a digital postmark ( dpm ) is a technology that applies a trusted time stamps issued by a postal operator to an electronic document , validates electronic signatures , and stores and archives all non-repudiation data needed to support a potential court challenge - it guarantees the certainty of date and time of the postmarking .

this global standard was renamed the electronic postal certification mark ( epcm ) in 2007 shortly after a new iteration of the technology was developed by microsoft and poste italiane .

the key addition to the traditional postmarking technology was integrity of the electronically postmarked item , meaning any kind of falsification and tampering will be easily and definitely detected .

additionally , content confidentiality is guaranteed since document certification is carried out without access or reading by the postal operator .

the epcm will eventually be available through the upu to all international postal operators in the 191 member countries willing to be compliant with this standard , thus granting interoperability in certified communications between postal operators .

in the united states , the us postal service operates a non-global standard called the electronic postmark , although it is soon expected to provide services utilizing the epcm .

digital postmarks

postmarks are normally black , although there are occasions when coloured postmarks are used . they generally fall into the following categories :
9 . the method of claim 1 wherein the step of attaching the determined digital signature includes attaching , the digital signature as a secure multipurpose internet mail extensions compliant digital signature .
maine postal history and postmarks [ by ] sterling t . dow . . .
3 . the method of claim 2 wherein the digital signature is a cryptographic digital signature of the body of the electronic message .
antique french fancy script postmarks music digital download for papercrafts , transfer , pillows , etc . burlap no 2427 | bedroom | pinterest | repurpose , crafty a…
nowadays , most postal administrations don ' t bother with receiving postmarks , although a few still do .
b . a public or private entity that has the regulatory authority or legal responsibility for providing electronic postmarks .
transmitting the electronic , message with the attached digital signature to the at least one recipient .
offset printing generally produces superior quality and is less expensive than digital printing at quantities over 1 , 000 or so . digital printing is best at very short runs and for jobs requiring personalization .
3 . the method of claim 2 , wherein the customer identification information includes a digital certificate .
11 . the method of claim 10 , wherein the customer identification information includes a digital certificate .
46 . the method of claim 45 , wherein the customer identification information includes a digital certificate .
much less common are postmarks with romanized place - names . the rule for these stamps is : day - month - [ gregorian calender ] year .
sealed proposals must be received by the time indicated in the soliciation document on the last day of the submission period . see document for specific instructions concerning printed and / or digital copies . postmarks are not sufficient . proposals by fax and email will not be accepted .
new york pop band ivy ' s guitarist / songwriter andy chase signed on to mix the postmarks ' debut ep , the remixes , in 2006 . ( chase ' s other project , brookville , is on the road with the postmarks this month in support of their third album , broken lights ) .
i have noticed a lot of confusion about size and resolution of digital images . i ' ll try to provide some clarification here . note that this discussion applies only to bitmapped digital images , which are the kind you are dealing with when you use a scanner or digital camera . vector images are another matter but they are not relevant in this context .
first of all you need to realize that a digital image really does not have a physical size . to say that a digital image is , say , 4x6 inches is meaningless . after all , the image is just a collection of pixels stored in memory or on your hard disk . a digital image does , however , have a pixel size - the number of pixels horizontally and vertically . this is the only
size
that is inherent in any bitmapped digital image .
one system that has attempted to address these issues is provided through the use of digital postmarks , digital postmarks are intended for use in an enterprise environment , and are designed to specifically provide authentication of message contents . fundamentally it is designed as a non - repudiation service . fig . 3 illustrates an exemplary installation of a system to use digital postmarking . user a 100 uses a client to generate an email message . this message is sent from a client to an outgoing mail server 130 , typically provided by an enterprise associated with user a 100 , outgoing mail server 130 receives the message and forwards it to the digital postmarking server 132 . server 130 preferably signs the message prior to transmission to digital postmarking server 132 so that postmarking server 132 can verify that the message was not altered in transit . digital postmarking server 132 then validates the authenticity of the signature against a known key associated with either user a 100 or with mail server 130 . upon successful verification , the digital postmarking server 132 generates a timestamp that , along with the message , the signature and validation results are stored in a digital postmark non - repudiation database 134 . this information can then be accessed at a later date to establish a non - repudiation function . the postmarks server 132 and database 134 generate a digital postmarking receipt that is transmitted back to the outgoing mail server 130 . the outgoing mail server 130 wraps the original message in the digital postmarking receipt and transmits the message to the incoming mail server 136 . user b 112 retrieves the message in the proprietary digital postmarking wrapper 138 using a proprietary client 140 . the client 140 can then retrieve the authentication information from the digital postmark non - repudiation database 134 . client 140 does not need to perform any verification processes on the message itself , as the verification , receipt and even the original document can be retrieved from database 134 , alternately a local cryptographic verification can be performed by client 140 .
what are you doing to accelerate it agility ? learn about the it model that serves as a catalyst for digital transformation .
in the days when mail was processed by hand , receiving postmarks were usually applied on the back of a cover to show when it arrived at the delivery office . international mail often received one or more transit postmarks on the back as it passed through the international mail centers of intermediary and delivery country post offices .
the per - postmark price will range from 80 cents for a block of 25 epms to 10 cents per epm for a block of 1 million or more electronic postmarks , he says . subsequent readers are not charged , and office 97 and 2000 users can verify epm marked documents although they cannot generate new electronic postmarks , reichgut says .
other cards have both types of postmarks . on the card below , the sino - japanese numeral postmark was stamped twelve days earlier than the hindu - arabic numeral postmark .
27 . the method of claim 25 , wherein the identification information about the third party includes the third party ' s digital certificate .
if you work with japanese picture postcards as historical source material , you have probably noticed that most surviving cards lack postmarks and other temporal indicators . this post provides a guide to estimating the age of these revealing artifacts , based on printing conventions that conformed to international and japanese postal regulations . this post also provides several examples and explanations of japanese postmarks .
certificate authority geotrust offers digital certificates for use with the program , but certificates from other authorities can be used as well , he adds .
the invention relates generally to postage meters , also called franking machines , and relates more particularly to electronic postage meters printing digital postal indicia .
customers must also set up an epm account through the usps web site and have a valid digital certificate to sign the documents , chamberlain said . while certificate authority geotrust inc . is offering digital certificates for use with the program , certificates from other authorities can be used as well .
in a further embodiment of the present invention , the step of processing the electronic message includes performing a virus scan of the electronic message , and optionally removing a virus identified by the virus scan . in another embodiment , the step of processing the electronic , message can include copying header information from the electronic message into the electronic message body prior to determining the digital signature . in yet another embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention , the step of attaching the determined digital signature includes attaching the digital signature as a secure multipurpose internet mail extensions compliant digital signature .
a postmark is a postal marking made on a letter , package , postcard or the like indicating the date and time that the item was delivered into the care of the postal service . modern postmarks are often applied simultaneously with the cancellation or killer that marks the postage stamp as having been used , and the two terms are often used interchangeably , if incorrectly . postmarks may be applied by hand or by machines , using methods such as rollers or inkjets , while digital postmarks are a recent innovation . the local post hawai ' i post had a rubber - stamp postmark parts of which were hand - painted . at hideaway island , vanuatu , the underwater post office has an embossed postmark .
customers must also set up an epm account through the usps web site and have a valid digital certificate to sign the documents , chamberlain says .
sharing from our digital mitford project blog–a very helpful annotated guide to tei encoding of the more challenging aspects of 19th - c . manuscript letters .
in step 272 , a digital signature is generated using a private key associated with a public key stored in a publicly available certificate . the signature can be generated using conventional processes used over the entire message body . this digital signature is the trusted third party signature attached in step 254 .
( 5 )
electronic ' ' means relating to technology having electrical , digital , magnetic , wireless , optical , electromagnetic or similar capabilities .
in the 1990s , both linn’s and scott moved head on into the digital age . i will cover this dynamic transition in next week’s editor’s insights .
there is no charge for subsequent readers to verify the document , and office 97 and 2000 users can verify epm marked documents , though they can ' t generate new electronic postmarks , reichgut said .
t . costlow , “digital postmark helps fight spam , virus attacks , ” ieee distributed systems online , vol . 5 , no . 5 , 2004 .
to protect your revenue , we have created a concept that recognizes fraudulent mail items during the sorting process . in addition , it also collects legally admissible evidence to prove payment claims . artread recognition technology offers everything you need for uninterrupted monitoring . systematic verification is particularly important in the case of digital postmarks , since they cannot be verified by the mail carrier .
once installed , the office extension adds an epm toolbar to microsoft word with options for applying electronic postmarks to documents , checking the epm on a document and managing the usps epm account , reichgut said .
they may add the new stamps and one or more first - day postmarks , or obtain the autographs of the participants in the ceremony . the participants usually are available at an autograph table after the ceremony .
