ARAG Legal Insurance Plan

Rely on Valuable Legal Protection

Legal insurance from ARAG helps connect you with network attorneys with experience in the area of law that you need help with.

As the world leader in legal insurance, ARAG continues to provide comprehensive legal guidance, services and resources to M-DCPS employees and their families.

Benefits of enrolling in the legal plan include:

  • Work with a network attorney and attorney fees are paid in full for most covered legal matters.

  • Save thousands of dollars, on average, for legal matters by avoiding costly legal fees.

  • We help connect you with local attorneys – many who average 20+ years of experience.

  • Address your covered legal situations with a network attorney who is only a phone call away.

  • Your network attorney can help throughout your legal matter, including preparing and reviewing legal documents, offering legal advice and representing you in court.

  • Use DIY Docs® to create, edit and save legal documents online, like a will, trust or power of attorney, using state-specific, attorney-reviewed templates.

Summary of Benefits

Get Connected with Local Network Attorneys

In-office Legal representation

Network attorneys provide legal counsel, document review and preparation as well as representation – for covered legal matters including:

  • Standard and Complex Will Preparation 
  • Contested Divorce (up to 20 hours per insured event) 
  • Debt Collection
  • Codicil Preparation (Amendment to a Will)
  • Uncontested Divorce
  • Foreclosure 
  • Living Will Preparation 
  • Alimony 
  • Defense of Garnishment 
  • Powers of Attorney Preparation 
  • Child Custody/Visitation
  • Mechanic’s Lien
  • Specific Document Preparation
  • Child Support 
  • Student Loan Debt Collection 
  • Document Review
  • Elder Law — Member Support
  • Personal Bankruptcy
  • Contested/Uncontested Adoption
  • School Administrative Hearings
  • Personal Property Protection
  • Contested/Uncontested Guardianship/Conservatorship 
  • Social Security/Veterans/Medicare
  •  Juvenile Court
  • Name Change 
  • Consumer Protection
  • Parental Responsibilities
  • Criminal Misdemeanor 
  • Buying/Selling a Home
  • Insanity and Infirmity Defense
  • Habeas Corpus 
  • Home Equity Loan 
  •  IRS Audit Protection and Collection Defense
  • Driving Privilege Protection and Restoration (including DWI) 
  • Refinancing 
  • Miscellaneous Services for any personal legal matters not specifically covered or excluded (up to 4 hours per year) 
  • Minor Traffic Tickets 
  • Building Codes, Easements and Zoning/Variances/Eminent Domain 
  • Small Claims Assistance
  • Domestic Partnership Agreements
  • Funeral Directive
  • Gender Identifier Change
  • Hospital Visitation Authorization
  • Homeowner Association Disputes and Residential Contractor Disputes
  • Surrogacy Agreements
  • Egg/Sperm/Embryo Donation Agreement
  • Pre-Birth/Post-Birth Parentage Order

To locate network attorneys in your area, call ARAG Customer Care at 800-360-5567, or visit ARAGLegal.com/myinfo and enter Access Code 10287mds. Click on the “Attorneys” tab on the navigation bar and select a legal matter under “Find an Attorney.” Existing members can log into their member account for more details.

“Hospital” means a short-term, acute care, general facility which:

If you use a network attorney, the plan pays 100% of the attorney’s fees for most covered (and not excluded) services. The services that are available are listed on the chart in the section. You may choose to work with a non-network attorney and the plan will reimburse you according to scheduled limits.

If you need legal representation for a legal situation that’s not covered under the plan, you may have other options, including:

  • The miscellaneous services coverage benefit for matters not specifically covered or excluded. This benefit provides four hours per certificate year of attorney services.
  • You may choose to work with a non-network attorney and the plan will reimburse you according to scheduled limits.
  • In addition, you can save money even if your legal situation is not fully covered and not excluded, as you may be eligible to receive a reduced fee of at least 25% off a network attorney’s normal rate.

Note that if you retained the services of the network attorney prior to the effective date of your legal insurance membership, the reduced fee benefit is not available.

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 a variety of personal legal needs, including:
  • General legal advice and consultation on a variety of personal legal matters
  • Small claims assistance
  • Follow-up calls and letters
  • Specific document preparation
  • Document review

Immigration Assistance

To help with the immigration process, your plan includes:

Legal advice and consultation that includes:

  • 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

    To help you better manage today’s common legal and financial matters, visit our Learning Center at ARAGLegal.com/myinfo, where you have access to a variety of tools and resources, including:

    • DIY Docs®: Create, edit and save legal documents online, like a will, trust or power of attorney, using state-specific, attorney reviewed templates.

    • Educational articles, videos and guidebooks: Get helpful tips regarding key legal, financial and consumer issues like estate planning, debt collection, identity theft, caregiving and working with an attorney.
    • Personal Information Organizer: An essential document to help you keep track of your critical and personal information all in one place.

    • Demand Letters: A letter-drafting assistant powered by Microsoft Azure AI, designed to help you create professional demand letters to quickly and easily address common disputes.

    Services for Parents/Grandparents

    As your parents and grandparents age and deal with health issues, odds are good that you will play a part in providing care. The following services are available for helping a parent or grandparent:

    • Legal hotline for questions and initial guidance
    • Reduced fee services
    • Guidance from expert Care Coaches
    • Digital education and support tools
    • Learning center with educational articles and guidebooks on elder law topics
    • DIY Docs
    • Integrated care provider support network and community
    • Document Review
    • Document Preparation
    • Miscellaneous Legal Services (4 hours per year)
    • Wills & Power of Attorney

    Identity Theft Services

    You have access to identity theft case specialists who will:
    • Explain what identity theft is and steps you can take to help 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

    Financial Education and Counseling Services

    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
    • Student loan counseling
    • Credit report review
    • Individual retirement accounts (IRAs)

    You also have access to online resources through your member account that provide:

    • Counseling services
    • Interactive educational modules
    • Articles, guides, financial calculators and videos
    • Free webinars

    Plan Documents & Resources

    ARAG Disclaimer

    Limitations and exclusions apply. Depending upon a state’s regulations, ARAG’s legal insurance plan may be considered an insurance product or a service product. Insurance products are underwritten by ARAG Insurance Company of Des Moines, Iowa. Service products are provided by ARAG Services, LLC. This material is for illustrative purposes only and is not a contract. For terms, benefits or exclusions, call 800-360-5567.

    Customer Service

    1 (800) 360-5567

    Websites


    ARAGLegal.com/myinfo

    Employee Access Code: 10287mds
    Retiree Access Code: 10287ret

    Service Hours (EST):

    M-F: 9:00am – 7:00pm