Searching for comprehensive legal insurance as an expat in Germany? Discover our in-depth Feather Legal Insurance review and make an informed choice today!
Are you an expat living in Germany? Finding the right legal insurance in a foreign country can be tricky.
You might need help with things like understanding German laws, sorting out personal and professional issues, or just getting general legal advice. That’s why we’re here to help!
In this comprehensive review, we’ll delve into all the key aspects of Feather Legal Insurance, shedding light on its features, benefits, and potential drawbacks.
So, let’s dive in and explore what this legal insurance provider has to offer.
Feather
Features | Details |
---|---|
No. of Plans | 2 |
Protection offered | • Private • Traffic • Professional • Home |
Criminal Protection | Not available |
Worldwide Coverage | Yes |
Unlimited Coverage | No |
Deductible | Yes |
Waiting Time | Yes (Variable) |
Free Phone Consultation | Yes |
Cancellation Notice | 1 month |
Mobile App | No |
English Support | Yes |
Price | Basic €19.95 per month Advanced €35 per month |
All-English website with support.
English-speaking lawyer of your choice.
Worldwide coverage for personal, professional, traffic, and home.
Short waiting times on advanced plan.
No mobile App.
Limited coverage.
Feather Legal Insurance Overview
Rob Schumacher and Vincent Audoire started Feather in 2018.
However, they’re not exactly an insurance company themselves. They are licensed as an insurance intermediary and offer insurance through a number of insurance partners.
For legal insurance, they’re currently partners with Roland.
But the good thing is you get to stay on their platform with your Feather account while they manage their partners and your payments on the back end.
Here’s an overview of Feather’s offerings:
Feather Legal Insurance | ||
| Basic Plan | Advanced Plan |
Private Legal Protection (Privatrechtsschutz) | Yes | Yes |
Traffic Offense Legal Protection (Verkehrsrechtsschutz) | Yes | Yes |
Professional Legal Protection (Berufsrechtsschutz) | Yes | Yes |
Home (Wohnen) Legal Protection | Yes | Yes |
Criminal (Strafrecht) Protection | No | No |
Maximum Cover | €250,000 | €500,000 |
University-Related Disputes | No | Yes |
Legal Advice about Family & Inheritance Law | Up to €250 per case | Up to €2,500 per case |
Risky Investment Coverage | Non-risky assets only | Up to €20,000 per case |
Legal Advice about Online Copyright Infringements | Up to €500 per year | Up to €800 per year |
Monthly Price | €19.95 | €35 |
Feather Legal Insurance Review for 2025
Here’s a detailed review of everything Feather’s legal insurance has to offer:
Plans
Feather Insurance offers two plans: Basic and Advanced
The basic plan starts at €19.95 per month, while the advanced plan is priced at €35. Both plans offer the following types of legal insurance:
- Private
- Traffic
- Professional
- Home
There is no difference in coverage for Professional and Traffic legal protection.
For private or personal insurance, the basic plan doesn’t cover legal disputes related to university admissions, while the advanced plan does.
Similarly, for home legal protection, the basic plan doesn’t cover a second home or a garden that is away from your residence area. The advanced plan, on the other hand, will cover both.
Moreover, there are some differences in limits and waiting periods, which will be covered later in the article.
Premium
The premium you pay every month depends on the following things:
- The plan you choose
- Your Employment status
- Number of people you add
For instance, if you add a partner or spouse, it will cost you around €5 extra every month.
Similarly, your premium will be lower if you’re employed by the state as a public servant, but it will be higher if you’re self-employed.
If you have elderly parents living with you at the same address, aged over 65 and unemployed, they will automatically be included in this family policy.
As for children under 18 and unmarried adult children who aren’t fully employed and don’t receive social benefits, they are always covered as part of the policy.
There’s no need to add them separately; they’re already included.
Excess or Deductible
In addition to your monthly premium, there’s another payment you’ll need to make with each claim. This is often called an “excess” or “deductible,” and it’s your share of the legal costs when an issue arises.
Let’s say your contract has an excess of €300. That means whenever you have a legal expense, you have to cover the first €300 of it yourself. For instance, if you have a claim that costs €700, you’ll pay €300, and Feather will cover the remaining €400.
Why does this excess exist? It’s mainly there to lower your monthly premium, making your insurance more affordable.
But here’s a helpful thing: If you go a whole year without needing to make a claim, your excess decreases by €100 each year.
Also, if the claim costs less than €250, you won’t have to pay a deductible in that case.
However, if you file a claim in the first year, your excess increases to €500 next year.
Let’s discuss Feather’s coverage in detail.
Legal Work Covered
Here is what Feather’s legal insurance covers:
- Private Legal Protection
- Traffic Offense Legal Protection
- Professional Legal Protection
- Home Legal Protection
a) Personal Legal Insurance (Privatrechtsschutz)
Under this insurance type, Feather will offer legal support in several personal matters of your life, including the following:
Feather Personal Legal Insurance (Privatrechtsschutz) | ||
Basic Plan | Advanced Plan | |
Indemnification (e.g., compensation for pain and suffering) | Yes | Yes |
Private contracts | Yes | Yes |
Disputes with public authorities (e.g., tax, care) | Yes | Yes |
University admission legal disputes | No | Yes |
Care-related lawsuits | Yes | Yes |
Capital investments & assets | Limited (Only non-risky investments) | Risky investments and assets up to €20,000 |
Protection on the internet | Limited (covers only copyright infringements) | Coverage includes cases concerning e-reputation |
Family law | Consultation only | Limited (Up to €2,500 per case) |
Inheritance Law | Consultation only | Limited (Up to €2,500 per case) |
b) Traffic Offense Legal Protection (Verkehrsrechtsschutz)
This insurance type covers unjustified parking fines, false accusations in traffic-related cases, and cases where you’re the victim.