- output postmarks ( indicium ) data to a pc connected to the postage metering device ' s communication port ( e . g . rs232 ) when operating in an open system ( os ) franking environment .
a postmark can be a cancellation , if it is actually applied to the stamp , but postmarks are often found elsewhere on the cover rather than directly on the stamp . in such cases , they are not cancellations .
( d ) any governmental entity which intends to extend , modify or revoke the authority to accept electronic signatures or postmarks shall do so by the same means and with the same notice as required in this section for adoption .
in a first aspect of the present invention , there is provided a method providing trusted third party verification of an electronic message . the method comprises the steps of receiving the electronic message from a sender addressed to at least one recipient ; processing the electronic message to determine a digital signature associated with both the electronic message and a publicly accessible key not associated with the sender of the electronic message ; attaching the determined digital signature to the electronic message ; and transmitting the electronic message with the attached digital signature to the at least one recipient .
a united states postal service promotional image for the cut paper heart love forever stamp first - day cover with digital color postmark . the stamp was issued jan . 21 , 2014 .
quote : while i have been developing digital albums for several years now at dcstamps , in actuality , i got the original idea from kcb ' s blog ( kiitos keijo ) .
8 . the method of claim 1 wherein the step of processing the electronic message includes copying header information from the electronic message into the electronic message body prior to determining the digital signature .
dubai — emirates post has no immediate plans to develop and embrace electronic postmarks ( epm ) in the uae as the new optional postal service recently approved by the universal postal ( upu ) at its 23rd congress held in bucharest last month .
( b ) any governmental entity may elect to participate and utilize the secretary of state ' s digital signature authority and registry . upon acceptance of and registration with the secretary of state ' s digital signature authority and registry , the governmental entity ' s electronic transactions are bound to the regulation of the authority and registry and the rules promulgated thereunder . any governmental entity not required to participate , but which elects to participate , may withdraw at any time from the program upon notification of the secretary of state and all others who utilize that entity ' s digital signature program .
[ 024 ] with reference to figures 1 and 2 , archive administrator component 275 may receive identification information from customer 120 , for example , a username , password , company , email address , physical address , etc . archive administrator component 275 determines based on the identification information , whether customer 120 has a digital certificate of authority (
digital certificate
) . if customer 120 does not have a digital certificate , archive administrator component 275 generates a digital certificate for customer 120 and sends it to customer 120 over network 110 . archive administrator component 275 may store identification information including information about digital certificates for customers 120 in an access authorization database 270 . the identification information may be used to link access authorization database 270 with archive database 260 . archive administrator component 275 may be implemented in any computer programming language or software tool , such as c + + , c , java , hypertext markup language (
html
) , visual basic , etc .
a postmark is a postal marking applied to a cover to show the date and place of mailing . postmarks actually predate both adhesive postage stamps and cancellations , as they are often found on old stampless covers mailed before the introduction of postage stamps .
postmarks are used to cancel postage stamps on mail items and to record the date and place the items entered the mailing system . the postmark comprises a date , a location ( which must have a post office attached to it ) and a postcode .
a new software plug - in from the united states post service and microsoft is designed to provide the same kind of security for digital documents as a sealed envelope and postmark does for paper mail .
details of egyptian traveling postmarks may be researched in peter alan somervail smith ' s the travelling post offices of egypt , 1983 , a publication of the mobile post office society , no . 4 in its international t . p . o . markings series .
we at emirates post will also study the new technology and adopt it after seeking legal approval on the use of electronic postmarks . but , as of now , we have no immediate plans to introduce the epm in the uae , ” he noted .
which inspired me to demonstrate this for anyone not seeing the full benefit . . . . i played around a little on the sotn album page which i posted yesterday . the revised album page was done in a couple of minutes , removing several stamps and adding others , completed without any hinges or mounts . . . the new page also displays some of the other benefits by going digital - allowing to extract the postmarks to highlight ' the important aspects ' .
[ 033 ] figure 5 is a flowchart showing a method for retrieving archived data by a third party . sometime during the life of the storage of the electronic file , a third party may wish to access customer 120 information in archive system 101 . a customer 120 may share with a third party the customer ' s access privileges for one or more electronic files through the use of digital certificates . an authorized third party ' s digital certificate may be linked to the customer ' s digital certificate , thereby giving the third party access into the electronic archive system 101 for one or more archived electronic files specified by customer 120 .
some people may be wondering whether a digital camera can serve the same purpose as a scanner . for the most part , the answer to that question is
no .
consumer - oriented digital cameras are designed to take pictures of people , scenery , buildings , and the like - large subjects that are relatively far away from the camera . with older digital cameras the closest you can get to your subject is 2 - 3 feet , and the area in the photograph will be roughly the size of a newspaper page . here ' s an example of a photograph taken with an olympus dl - 300 digital camera showing some stockbook pages i was putting up for auction . this photo was made at the camera ' s closest focusing distance , and clearly , individual stamps in this image are too small to be extracted as individual images .
systems and methods are disclosed for providing secure electronic archiving of customer ( 120 ) data over a network ( 110 ) . electronic postmarks are used to track archival of the data , access request for the archived ( 101 ) data , and fulfillment of the access requests .
2 . the method of claim 1 wherein the step of processing the message includes determining the digital signature by encrypting a cryptographic hash of the electronic message using the private portion of a private - public key pair .
[ 035 ] archive administrator component 275 verifies that customer 120 is allowed to access the archived electronic file , using information in authorization database 270 and the customer identification information ( stage 517 ) . if customer 120 is not allowed access to the archived electronic file (
no
) , archive administrator component 275 sends an appropriate message to customer 120 and terminates the transaction ( stage 590 ) . otherwise (
yes
) , archive administrator component 275 links the customer ' s digital certificate to the third party ' s digital certificate for access to the archived electronic file ( stage 520 ) . in addition , archive administrator component 275 creates a link epm and applies it to the archived electronic file by generating a record for the transaction in transaction log 265 in archive database 260 . a link epm may include the time and date on which the customer ' s digital certificate was electronically linked to the third party ' s digital certificate , information about the third party ' s digital certificate , and an index link to the storage epm that includes the electronic file .
2012 west virginia code chapter 39a . electronic commerce article 3 . digital signatures ; state electronic records and transactions . §39a - 3 - 2 . acceptance of electronic signature by governmental entities in satisfaction of signature requirement .
collins english dictionary - complete & unabridged 2012 digital edition © william collins sons & co . ltd . 1979 , 1986 © harpercollins publishers 1998 , 2000 , 2003 , 2005 , 2006 , 2007 , 2009 , 2012
[ 025 ] a digital certificate may be used to uniquely identify a customer and to provide authorization to a customer for access of electronic information , such as an archived electronic file . an exemplary digital certificate of authority is described in u . s . serial no . 09 / 809 , 325 , filed march 16 , 2001 , by leo j . campbell et al . and titled
methods and systems for proofing identities using a certificate authority ,
the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference . for example , the usps provides a public key infrastructure , which includes , among other things , the generation of digital certificates .
- 17 special postmarks –one for each automated processing centre– which spread the message
at the first sign of maltreatment , call
and the phone number 016 . this means that approximately 100 million letters have circulated spain and the world at large with this message stamped onto them .
a system and method for providing trustworthy processing of electronic messages applies the digital signature of a trusted third party to a message en route from the sender to a recipient . the signature is preferably applied , so that it is compliant with the s / mime standard . the use of a trusted third party applying the digital signature allows for simplified timestamping of the message and reduces the complexity of verification of the authenticity of an archived message .
through their usps accounts , customers can purchase blocks of epms , just as they would buy blocks of stamps . the per - postmark price will range from 80 cents for a block of 25 epms to 10 cents per epm for a block of 1 million or more electronic postmarks .
many stamp collectors and dealers are interested in creating digital images of their stamps , covers , and other philatelic material . there are many uses for these images , including computerized databases , web pages , and on - line auction listings . the procedure is not all that difficult , but it can be a bit confusing to the newcomer . i have gathered some basic information to help you get started creating digital images of your stamps and covers .
the postmarks discussed are all from 2014 , commemorating the 70¢ c . alfred
chief
anderson stamp ( scott 4879 ) , the cut paper heart love forever stamp ( 4847 ) , the janis joplin forever stamp ( 4916 ) and the circus posters forever stamps ( 4898 - 4905 ) .
individuals other than livingstone wrote on and folded two of the source texts ( see 1870c , 1870h ) that would eventually become part of the 1870 field diary , then sent these documents to livingstone in central africa . this process included the addition of stamps and postmarks to the first of these .
the postmarks ' self - titled studio album followed in 2007 , earning positive critical accolades and decent commercial success . last year , with chase assisting with the studio production and pressing , unfiltered records helped shape memoirs at the end of the world into a remarkable piece of sophisticated pop well worth checking out .
what about digital photographs , which unlike scanned images do not have an inherent physical size ? these images are assigned an arbitrary resolution either by the camera or your software . for example , when i open an image from my digital camera in photoshop it is assigned a resolution of 72dpi . since the image is 2560x1920 pixels , this results in the image having a
