For me, this was a no-brainer...

Originally Posted By: jedwards
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When I first heard about Pre-Paid Legal Services’ family and small-business legal protection plans, I became a member (client) on the spot. The value to my HI business was obvious from the start. I’ve used it twice since April when I signed up-- once for legal review of a business document and once for consultation concerning a family real estate matter (both handled by licensed attorneys). Either of those consultations would have cost me $100-200 dollars each with most attorneys.


To supplement my (slowly improving) HI income, I recently signed on as a PPL sales associate. I wanted to let the NACHI community know about the plans, since they are so valuable, IMO, to a litigation-sensitive small business such as a home inspection company.

I invite you to visit http://www.prepaidlegal.com/hub/johnedwards47 to learn more about the plans. Please feel free to PM or email me with any questions, or give me a call-- the number is on the website.

It's not my intention to spam anyone, and this will be my only thread on the topic. I'm only posting this for the NACHI community because I sincerely believe in the value of the product for businesses like ours.

Again, please don't hesitate to get in touch with any questions. Thanks...


--
John Edwards
Assurance South, LLC home page
Pre-Paid Legal Services

Originally Posted By: jpeck
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



John,


I've had Pre-Paid Legal since about 1991.

Well worth doing.


--
Jerry Peck
South Florida

Originally Posted By: jedwards
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



jpeck wrote:
John,

I've had Pre-Paid Legal since about 1991.

Well worth doing.


Jerry, coming from you, that's all I'd need to hear if I was sitting on the fence regarding a Pre-Paid Legal membership.

May I ask a favor? Would you post some of the types of issues you've addressed through your PPL membership in the last thirteen-odd years? I'd really appreciate hearing more about your experience with PPL's services.

Thanks...


--
John Edwards
Assurance South, LLC home page
Pre-Paid Legal Services

Originally Posted By: jpeck
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



I’ve only used them a couple of times.


The first year you are given a specified number of 'defense hours'. Each year that bank of time builds up. After a certain number of years in the program, you reach your maximum number of 'defense hours'. I am only referring to one aspect of the programs benefits.

Here is where that comes into play.

I had a seller threaten to sue me once. He was threatening to sue me for $1.6 mil. $800k for the deal on the house he was selling in Miami and $800k for the deal on the house he was buying in DC which he could no longer buy.

I wrote a nice response letter, then decided not to mail it. I called the Pre-Paid Legal attorney, faxed them the letter from the seller and my letter. They used some of the information from my letter and wrote a real nice letter to the seller.

Basically it stated that he was threatening to file a frivolous claim and that they were pre-authorized by me to start with 400 hours to defend me. (That is how many hours I had, the maximum you can accumulate.)

Now, from the sellers perspective, I imagine something like this went on. "Damn, he has pre-authorized at least $80,000 worth of attorneys fees. I have to be willing to spend that much just to get to the table. Thanks but no thanks." Now, that is just MY guess as to what must have gone on with the seller, but I bet I'm not too far off.

Never heard from him again.

Other than that, just a couple of questions now and then regarding family issues.

Once you join, the rate you pay never increases. I am still paying $178 per year because that is the rate it was when I joined.

Without Pre-Paid Legal, I could not even talk to an attorney for $178.


--
Jerry Peck
South Florida

Originally Posted By: jedwards
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



jpeck wrote:

Without Pre-Paid Legal, I could not even talk to an attorney for $178.


Heh... thanks for the story, Jerry. Hope you don't mind if I use it.

So you're saying you've paid a little over $2000 total over 13 years, and the only benefit you've seen is a $1.6 million potential lawsuit going away before it even got started? Now, where's the value in that?? ![icon_surprised.gif](upload://57CELbNgOav4I8DdysEp4jSUiyx.gif)

Thanks...


--
John Edwards
Assurance South, LLC home page
Pre-Paid Legal Services

Originally Posted By: jburkeson
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



jedwards wrote:
When I first heard about Pre-Paid Legal Services' family and small-business legal protection plans, I became a member (client) on the spot. The value to my HI business was obvious from the start. I've used it twice since April when I signed up-- once for legal review of a business document and once for consultation concerning a family real estate matter (both handled by licensed attorneys). Either of those consultations would have cost me $100-200 dollars each with most attorneys.