Feather Traffic Offense Legal Protection (Verkehrsrechtsschutz) | ||
Basic Plan | Advanced Plan | |
Compensation for damages (e.g., vehicle damages) | Yes | Yes |
Misdemeanors (e.g., running a red light) | Yes | Yes |
Private contracts (e.g., purchase or repair of a car) | Yes | Yes |
Finance and administrative authorities (e.g., revoked driver’s license; classification of car tax) | Yes | Yes |
Parking violations | Yes | Yes |
c) Professional Legal Protection (Berufsrechtsschutz)
Feather’s professional legal coverage includes the following:
Feather Professional Legal Protection (Berufsrechtsschutz) | ||
Basic Plan | Advanced Plan | |
Disputes with your employer | Yes | Yes |
Protection in disciplinary and professional conduct | Yes | Yes |
Settlement agreement consultation | Yes | Yes |
d) Home (Wohnen)
The home coverage for the Basic and Advanced plans is almost similar, with just one small change, as mentioned below:
Feather Legal Insurance Home Coverage (Wohnen) | ||
| Basic Plan | Advanced Plan |
Disputes with a landlord or neighbour | Yes | Yes |
Financial authorities (e.g., waste disposal charge) | Yes | Yes |
Second home, commuter home, separate garden away from residence | No | Yes |
Now, let’s talk about waiting periods.
Waiting Period (Wartefrist)
Waiting periods are normal for legal insurance in Germany, and all claims that arise during this time are not covered by any insurance broker or company.
Here’s how the waiting times vary for different coverage in both of Feather’s plans.
a) Personal or Private Insurance
Social legal matters have no waiting times for both plans.
For matters pertaining to your private contracts and property issues, the basic plan has a waiting time of six months, while the advanced plan has no waiting period.
For university admission disputes, there is a long waiting time of five years in the advanced plan.
b) Professional Insurance
Professional legal protection has a waiting time of six and three months for basic and advanced plans, respectively.
c) Traffic Insurance
Traffic insurance comes into play right after you sign up for the advanced plan. However, the basic plan will make you wait three months.
d) Property or Home Insurance
Property legal protection has the same waiting times whether you’re on the basic or advanced plan.
Contract Period
Feather’s legal insurance has a contract period of one month, meaning you can’t just change your mind and cancel your insurance. You have to give a one month’s notice.
Customer Support
Feather offers great customer support even if you’re not a policyholder.
You can ask your questions via message or book a call with one of their insurance experts through their website.
Also, when you buy insurance from them, you’re entitled to FREE legal consultations without paying any lawyer fees.
User Experience
Let’s talk about the user experience.
Feather offers an incredible user experience with its online platform and service.
First of all, the signup process is easy and simple, taking just three minutes of your time.
Secondly, its all-English website clearly mentions all features and conditions, which is exactly what non-German-speaking expats need.
Moreover, you are free to choose an English-speaking lawyer of your choice, making things convenient for you.
Limitations
Unlike other companies in the German insurance market, Feather has some limitations when it comes to coverage extension.
For example, its worldwide coverage is limited to €250,000 for the basic plan and €500,000 for the advanced plan.
Similarly, there are limits to coverage when it comes to family & inheritance law, risky investments, online copyright infringements, and self-employment as a secondary source of income (as already mentioned in the overview and coverage section).
Eligibility
Feather has three eligibility conditions:
- First of all, there’s the age limit. You can only sign up if you are 18 and over.
- Secondly, you can’t sign up if you have made more than three claims with your past insurer in the last five years.
- Finally, you can’t get legal coverage from Feather if your last insurance wasn’t canceled by you but by your insurance company.
Important
You can’t have multiple legal insurance policies at one time, meaning you can’t sign up with Feather if you have legal insurance from another company.
Verdict
Feather Legal Insurance presents a promising option for expats living in Germany who are seeking accessible and English-friendly legal insurance coverage.
With two flexible plans, a straightforward online platform, and the choice of English-speaking lawyers, it caters to the needs of non-German-speaking residents.
This legal insurance could be particularly beneficial for those individuals who require comprehensive coverage for personal, professional, traffic, and home-related legal matters.
The relatively short waiting times, especially on the advanced plan, are a plus for those who need immediate legal support.
However, it’s essential to note that Feather does come with limitations, such as the absence of a mobile app and some coverage restrictions, including worldwide coverage limits.
Users with a history of frequent claims with their previous insurers won’t find Feather suitable.
Overall, Feather Legal Insurance is an attractive choice for expats in Germany looking for straightforward legal insurance with English support.
As with any insurance decision, it’s crucial to carefully consider your unique circumstances and legal requirements before selecting the right policy.