physical size
of about 36 x 26 inches . this
size
is essentially meaningless , of course .
the office extension adds an epm toolbar to word with options for applying electronic postmarks to documents , checking the epm on a document , and managing the usps epm account , reichgut says . clicking the apply epm button launches a step - by - step process to lock the document ' s content , sign it with the user ' s digital certificate , and place a record of the signed document in the usps epm repository . once the document is signed , a usps epm logo is affixed to the document indicating it is signed and its content is valid .
a new software plug - in from the u . s . postal service ( usps ) and microsoft corp . being unveiled today is designed to provide the same kind of security for digital documents that a sealed envelope and postmark provide for paper mail .
n . courtois , m . finiasz , and n . sendrier , “how to achieve a mceliece - based digital signature scheme , ” proc . asiacrypt ‘ 01 , lecture notes in computer science , vol . 2248 , pp . 157 - 174 , 2001 .
25 . a method for providing access to a secured electronic file to a third party , the method comprising : providing a database wherein the electronic file and customer identification information are stored with a storage electronic postmark ; receiving from a customer a link request to permit access of the electronic file by the third party , wherein the link request includes information identifying the electronic file in the database , the customer identification information including the customer ' s digital certificate , and the third party ' s digital certificate ; authenticating the customer based on the customer identification information ; linking the customer ' s digital certificate to the third party ' s digital certificate , when the customer has been authenticated ; receiving an access request from the third party , wherein the access request includes identification information about the third party and the information identifying the electronic file in the database ; verifying that the third party may access the electronic file based on identification information about the third party ; retrieving the electronic file from the database ; and providing the retrieved electronic file to the third party .
( c ) any governmental entity may adopt , in the manner provided by law , an ordinance , rule or official policy designating the documents on which electronic signatures , electronic postmarks or both are authorized and the type or types of electronic signatures which may be accepted for each type of document . those governmental entities not subject to the provisions of chapter twenty - nine - a of this code which propose to authorize the acceptance of electronic signatures , electronic postmarks or both on documents filed with that entity shall give public notice of the proposed adoption in a manner prescribed by law , an ordinance , rule or official policy , but in no case for less than thirty days before adoption .
your site is really an inspiration and a perfect site for reference on so many interesting areas . as my main interest in general can be described as ' victorian era ' , your site is really fascinating for me . the digital collections you are presenting are simply beautiful
[ 007 ] in accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention , systems and methods are disclosed for providing access to an electronic file in an archive to a third party , wherein the electronic file is stored with a storage epm . such systems and methods provide for receiving from a customer a link request to permit access of the electronic file by the third party , wherein the link request includes information identifying the electronic file in the archive , customer identification information including the customer ' s digital certificate , and the third party ' s digital certificate ; authenticating the customer based on the customer identification information ; linking the customer ' s digital certificate to the third party ' s digital certificate , when the customer has been authenticated ; receiving an access request from the third party , wherein the access request includes identification information about the third party and the information identifying the electronic file in the archive ; verifying that the third party may access the electronic file based on identification information about the third party ; retrieving the electronic file from the archive ; and providing the retrieved electronic file to the third party .
34 . a system for providing access to a secured electronic file to a third party , the system comprising : means for providing a database wherein the electronic file and customer identification information are stored with a storage electronic postmark ; means for receiving from a customer a link request to permit access of the electronic file by the third party , wherein the link request includes information identifying the electronic file in the database , the customer identification information including the customer ' s digital certificate , and the third party ' s digital certificate ; means for authenticating the customer based on the customer identification information ; means for linking the customer ' s digital certificate to the third party ' s digital certificate , when the customer has been authenticated ; means for receiving an access request from the third party , wherein the access request includes identification information about the third party and the information identifying the electronic file iri the database ; means for verifying that the third party may access the electronic file based on identification information about the third party ; means for retrieving the electronic file from the database ; and means for providing the retrieved electronic file to the third party .
the advanced electronic services user group , part of the upu ' s telematics cooperative ( an association of upu member countries that work together to develop technical applications for the benefit of the postal world ) , and countries currently using electronic postmarks also contributed their expertise to the project . these include belgium , canada , france , italy , portugal and the united states .
fundamentally , we ' re all studio cats ,
says chris moll , guitarist and co - songwriter of miami - based pop trio the postmarks .
i ' ve been a fan of all of that great studio / soundtrack stuff — from the ' 60s through the 4ad label bands of 20 years ago . those influences are certainly on this album .
i have put together a very detailed set of instructions on another stamp forum of how to make digital albums . i am not sure whether it is ok for me to reference that here , but anyone who is interested , drop me an email and i will provide you the link .
39 . a system for providing access to a secured electronic file to a third party , the system comprising : a component for providing a database wherein the electronic file and customer identification information are stored with a storage electronic postmark ; a component for receiving from a customer a link request to permit access of the electronic file by the third party , wherein the link request includes information identifying the electronic file in the database , the customer identification information including the customer ' s digital certificate , and the third party ' s digital certificate ; a component for authenticating the customer based on the customer identification information ; a component for linking the customer ' s digital certificate to the third party ' s digital certificate , when the customer has been authenticated ; a component for receiving an access request from the third party , wherein the access request includes identification information about the third party and the information identifying the electronic file in the database ; a component for verifying that the third party may access the electronic file based on identification information about the third party ; a component for retrieving the electronic file from the database ; and a component for providing the retrieved electronic file to the third party .
email security : pgp internet email overview , smtp , radix - 64 encoding , mime example , security services for e - mail , establishing keys , privacy , source authentication , message integrity , non - repudiation , proof of delivery , verifying posting date , digital postmarks , anonymity , anonymous remailers , secure email standards , s / mime , s / mime example , pretty good privacy ( pgp ) , domainkeys identified mail ( dkim ) , spam statistics , can - spam act of 2003 , anti - spam : end - user techniques , anti - spam : administrator techniques , anti - spam : sender isp techniques , anti - spam : law enforcement , summary .
scanning techniques can be useful in some situations to detect forgeries and printing varieties . the principal behind this technique is that the printed design on the forgery or variety will differ from the design on a normal stamp . by scanning both stamps and subtracting one image from the other , any differences should stand out . the technique is essentially the same as described for reading difficult postmarks .
wow , the thread is alive , i like that keijo - thank you for providing your insight as always , especially valuable with your relevant professional backround ! dcstamp - perfect ! that ' s absolutely some heavy arguments for me to stick with powerpoint , first of all because i am no data - geek at all . i would love to have this detailed set of instructions ! floortrader - i understand your concern , no doubt it would be easy for anyone to ' fake ' a digital collection if that would give them any pleasure . if anyone would happen to look at any off my digital stuff and think it ' s not right , so be it , i would still keep my own pleasure in doing it . don - your album is beautiful , love the flip - over presentation of your stuff . however i think your missing the concept , as your ' digital album ' presents images of your actual hard - copy album pages ( as far as i understand anyway ? ) the topic of this thread was more like creating digital album pages from scratch , only presenting the images of the actual stamps themselves . that would enable editing of your digital album any way you like , while your stamps would simply stay put wherever it is stored . like in your admirable album . . . thank you all for valuable inputs to the discussion ! before i conclude to stick with powerpoint . . . . as i am quite lazy by nature , i have considered using the steiner pages as a starting point , and then develop them further for my digital collection . that would save me an immense job in creating frames , adding data etc . . . does anybody know if it is possible to insert images , textboxes , frames etc on the editable steiner pages ?
although the digital postmarking , system discussed with relation to fig . 3 can provide both authentication of a sender and the message , it requires proprietary software , and is cumbersome . the system is designed for implementation in an enterprise environment , and does not take into account the needs of individuals . the digital postmarking server 132 is often dedicated to a particular outgoing mail server 130 . as such digital postmarking server 132 requires that the enterprise obtain a dedicated hardware device and implement a complex process of having either client software sign a message or having the mail server 130 sign message prior to beginning the verification process . the storage requirements for database 134 can be immense if all messages and attachments are stored for a number of different organizations . as such , the verification information is typically only stored for a predefined period . if this period expires , the ability to authenticate the message can be adversely affected .
[ 004 ] the present invention provides an archive system that customers may access through a browser over a network using secure communication transmissions , and using electronic postmarks (
epms
