Yesterday’s judgment by the Court of Appeal in Coulson v News Group Newspapers (NGN) is good news for those who have a legal expenses insurance policy which they wish to use to defend themselves against an allegation that they have committed a criminal offence.
Typically, such policies are written for the protection of directors and officers of companies and are sold by insurers on the basis that they provide ‘peace of mind’ in the event that any allegation of malpractice is made against them in connection with their duties. Whatever the anxiety caused by such an allegation, the insured can at least rest assured that their lawyers’ bills in relation to rebutting it will be paid on their behalf. Judging by the way in which they are widely marketed in magazines such as The Economist, such policies must be good business for insurers.
