
- If you face legal issues relating to employment.
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Contract
- If you face a dispute relating to obtaining services, selling or buying goods from merchants, service providers, and contractors
- If you are involved in a dispute with the landlord of your commercial premise
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Legal issues relating to your vehicle
- If you are facing problems with the buyer or the seller of an insured vehicle, with the garage where it was repaired, or with a lessor
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Total Loss Valuation
- If you wish to contest the estimated value of your vehicle following an accident because you are not satisfied with the estimated value
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Criminal Prosecution Protection
- If you or your employee(s) are being prosecuted for an offence arising from your work or if your business faces an occupational health and safety investigation
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Complex government legislation and regulation
- If you fail to comply with privacy legislation, want to appeal a statutory notice affecting your business, or want to respond to a Notice for Production under the Federal Anti-Spam Legislation
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Statutory Licence
- If your business faces a suspension, alteration or cancellation of its business licence
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Tax
- If you wish to appeal a decision from the Canada Revenue Agency, or if you are facing an audit
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Property
- If you are experiencing legal nuisances or trespass or if someone caused physical damage to your property
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Bodily Injury
- If someone caused you or your family bodily injury and you wish to take action against them
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Legal Defence (offence in connection with the ownership, use or operation of a vehicle)
- If one of your drivers is prosecuted for an offence on the road, such as failing to have a logbook or for failing to display the correct signage on a vehicle
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Highway Traffic
- If you are being prosecuted for a highway traffic offence, or your driver’s licence has been suspended or revoked
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Legal Advice – Unlimited access to general legal advice
- Advice and guidance are just a phone call away! You will always receive general legal advice, even if your issue is not covered by the policy
Agri-Legal Expense Insurance In Action
Here are some potentially costly legal situations that you could face:
The Tragic Farm Accident
Kate’s employee is tragically killed during a mechanical accident on the farm and the ministry of labour is now conducting an investigation of the owner and the field supervisor. ARAG immediately appoints a lawyer to defend Kate and the employee during the investigation and, if necessary, against potential criminal negligence causing death. This is an extremely complicated matter during an emotional time for everyone. With the help of the ARAG assigned lawyer, no charges are pressed. As an Agri-Legal Expense Insurance policyholder, Kate saved in excess of $100,000 in legal fees.
The Difficult Neighbour
A neighbour installed a fence that crossed over onto Ryan’s farm. Ryan tried to reason with the neighbour, but the neighbour refused to remove the fence from his property. ARAG immediately appointed a lawyer who contacted the neighbour and was able to negotiate a reasonable settlement. In the end, the fence was moved off of Ryan’s property. It would have cost him $7,300 in legal fees if he were not an ARAG policyholder.
The Unreliable Contractor
Sheila was involved in a dispute over the quality of work done by a contractor engaged to pour a concrete foundation for new utility buildings on the farm. Sheila was seeking $2,000 in damages as a result of delays and cost overruns to fix the foundation; which the contractor refused to pay. After calling the legal advice helpline, ARAG appointed a lawyer who represented Sheila’s business all the way through to the hearing in the small claims court. The judge awarded Sheila the $2,000. If Sheila did not have an ARAG policy, she would have paid out-of-pocket about $9,000 in legal and disbursement fees.