) to facilitate tracking of customer data . an epm is a time - stamped and cryptographically sealed digital hash that accompanies an electronic message , to detect modification of the latter . the epm for a message may include a time and date stamp indicating when the epm was generated . the contents of an epm are digitally
sealed
by the addition of a digital signature . an exemplary epm is described in u . s . serial no . 09 / 675 , 677 , filed september 29 , 2000 , by leo j . campbell et al . and titled
systems and methods for authenticating an electronic message ,
the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference to its entirety . in addition , an embodiment of the invention provides an archive system that is independent of customer hardware and software platforms .
cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication , e . g . authorization , entity authentication , data integrity or data verification , non - repudiation , key authentication or verification of credentials involving digital signatures
[ 034 ] as shown in figure 5 , a customer 120 may submit to the archive system 101 over network 110 a link request to permit a third party to access an archived electronic file to which customer 120 has access ( stage 510 ) . the link request may include information identifying the archived electronic file , customer identification information , such as a digital certificate and optionally a name and password , and a third party ' s digital certificate . the information identifying the archived electronic file may include , for example , a filename for the electronic file . archive administrator component 275 creates a link request epm and applies it to the link request by generating a record for the transaction in transaction log 265 in archive database 260 ( stage 515 ) . a link request epm may include the time and date of the link request , the information identifying the archived electronic file , the customer identification information , and information about the third party ' s digital certificate .
the u . s . p . s . requires a clear space must be available on all mail for the address , postage ( permit imprint , postage stamp , or meter stamp ) , postmarks , and postal endorsements . young’s printing takes responsibility for address block and barcode placement guidelines when we process your mail , but here is infomation on u . s . p . s . requirements for your reference .
it can be useful , however , to assign a physical size to a digital image . suppose that you scan a 4x6 inch postcard . if the resulting image is assigned the size
4x6 inches
then people viewing the image will know the actual size of the postcard . it also means that when you print the image at
normal
size it will print at this size ( at least with all the software i have seen ) . all digital image files include this size information with an image . scanned images are assigned a physical size that corresponds to the actual size of the area that is scanned - which makes perfect sense .
the epm technology complies with standards set forth in the u . s . electronic signatures in global and national commerce act of 2000 , which gave legal status to digital signatures . however , without a case to test the validity of the technology , there is no way to know whether courts will accept epms , chamberlain said .
[ 003 ] current electronic archive systems provide for the long - term storage of electronic files . typically such systems require specialized software and / or are incorporated in document management software packages , such as docuxplorer by archive power systems , inc . one known system for providing archival and retrieval of electronic messages , such as emails and their attachments , is zantaz , by zantaz , inc . what is needed is a secure archive system for archival and retrieval of customer data files by incorporating secure customer identification through the use of digital certificates , and by utilizing electronic postmarks (
epms
) to store customer data and to facilitate tracking of customer data . what is also needed is a secure archive system that is independent of customer hardware and software platforms .
then there ' s the matter of resolution , which is usually expressed in terms of pixels per inch ( ppi , sometimes referred to as dots per inch or dpi ) . perhaps you have already realized that once a digital image is assigned a size it automatically has a resolution . here ' s the formula for horizontal resolution :
the epm technology complies with standards set in the u . s . electronic signatures in global and national commerce ( e - sign ) act of 2000 , which gave legal status to digital signatures . however , without a case to test the validity of the technology , there is no way to know whether courts will accept epms , chamberlain says .
interesting concept , i can see it being used by a person writing a article or a researcher using it for education . but i fought against people who claim ownership of material when in fact they just stole a picture from a stamp auction off the internet . so i have a hard time accepting these digital albums after spending a life time building my collection . many times i have shown some pages and the stamps would catalog a few dollars and someone who never shows their stuff on a regular basis throws up a scan of a $ 5 , 000 or $ 10 , 000 stamp , then say it is from their collection . that kind of diminishs my page . so no i have a negative respond to digital albums .
quote : interesting concept , i can see it being used by a person writing a article or a researcher using it for education . but i fought against people who claim ownership of material when in fact they just stole a picture from a stamp auction off the internet . so i have a hard time accepting these digital albums after spending a life time building my collection . many times i have shown some pages and the stamps would catalog a few dollars and someone who never shows their stuff on a regular basis throws up a scan of a $ 5 , 000 or $ 10 , 000 stamp , then say it is from their collection . that kind of diminishs my page . so no i have a negative respond to digital albums
pictures of the letters seen by the guardian show many of them featured the same pseudonym or initials . three of the letters received by us mosques were sent at the same time , with the postmarks reading 5 . 14pm or 5 . 15pm on 22 february . “there were two second - class stamps on all the letters sent to the us , which is interesting , ” said steve rose , who is responsible for content at faith matters , a community action group working to counter extremism .
clicking the apply epm button will launch a step - by - step process for locking the document ' s content , signing it with the user ' s digital certificate and placing a record of the signed document in the usps epm repository . once the document has been signed , a usps epm logo will be affixed to the document , indicating that it has been signed and the content is valid .
i love this subject , and i love it when others show off there digital albums . while i have been developing digital albums for several years now at dcstamps , in actuality , i got the original idea from kcb ' s blog ( kiitos keijo ) . i also love it when others show their work so i really appreciate seeing the pages from blaamand . for those skeptic out there , yes it is a lot of work scanning your stamps , but it is really the only way of effectively showing off your collection to many people around the world . also , it allows you to display your collection exactly in the manner you want - highlighting the important aspects in a way that no preprinted pages can . what makes it even better , is that you can easily change your pages to include new items or changes in your collection .
sometimes there is not a problem reading a postmark , but rather you want to
lift
the postmark to make a clean copy of it - in other words , an image of the postmark without the stamp . this is sometimes needed for overprints , surcharges , and the like as well as for postmarks . the technique described here can also be used in some situations for reading a difficult postmark . this technique works best if the postmark or overprint is black and the rest of the stamp is colored with no black elements in the design .
one skilled in the art will appreciate that though there are many systems for providing digital signatures on email messages to allow for verification of the integrity of the message body , they all introduce a number of different layers of complexity . addition of authenticated time stamping functionality is difficult to provide without the addition of additional server side hardware , much as the ability to authenticate the sender of a message requires the cumbersome management of encryption keys .
in some areas of philately , watermarks are very important and can make the difference between a $ 2 stamp and a $ 2000 stamp . the ability to create digital scans of stamps that show the watermark will be useful to many philatelists . i have devised a technique that can be used to create such scans . it can be used only with a flat - bed scanner , and may not work well with the less easily seen watermarks .
[ 027 ] as shown in figure 3a , archive administrator component 275 creates the storage epm 370 by generating a hash file 374 from the electronic file 372 , and storing the hash file 374 in storage epm 370 ( stage 340 ) . archive administrator component 275 may generate hash file 374 using known hashing techniques , such as a secure hash algorithm (
sha - 1 ) , a technique based on an algorithm provided by rivest , shamir , and adelman (
rsa
) , and a message digest algorithm (
md5
) . archive administrator component 275 also stores in storage epm 370 a time and date stamp 375 to indicate the time and date of the storage of the electronic file . in addition , archive administrator component 275 may store in storage epm 370 a digital signature 376 having a digital key 377 for digitally securing the storage epm 370 . further , archive administrator component 275 may store customer identification information in storage epm 370 .
in an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention , the step of processing the message includes determining the digital signature by encrypting a cryptographic hash of the electronic message , possibly just the body of the electronic message , using the private portion of a private - public key pair . in another embodiment , the step of processing the electronic message can include overwriting header values such as time and date values in using verified header values ( e . g . verified time and date values ) .
very nice tool and collection . works really well if you have your stamps in an album . for those of us making digital albums , i think we like designing them around our specific collection and being able to put what information we actually want on it . as for me , i collect dead countries , no one has designed album pages with such a specialty , so i resorted to designing my own . here is an example of a couple of my pages that i made to fit my specific collection :
i think the notion of a digital album is a great idea . i ' ve thought about doing something like that , although since i don ' t store my stamps in albums per se , preferring stockbooks or cards , depending on the area , i prefer to just use a general gallery approach to my online presentations . many of you have seen my main website : urltoken i also have a few other fledgling websites devoted to other philatelic topics : urltoken urltoken each one is slightly different in terms of presentation .
here is a colorful , annotated series of powerpoint slides prepared ( and recently updated as of 20 may 2018 ) by greg bondar . greg prepared these from research of tei coding , our photos of letters from the reading central library ( posted with their permission ) , and information from the canonical reference tome , alcock and holland’s the postmarks of great britain and ireland . ( note that the online version of this is not complete , and we have the hardbound version to consult within the mitford project . ) greg designed this series of slides to help us with identifying and encoding some of the more challenging aspects of 19th - century mansucript letters ! thanks , greg !