To supplement my (slowly improving) HI income, I recently signed on as a PPL sales associate. I wanted to let the NACHI community know about the plans, since they are so valuable, IMO, to a litigation-sensitive small business such as a home inspection company.

I invite you to visit http://www.prepaidlegal.com/hub/johnedwards47 to learn more about the plans. Please feel free to PM or email me with any questions, or give me a call-- the number is on the website.

It's not my intention to spam anyone, and this will be my only thread on the topic. I'm only posting this for the NACHI community because I sincerely believe in the value of the product for businesses like ours.

Again, please don't hesitate to get in touch with any questions. Thanks...


Hi John,

You should do a Goggle search prior to investing any funds. Pre-Pail Legal is an MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) company that has had its problems. People who I know said that they have had success with administrative things like wills, and traffic violations, but if you need a 'real' lawyer you should look elsewhere.

Here are a few links...

http://www.timduffy.com/letters/prepaid_legal.htm
http://www.canlaw.com/prepaidlegal.htm
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff52308.htm
http://www.papersourceonline.com/discus/messages/1649/7176.html?1087457770
http://www.illinoisbar.org/news/may3.htm

There have been cases where HI's used Pre-Paid in lieu of E&O insurance hopefully they won't ever need to use their service, my lawyer who I have successfully used in two arbitrations licks his lips whenever he sees a Pre-Paid lawyer as he knows there will be meat on the table tonight.


--
Joseph Burkeson, RPI (Hooperette)

?Anyone who has proclaimed violence his method inexorably must choose lying as his principle.?
~ Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Originally Posted By: jedwards
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Hi Joe, thanks for the reply.


Yes, PPL is MLM, and I've read some of the negative comments posted on the Internet. I'd never suggest that PPL is a panacea for all of everyone's potential problems-- of course it's not a substitute for E & O or any other type of insurance. Fact is, though, it's a 30-year-old company, listed on the NYSE, with well over a million members throughout North America.

Regarding the quality of the provider law firms, I can only speak from direct experience with my own provider, but I'd have no qualms about them representing me should I ever need them. PPL provider firms are among the largest and best-regarded in their respective states, and PPL is typically one of the provider firm's highest-paying clients, so the firms have a vested interest in providing top-quality legal services to PPL members. PPL actively solicits member feedback on the provider firms' services.

I think Jerry's story is a perfect example of the value of having an attorney "on retainer" for a few dollars a month. Unlimited telephone consultation, phone calls or letters by an attorney on my behalf, trial defense services, IRS audit defense services, etc., made my decision to join an easy one. Not everyone will feel the same, and that's to be expected, just as some home inspectors don't consider a NACHI membership valuable. But we know how wrong they are, right? ![icon_smile.gif](upload://b6iczyK1ETUUqRUc4PAkX83GF2O.gif)

Again, thanks for the reply. Take care.


--
John Edwards
Assurance South, LLC home page
Pre-Paid Legal Services

Originally Posted By: lschmid
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



John, I have a couple of questions for you. Pre-paid sounds like a good option for small businesses.


1) If I have 2 businesses I am the owner of and running out of my home, can I cover both of them with 1 policy, or do I have to have an individual policy for each business?

2) Can a group of businesses, such as the SC Chapter of NACHI, go together and get a policy based on the number of members joining, and get a policy? If so, what kind of restrictions would there be, and how would the pricing be. Would this be of any benefit, or would the cost be better to do it as individual companies?

Thanks for sharing this with us. I look forward to hearing your responses.


--
Larry Schmid
First Choice Home Inspection,Inc.
South Carolina Chapter President
www.1stchoicehomeinspection.com
A SAFE HOME IS A HAPPY HOME

Originally Posted By: jedwards
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Hi Larry, some answers–


A member's business plan will cover multiple businesses owned by that member. Of course, the plan benefits are shared among the multiple businesses. I believe the Home-Based Business Rider, which attaches to the Expanded Family Plan to create the lowest-cost business plan, would be appropriate for the vast majority of home inspectors operating out of their homes as sole proprietors.

