Arc expands into Ireland with AXA deal

Arc Legal Assistance has announced its expansion into the Irish market with the provision of personal and motor legal expenses cover for AXA Ireland.

In a first for the Irish market, Arc has also developed a unique residential landlord legal expenses cover which is being offered as an integral part of AXA’s residential landlord buildings policy, called Release. The cover has been developed to provide legal assistance to landlords when dealing with defaulting tenants including representation at the Private Residential Tenancy Board’s arbitration proceedings and to cover any resulting legal costs of a court action.

Arc is also providing family legal expenses and identity theft cover which is automatically included in AXA’s high net worth household cover, Excellence.

Alongside this Arc is providing motor legal expenses for small commercial vehicles being offered as part of the insurer’s Advance product.

Speaking on Arc’s Irish expansion Richard Finan, Director of Arc said: “Ireland has been serviced under an outdated legal expenses insurance business model for years and there are significant opportunities for Arc to develop our business model within this jurisdiction. Our goal is to further expand in the Irish market and we will shortly be announcing further deals including a large account with one of Ireland’s major personal lines brokers.”

Finan continued: “The introduction of the Personal Injury Advisory Board in Ireland makes legal expenses insurance unattractive to those organisations that survive on referral fees. This is an important factor for our future success as our business model does not rely upon referral or other related fees; it is based on a partnership with our panel solicitors.”

Eoin Lyons, Relationship Manager at AXA added “Arc operates an innovative business model we have not seen before in Ireland. Their ability to develop bespoke products, in areas that have not been covered previously is a great advantage. Arc’s contracts also further supports our strategic partnership with AXA Assistance in Ireland.”

The Arc cover is underwritten by Inter Partner Assistance SA, the 'underwriting provision' arm of AXA Assistance UK.