legal expenses insurance ( lei ) , also known as legal protection insurance ( lpi ) or simply legal insurance , is a type of insurance which covers policyholders against the potential costs of legal action brought by or against the policyholder .

the concept originated around 1911 as a result of a fatal crash at the famous le mans race during which some spectators lost their lives and others were severely injured .

when the victims or their families claimed damages from the insurers of the organizers , their claims were repudiated .

they then all contributed to a pool which was used to fund collective action against the insurers . they were successful .

this gave rise to the first lei policy being developed in france .

not long after that , a motoring club in germany called the " deutsche automobil schutz " ( das ) increased membership contributions to create a similar pool to pay for the defence of its members charged with traffic related offences .

members of the general public then enquired about joining the scheme .

that is when the idea of an insurance available to the general public became firmly established .

at present , the das of germany is still the largest legal expenses insurer in the world .

it is estimated that they write approximately 50 % of lei business worldwide .

then follows arag , also a german insurer .

it is estimated that they write approximately 30 % of global business .

a conflict of interest presents itself if lei is offered by an insurer that also offers other forms of insurance .

as a result , most lei providers are specialists offering lei only .

internationally , lei is represented by a non-profit association called the international association of legal protection insurers ( riad ) www.riad-online.net .

it operates independently of the general insurance industry .

a listing of its members can be found on their website .

there are two main forms of lei , before-the-event and after-the-event ( " the event " being that event which triggers legal action ) .