PPL does offer group memberships; unfortunately they're only available for employers to offer to employees. Those plans are discounted a couple of dollars a month from regular individual plans. I'm hoping that sometime in the future PPL will create a structure for professional organizations like NACHI to qualify for group plans. Still, the individual plans are remarkably affordable, especially given the scope and extent of benefits.

Since you're in SC also, you should check out the SC provider firm at http://www.bqslaw.com. I've visited their offices in Columbia. They occupy two floors of the NBSC building, with one floor entirely dedicated to PPL. Check out the areas of specialization they practice in. This isn't some two-bit ambulance chasing outfit like you see advertising on daytime TV...

Another benefit of PPL business plans is free membership in http://www.GoSmallBiz.com. Members can ask an unlimited number of business questions on any topic, typically receiving a detailed answer by email the next business day. I've used it-- it's a very good service. GoSmallBiz also provides members a totally free multi-page website with site-building tools for their business.

My thanks to you and everyone else who's contacted me about PPL. I'm happy to provide more info for anyone who wants to get in touch.


--
John Edwards
Assurance South, LLC home page
Pre-Paid Legal Services

Originally Posted By: John Harrison
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



I have been a Pre-Paid Legal member and associate for over 2 years now.


Many of the bad complaints you will see are of former associates who never made any money in selling the membership, because they never put forth any effort in selling the membership.


other complaints are from previous members who try to sign up with PPL after they have gotten into trouble.
PPL is a preventave legal plan you have to have a active membership before you get into trouble for it to work for you.

Pre existing conditions will find you paying the same price as a regular attorney.
It is hard for a PPL associate to make a living with PPL, simply because you have a hard time convicing people that they should pay for an attorney before they use one.
Over my 2 years as an associate about 70% of my members have dropped their plan 6 months - 1 year after signing on because they never use the service, and refuse to fill out thier will.
The ones who have stayed members were the ones who used their plan within the first 6 months.

One of my favorite stories comes from a member in Kansas that I signed up.
2 weeks later he recieved a letter from a human group about his dog kennel. The letter stated there was complaints about mistreatment of the animals and each animal would face him with a $2000 fine
He contacted PPL and got them on the ball.
1 week later the whole issue was dropped and he was given a full apollogy
ppl membership $17.00
Possible fines 27 dogs x $2000 = $54000
He is still a member and feels it has paid for itself for the rest of his life.


Originally Posted By: jedwards
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Thanks for the reply and story, John. I’ve found the exact same thing in the last few weeks- it takes some effort to convince folks of the need for the plan before they have a problem and it’s too late. And while I hate to wear out the phrase “no-brainer”, that’s exactly how I feel about the value of PPL to businesses like home inspection.


Just for the record, I've never been involved in any form of sales, MLM, or whatever in my life. Just never been inclined that way. The opportunity to market PPL happened to come at a time when I'd just used the service a couple of times and had already come to believe in its value. At present it's a side business for me, and I won't live or die based on how many PPL members I sign on. But I'm happy to discuss it anytime with anyone who's interested.


--
John Edwards
Assurance South, LLC home page
Pre-Paid Legal Services

Originally Posted By: jedwards
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Attention, single parents (like me)… Through the end of July, PPL is offering a $200 discount to those of you looking for a big boost to your income. Click on the PPL link below or call me at 864-494-3026 for the rest of the story…



John Edwards


Assurance South, LLC home page


Pre-Paid Legal Services

Originally Posted By: jedwards
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



I said that this would be my only thread on this issue, and it will, but the discussion in the current E and O thread about the cost of defending a lawsuit compels me to bump this up.


First... again... Pre-Paid Legal is NOT a substitute for ANY type of insurance. Period. I don't want anyone to think I'm trying to fudge that.

Second... Since I've been marketing PPL I've repeatedly run into the perception that provider firms are "second rate". Again, I can't speak for firms outside of my own state as I have no first-person experience as a client except in SC. But the fact is that the provider firms in individual states have a firmly vested interest in providing quality services, because just like their fees with individual clients, the provider firms receive about one-third of the membership fees collected from their respective states' PPL members. In little old South Carolina that cut runs well into six figures annually. And PPL aggressively solicits feedback from its members regarding the service they receive, and holds the provider firms' feet to the fire if the feedback isn't so good. Believe me... the provider firms DON'T want to lose their PPL business.

