ARAG Legal Insurance Plan

Rely on Affordable, Professional Legal Protection

Legal insurance from ARAG® connects you with network attorneys so you can get the legal help you need.

Legal Insurance Coverage

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

Benefits of the legal plan include:

  • Network attorney fees that are 100% paid in full for most covered legal matters, which can help you avoid high legal cost.
  • No waiting periods on ANY coverages (including bankruptcy and divorce). You can use the plan on covered matters as soon as your coverage begins.
  • Broad coverage for life’s everyday legal issues, ranging from family matters and estate planning to contractor disputes and consumer protection issues.
  • Access to educational online resources, including helpful articles and guidebooks, along with DIY Docs® to create a variety of legally valid documents on your own.
  • Access to local and professional attorneys who average 20 years of experience.

Get Connected to a Local Network Attorney  

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 family per certificate 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
  

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.

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

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 family 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. If you use a network attorney, the plan pays 100% of the attorney’s fees for most covered (and not excluded) services.
  • 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 hourly 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.

If you use an out-of-network attorney for covered (and not excluded) services, the plan will reimburse you based on the fee schedule provided in the “What the plan covers” section.

Telephone Legal Advice and Consultation

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
  • Standard will preparation
  • Living will preparation
  • Durable powers of attorney preparation
  • Small claims assistance
  • Follow-up calls and letters
  • Specific document preparation
  • Document review

Immigration Assistance

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

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 a variety of legally valid documents, like simple wills and powers of attorney using state-specific 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: Download this document to help you keep track of all your critical legal, financial, medical and personal information.

Services for Parents/Grandparents

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 you to help a parent or grandparent:

  • Legal hotline for questions and initial guidance
  • Annual legal check-up
  • Reduced fee services
  • Support services from eldercare advocates
  • Access to the nation’s most comprehensive eldercare database
  • Online tools and resources
  • Eldercare quality-of-care ratings and reports
  • Learning center with educational articles and guidebooks on elder law topics
  • DIY Docs®

Identity Theft Services

Identity Theft Services

You have toll-free 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

Financial Education and Counseling Services - ARAG Exclusive

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:

  • Interactive education modules
  • Life events guides and financial articles
  • Self-guided money management tool
  • Financial calculators

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.

 

Tools and Resources

ARAG Website

Legal Video

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Legal Services Available (PDF)

Legal FAQ's (PDF)

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Save Time and Money (PDF)

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Legal is Everywhere (PDF)

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What's New (PDF)

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Attorney Finder (PDF)

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Services for Parents/Grandparents (PDF)

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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Benefits (PDF)

ARAG® Legal Plan

Customer Care:
Mon - Fri, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET
800-360-5567
Service@ARAGlegal.com
ARAGLegal.com/myinfo, Access Code: 10287mds
M-DCPS Logo in white

Office of Risk and Benefits Management
1501 N.E. 2nd Avenue, Suite 335
Miami, Florida 33132
Mon - Fri, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET
www.dadeschools.net
305-995-7129

FBMC Service Center
Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
1-855-MDC-PS4U (1-855-632-7748)