" after-the-event " legal expenses insurance is a misnomer , since insurance technically , can only indemnify against future unforeseen events .

most legal insurance plans are before-the-event , and " after the event " is not common and found mainly in the united kingdom , where it is an insignificant percentage of total lei business .

the majority of lei business worldwide , is conducted in europe ( germany and france in particular ) .

in the united states , the general idea of financial assistance with litigation is most often called pre-paid legal services ( ppl or ppls ) .

the reason for this is that many plans are not insurance based .

some are offered by trade unions as a free benefit of union membership .

others are non-profit clubs set up by groups with a common interest , like university students .

some forms of insurance such as professional liability insurance , medical malpractice insurance , professional liability insurance , errors and omissions insurance for consultants , agents and brokers of various sorts , and directors and officers liability insurance for principals and supervisory officers of corporations and other organisations , are often marketed under the banner of lei , but they are in fact liability insurances , a small component of which is to cover the legal expenses of a liability suit .

in reality , the insurer is funding the defense of litigation against itself .

if it were to fail in doing so , there is a risk that their insured might be held liable for damages that they would be liable to pay under the liability insurance .

they are therefore merely protecting their own interests by funding the defence .

legal expenses insurance

after the event insurance ( ate insurance ) is insurance which covers the legal costs and expenses involved in litigation .
home insurance legal expenses insurance typically covers legal proceedings relating to your home , employment , death or personal injury .
car insurance legal expenses insurance covers events arising from the use or ownership of an insured vehicle .
legal expenses insurance is purchased to fund the costs of legal advice and / or the costs of bringing or defending a court case . legal expenses insurance can be bought :
das uk group has signed a major partnership deal to provide personal legal expenses insurance for legal & general’s home insurance policies .
legal expenses insurance ( lei ) is an insurance policy taken out by individuals and businesses to cover the legal costs associated with certain legal actions .
we’re taking you through what legal expenses insurance is and whether you need the added protection .
you usually get £20m in a car insurance policy and around £2m with a home insurance policy , without the need for additional legal expenses insurance cover .
insurance is sold by square one insurance services and underwritten by pacific specialty insurance company .
legal expenses insurance bought with or alongside your home insurance can provide valuable cover ,
said urltoken ' s ben wilson .
legal expenses insurance ( lei ) is a type of insurance that protects the legal rights of policyholders against legal action brought against them or by them . this type of insurance is typically sold when you buy car or home insurance policies .
more expensive than legal expenses insurance , it ' s run by solicitors and covers a specific claim .
legal expense insurance offers the most universal and affordable option for canadians who may require legal representation . legal expense insurance enables customers to budget for catastrophic legal costs .
motor legal protection from best price fs is underwritten by lpg . legal protection group is a managing general agency that specialises in legal expenses insurance and assistance products .
legal expenses insurance is almost entirely sold as an add - on with car insurance and home insurance policies - but there are differences between how the two types of policy work .
head of broker darren weekes talks about what the insurance industry can do to solve the issue of bad products in the legal expenses insurance industry .
the table below shows the costs and levels of cover for legal expenses insurance bought as an add - on with home and car insurance policies .
the cost of adding legal expenses cover to your car insurance policy is generally around £20 to £25 a year .
like legal expenses insurance added to household policies , an insurer other than the motor insurer will usually underwrite or administer the uninsured loss - recovery insurance .
legal expenses insurance is an insurance product which ensures qualified representation of legal interests of the insurant in exchange for relatively low insurance premium payments , without risking financial difficulties on his or her part . several options of this form of insurance are offered :
legal expenses insurance is most valuable for situations where you ' re pursuing legal actions to reclaim losses that weren ' t recoverable through your main insurance - such as the excesses you have to pay on an insurance claim .
legal expenses insurance is often offered as an add - on to car and home insurance policies . use our tables to discover how cost and cover varies .
legal expenses insurance can be taken out on a before the event basis , which is a traditional way of purchasing insurance . this provides you with financial protection in case a legal dispute happens .
regulation information legal expenses insurance is subject to the prudential regulation authority ( pra ) , financial conduct authority ( fca ) regulation , the rules of the financial ombudsman service and the insurance companies ( legal protection insurance ) regulations 1990 .
legal issues around driving are typically excluded and instead covered by motoring insurance products rather than your house insurance - read more about legal assistance and car insurance in our guide .
do you need to include legal expenses cover when you take out home insurance ? take a look at our guide before deciding .
legal expenses cover is a type of insurance you can buy alongside your car insurance to cover yourself against the potential costs of legal action either brought by you or against you as a road user . circumstances that could result in legal costs include :
covers commercial vehicle related legal expenses - so you can keep your vehicles and drivers on the road .
alternatively , legal expenses insurance can be taken out after the event , where financial protection is needed against the risk of losing a legal action . this protects you from being liable for the other sides legal fees .
consumers are often offered the option of legal expenses / uninsured loss recovery insurance , when taking out a motor insurance policy . this insurance is designed to fund the cost of taking legal action , to recover the uninsured losses , against the party that caused the accident .
this section of our website describes how we approach complaints involving legal expenses insurance . this is a complex area combining legal and insurance issues - so it is often necessary for the language used in this section to reflect these complexities .
see of how canadians have been empowered by a das legal expense insurance policy .
mlei is usually sold for £25 - 30 as an extra to your motor insurance . it is also known as legal assistance plan , legal protection , drivers’ legal protection , legal assistance , motor legal cover or uninsured loss recovery .
legal expenses insurance is usually sold as an add - on to car or house insurance , generally for a small extra premium ( around £25 is common ) . occasionally it ' s included free .
there are two basic types of legal - expenses insurance . they are called ' before - the - event ' and ' after - the - event ' insurance and they work in different ways .
as a policy add - on to our home insurance , legal expenses cover can protect you against the cost of taking legal action should a situation arise where it’s needed . when you take out our home insurance , you can choose to add legal expenses cover to your policy . this provides up to £100 , 000 per claim for the cost of negotiating or pursuing your legal rights against a wide variety of legal issues .
das offers standalone policies to individuals , businesses , and groups . a das policy provides financial protection against costly legal expenses , allowing clients to defend or pursue any legal matter to the fullest and giving them unlimited access to legal advice . bte insurance covers legal costs for disputes that arise within the period of insurance .
one of the main issues with legal expenses cover is that there are no guarantees your claim will be accepted .
towergate insurance has partnered with abbey legal protection to launch a commercial legal protection policy aimed at the transport and logistics industry .
before the event ( bte ) legal expenses is an insurance policy which customers purchase to cover legal costs associated with different legal scenarios , such as disputes relating to employment or the purchase of goods and services to personal injury and medical negligence .
for more information on these areas , visit the legal expenses page on the financial ombudsman service ' s website . †
adrienne o’sullivan , ceo of das ireland , the country’s leading legal expenses insurer , has become the first woman to receive the insurance institute of dublin’s annual president’s award .
when you’re shopping for car insurance , make sure your final quote does not include legal expenses ( or any other add - on ) unless you actually want it .
two common exclusions from legal expenses insurance are matrimonial disputes - meaning that you ' re unlikely to be covered for the cost of a divorce - and libel cases .
as our table below shows , legal expenses insurance often costs under £30 a year - so is pretty cheap when considering the tens of thousands of pounds it could potentially pay out for legal advice and representation .
if you’ve added legal expenses cover to your policy and would like to seek confidential legal advice , please contact das legal expenses insurance company ltd on 0800 731 3548 . if we agree to an action or claim , we ' ll appoint a law firm , an accountant or another suitably qualified expert who will act on your behalf .