The provider firm here in SC is the eleventh largest law firm in the state. They occupy two floors of a major bank building in the state capital, and one of those floors is dedicated entirely to PPL. Here is my provider firm's website...

http://www.bqslaw.com

Go back in this thread and read Jerry's story about the one time he's used his PPL membership as a home inspector, and consider if being able to pick up the phone and talk with an attorney whenever you need to, have him/her write a letter or make a call on your behalf, have hours of trial defense and IRS audit defense at hand, along with a number of other benefits, is worth a few dollars a month.

If you want more info...

For family coverage, http://www.prepaidlegal.com/info/johnedwards47

and for small business coverage, http://www.prepaidlegal.com/biz/johnedwards47

Of course, email, PM, or call me (number's on my websites) if you have any questions.

On a totally unrelated note (well, not exactly, since my PPL membership gets me a deep discount on real estate attorney fees) wish me luck- I'm closing on my first investment property tomorrow (yes, I got a REAL good home inspection first... ![icon_biggrin.gif](upload://iKNGSw3qcRIEmXySa8gItY6Gczg.gif) ).

And sincere best wishes to everyone affected by Frances. We've had buckets here constantly for the last couple days.


--
John Edwards
Assurance South, LLC home page
Pre-Paid Legal Services

Originally Posted By: gbell
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Hi John,


No disrespect but for the cost of PPL I think we could provide a better product for a lower cost. Please correct me if I am wrong.


PPL is $75 a month that's $900 per year. If you ever have a real problem and need legal representation there is an extra fee of $100+ per hour.

I think for $900 a year we could offer our members a very nice package for legal protection.


--
Greg Bell
Bell Inspection Service

Originally Posted By: jedwards
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



gbell wrote:
No disrespect but for the cost of PPL I think we could provide a better product for a lower cost. Please correct me if I am wrong.

PPL is $75 a month that's $900 per year.


You're correct that in Florida the lowest-cost business plan available is $75 per month for up to 50 employees. Plans vary from state because of different regulatory requirements-- in many states, such as mine, home-based business coverage is available for as low as $39.50 per month.

Quote:
If you ever have a real problem and need legal representation there is an extra fee of $100+ per hour.


Greg, the Florida PPL business plan, like the PPL business plans available in most states, includes 75 hours of trial defense services. This includes "real" problems (excluding "pre-existing" conditions--prior to enrollment, and some other conditions such as substance abuse, etc.) Once a member exceeds coverage limits, or needs excluded services, the provider firm is obliged to give a 25% discount off their regular rate. For details and other exclusions please visit the websites.

Quote:
I think for $900 a year we could offer our members a very nice package for legal protection.


Greg, if by "we" you mean NACHI, well, I suppose anything is possible, but in my most humble opinion NACHI, with membership fees of <$300 per year, might not be offering its members the best bang-for-buck by venturing into the national legal coverage business with the goal of offering a better network of legal providers at a lower cost than PPL (of course Nick may disagree). And again, the cost of coverage varies by state because of regulatory requirements-- I pay $40.50 per month for my family *and* home-based business coverage. And in my first two months as a member-- *before* I started marketing PPL-- I'd already received legal services that would have cost me about as much as a year's worth of my PPL membership.

And again-- PPL won't be attractive to everyone. It works for me. It may not for you and others, and that's fine. But I sincerely believe that those involved in a litigation-sensitive profession such as home inspection deserve, at least, the opportunity to evaluate the service as it relates to their own situation.

Thanks again for your reply, and I'll try to respond to any other questions you may have. Take care.


--
John Edwards
Assurance South, LLC home page
Pre-Paid Legal Services

Originally Posted By: John M Borchers
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Typical near pyramid scheme. Only the higher members make out. Get a real lawyer if you need one. The so called legal department lawyers are either undergrads or inexperienced workers.


Do your homework before signing up for these things!