article 3 requires insurers to ensure that legal expenses are separated from other classes of insurance they underwrite - so as to spread the risk and avoid internal conflicts of interest .
das uk group , the uk’s leading legal expenses insurer , has launched four new corporate websites to enhance its online presence .
das uk group has become the world’s first legal expenses insurer to launch an innovative new alexa skill for the amazon echo .
the cost of legal proceedings can be huge . so taking out legal expenses cover would prove a very worthwhile move if you needed to take legal action for any reason , for example following a car accident .
when it comes to the final stages of buying a home or car insurance policy , you may be asked whether you want to include “add - ons” like legal expenses insurance , hire car or home emergency cover to your policy . your first reaction is likely to be to decline these and move on to get the lowest price possible but if you ever need to take legal action against a third party , legal expenses insurance could offer protection .
following a review of motor legal expenses insurance ( mlei ) , we are telling firms to improve how they explain legal cover in policies so that drivers know exactly what they are paying for . here we explain more .
although it is possible to buy
stand alone
legal expenses insurance , most policies are added to household buildings and contents policies as an optional ( sometimes free ) extra .
when we deal with complaints involving legal expenses insurance , our role is to assess the insurer ' s handling of the claim in the light of the policy terms . we will not consider the quality of the legal advice .
see of how business owners like you have been empowered by a das legal expense insurance policy .
from claiming against a negligent driver to helping resolve an employment dispute , legal expenses insurance - often referred to as ' lei ' - offers a lot for a relatively small price .
in addition to legal expense coverage , all das policyholders have unlimited access to legal advice .
for a small increase in the cost of your home insurance , you can receive £100 , 000 of legal expenses cover . this add - on is designed to protect you if you’re faced with paying for legal action or advice .
legal expenses insurance is often overlooked by consumers at the time they require it , but , as rebecca conway , arc legal , explained to modern claims , its profile could be raised with the implementation of reforms to personal injury .
legal expenses insurance is not designed to pay the policyholder the actual damages that they are trying to recover through the court action . nor does it cover someone ' s liability to pay damages to others . there is separate insurance for that .
significant numbers of uk consumers are failing to take the most basic online precautions according to new research from das uk group , the uk’s leading legal expenses insurer , and hsb engineering insurance .
help is at hand . legal protection insurance is available to cover your legal expenses in many situations . with this insurance , you have access to a legal advice helpline , where you can phone for information on any type of problem , be it divorce issues , child support , employment contracts , strata rights , wills and estates . anything . then , if you decide to pursue a case , the insurance covers your legal costs .
we work with you to create a customized legal expense insurance program that meets your members unique needs .
policies can take on the legal expenses involved in pursuing uninsured losses - recruiting solicitors , barristers and / or expert witnesses , for example .
legal expenses policies often give the insurer the freedom to choose which solicitors to appoint for advice and assistance at the start of the legal claim , unless there is a conflict of interest .
professional indemnity insurance , often referred to as professional liability insurance or pi insurance , covers legal costs and expenses incurred in your defence , as well as any damages or costs that may be awarded , if you are alleged to have provided inadequate advice , services or designs that cause your client to lose money .
das uk holdings limited ( das uk group ) has been helping businesses and individuals get access to justice for over 40 years . our businesses include a legal expenses insurance company and a law firm .
before - the - event insurance pays your costs only if your insurance company thinks you have a good chance of winning your case . the insurance will usually pay for :
legal expenses policies often give the insurer the freedom to choose which solicitors to appoint for advice and assistance up to the time where legal proceedings start - unless there is a conflict of interest .
the claimant’s employer applied to uwv to make him redundant and the claimant asked his legal expenses insurer to cover the cost of his chosen legal representative for that process . his request was refused .
das is canada’s leader in legal expense insurance . they have products for both individuals and for commercial businesses .
as well as paying for you to take legal action , this type of legal - expenses insurance may also cover costs in some cases brought against you . however , don ' t presume it will cover the costs . check with your insurer first .
your car insurance might – but only if you’d taken out legal expenses cover as an add - on to your policy . but should you pay extra to add this to your annual car insurance policy ? let’s take a closer look at the reasons for and against…
das canada is a full - service legal expense insurer . we empower individual , business and group clients when they are faced with unexpected legal issues . we do this by offering two types of legal expense insurance : before - the - event ( bte ) insurance , and after - the - event ( ate ) insurance .
legal expenses cover can also be taken out as an add - on to a home insurance policy , in which case it typically covers legal proceedings relating to your home , your employment , your death or personal injury and the supply of goods or services .
legal expenses insurance doesn ' t operate in the same way as a dispute would if you instructed your own lawyer . simply contacting your insurer won ' t guarantee you get a lawyer to pursue your case .
legal protection insurance is very new to canada , although it’s been in europe for many years . as a result , it’s not found in most traditional home insurance policies .
however , firms have not always made it clear that customers were only covered for all legal expenses if they were not at fault for the accident .
arc legal assistance are a leading provider of legal expenses insurance and assistance services in the uk and republic of ireland , managing in the region of 15m legal expenses insurance policies . working with insurers , intermediaries , financial institutions and affinity groups , arc legal’s focus is upon delivering ‘best in market’ bespoke solutions . as a qualified lawyer , rebecca has worked both in private practice and within a number of legal expenses insurance organisations . rebecca began her career at arc legal as claims manager and was one of the five original members of the business , working alongside the founding directors from 2005 . since then , she has played a pivotal role in shaping and delivering arc’s claims function and is now head of claims and operations . her responsibilities include the management of arc legal’s claims team , auditing of partner solicitors and implementation and overview of claims operations .
but you should always check first whether the insurance will cover any problem you want to take legal action over .
the best car insurance isn ' t always the cheapest . our expert analysis rates the best and worst car insurance policies - and tells you which car insurance companies give . . .
around 25 million households already have legal expenses insurance , according to figures from the office for national statistics – although there’s a question as to how many actually know they have the cover , having inadvertently gained insurance as an add - on or as a benefit of employment .
legal expense protection insurance is sold by square one insurance services inc . and underwritten by das legal protection insurance company ltd ( das canada ) . das canada is part of the das group , the global leader in the legal expense protection insurance market . the group is based in germany and is a subsidiary of ergo , itself part of the munich re group – one of the world’s leading reinsurers .
the table across illustrates the lowest yearly motor legal protection premiums available , comparing our legal protection against other leading providers . comparison is based on £100 , 000 of legal expenses , but there may be some variations in exact cover . read what is motor legal protection for an explanation of the range of benefits available .
the claimant wanted his own chosen lawyer to present his objection to ciz . the claimant’s legal expenses insurer refused to cover the cost of his chosen lawyer .
legal expenses cover can also be used to recover any excess you have to pay as a result of a crash in which you were not at fault .
legal expenses cover is designed to protect you against the costs of being sued or having to make a claim against someone else in a range of circumstances .
this is the final episode of our 3 - part series , where legal expense insurance ( lei ) solves penny and david ' s legal problems . thanks for watching !
if you want to use insurance to cover your legal costs , there are several conditions that you need to remember .
of course , for a price , it may be possible to purchase legal expenses cover for most known causes of legal action or defence . generally , however , most household - related policies will cover the pursuit or defence of legal proceedings arising from the policyholder ' s :
those rights are governed by the insurance companies ( legal expenses insurance ) regulations 1990 . the essential point , particularly from an insured’s point of view , is that the regulations guarantee an insured’s right to choose their own legal representative once there are proceedings ( regulation 6 ) . an insurer cannot consequently require an insured to use a particular law firm .
informed views and advice on topical issues and core items on your business legal agenda from our abbey legal experts .
arc legal assistance has partnered with open + direct to provide its northern ireland customers with family legal protection products .
however , the law ( regulation 6 of the insurance companies ( legal expenses insurance ) regulations 1990 [ si 1159 ] ) allows policyholders to choose their own solicitors to act for them in any “inquiry or proceedings” : “where under a legal expenses insurance contract recourse is had to a lawyer ( or other person having such qualifications as may be necessary ) to defend , represent or serve the interests of the insured in any inquiry or proceedings , the insured shall be free to choose that lawyer ( or other person ) . ”
when we look at complaints about legal expenses insurance , we consider whether the insurer fulfilled its obligations reasonably - and dealt fairly with the claim . this involves looking at whether the insurer acted on the advice of appropriately qualified advisers .
still unsure how we can help ? have a read of how motor legal protection fits into the car insurance claims process .
the cost of taking legal action can be prohibitive . if you ' d struggle financially to claim compensation following an accident , unfair dismissal from work or a dispute with a tradesman , legal expenses insurance can help you cover the costs of hiring a solicitor to take such a claim to court .
motor legal protection covers the legal costs involved in reclaiming your uninsured losses after an accident that was not your fault .
however , legal expenses policies generally give you access to a free legal helpline through which you can get advice about all types of disputes - when you take the high cost of legal fees into account , access to this helpline alone may be worth the cost of the policy .
legal expense insurance ( lei ) counteracts this by providing canadians an affordable way to access the justice system . for a fixed annual premium , policyholders are protected from costly legal expenses . lei eliminates the stress and uncertainty of being able to afford a lawyer . it empowers policyholders to pursue or defend their rights by giving them unlimited access to general legal advice .
the cover is purchased to protect the customer against an unforeseen legal event , unlike after the event insurance which is purchased to cover certain legal costs following an event which has already occurred .
bte legal expenses insurance is usually purchased by individuals and businesses as an add - on to another product such as a personal household , motor or a commercial policy . this can also be purchased through a membership , affinity or benefit package .
with a das policy , your legal expenses are covered , including disbursements , court costs , witness fees , and adverse costs if a judge orders you to pay the other party’s legal fees . in addition , a das legal expense insurance policy gives you unlimited access to general legal advice for any legal question . all you have to do is pick up the phone , even if the issue is not covered by your policy . many legal situations can be prevented or diffused when legal advice is given in the early stages , but 63 % of canadians say that cost prevents them from meeting with a lawyer to discuss a legal situation . 5 give yourself peace of mind and the power to take action by removing financial barriers to justice with a das policy . our legal expense insurance policies offer coverage for a variety of common legal events , such as :
most legal expenses policies contain a clause requiring the policyholder to inform the insurer as soon as they become aware of an event that may give rise to legal proceedings . a breach of this clause could result in the insurer refusing cover .
if you already have home - contents insurance ( for your flat or house ) you can buy legal - expenses insurance as an ' add - on ' . it should cost you between £10 and £50 a year . your policy with the add - on will usually cover you for the following types of case .
our new 3 - part video series follows penny and david , showing how legal expense insurance ( lei ) can help small business owners navigate the legal hurdles that any canadian business could face .
as always policies vary and you should check your terms and conditions , but look out for limits that are placed on the amount of legal expenses that will be paid out .
this website is the place for information in canada about legal expense insurance , with resources and links to help you get the best help available . this website has no affiliation with any corporate entity using the term legal expense insurance as all or part of its name .
in our opinion , that sort of unfettered freedom would apply only where an insurer had not otherwise given undertakings to separate legal expenses from other classes of insurance business - under options ( a ) or ( b ) of article 3 ( 2 ) .
we are a market - leading company for legal expenses insurance and litigation funding . we have built our reputation on working in close partnership with our clients , providing the products they need and ensuring that our level of service is unrivalled within the industry .
this decision – the first one we know of on the issue – gives important guidance on the interplay between liability insurers’ rights to manage the defence of a civil claim under a liability policy and the rights of an insured under the regulations governing legal expenses insurance .
we ' re proud that our business provides access to justice and legal services for thousands of people who could not otherwise easily afford it . uk brokers consider us to be the market leader for legal insurance .
importantly , a different insurer to the household insurer will usually underwrite the legal expenses section of the policy . this is to try to avoid a conflict of interest and to spread the risk .
with our legal protection insurance you can discuss any personal legal matter ( including legal tax advice ) from 8 am until midnight , seven days a week . when you’re dealing with an emergency situation , help is only a phone call away and it’s available 24 hours a day .
when you ' re buying car and home insurance , you ' ll often be offered legal expenses cover as well . use our expert guide to find out what it is , how much it costs , whether it ' s a good idea and what alternatives you have .
what would allow you to have greater access to the legal system ? lower legal fees was the number one response , followed by access to free telephone legal advice , shorter average court case time , more mediation / arbitration , and better educational resources about the legal system .
michael trebilcock , a university of toronto law professor , authored a 2008 report on ontario ' s legal aid program that called for the
promotion of private insurance markets for legal expense coverage .
more recently , he co - authored a paper calling for a comprehensive public legal - expense insurance scheme - an idea that has not gained a lot of traction .
finally , if you ' re considering using your legal expenses policy for a minor issue , check your terms and conditions to see whether it will have an impact on your no - claims bonus .
the cost and complexity of the canadian legal system cause many individuals and business owners to walk away from legal issues . at das , we want you to feel empowered to defend or pursue your legal rights . that’s why we’ve designed a variety of products that offer you financial protection and access to legal resources when faced with a legal dispute .
when you compare the cost of legal protection insurance with the hourly cost of legal representation , you’ll see what a great deal it is . at square one , plans start at only $ 2 . 50 per month .
plus , it usually entitles you to access to a free legal helpline , which could be a valuable source of advice on legal matters .
the eu directive 87 / 344 made it clear that the only circumstances in which a policyholder would have the right to choose their own legal representative at the start of an insurance claim would be if the insurer had not given undertakings to separate legal expenses from its other classes of business : old ( art 3 ( 2 ) ( c ) ) .
) . ninety - five percent of children ever had insurance before , most commonly medicaid ( almost ¾ of children ) , followed by chip , private insurance , and mexico’s public health insurance . the mean months without health insurance was 14 , ranging from 1 month to 12 years , with a median of six months uninsured .
strictly speaking , in this example , the
event
is the negligent act which pre - dates the insurance . but even in cases where the policyholder did not have legal expenses cover at the time of the negligent act , we may decide that the insurer should accept the claim .
consumers sometimes complain to us about maladministration and delays by their insurer and / or its solicitors - in relation to legal expenses insurance . when we decide these cases , we take account of the fact that legal action can be a lengthy , complex process - and that the parties are restricted , to a large extent , by the timetables dictated by the courts .
this is why it is important that policyholders should notify their insurer about a potential claim as soon as reasonably possible . the courts have clarified that solicitors should advise their clients to check whether they have
before the event
legal expenses insurance , before entering into costly private - fee arrangements .
the court of justice of european union judgment in eschig v uniqa sachversicherung ag ( c - 199 / 08 ) was a case about class actions which cited the separation of business requirements under article 3 ( 2 ) ( c ) of the legal expenses insurance directive 87 / 344 / eec .
mr . messemer said that legal - protection insurance has changed the speed with which many disputes are settled in countries such as germany :
when you have a dispute with somebody , like a repair shop , even saying ' you should think again because i have legal protection insurance ' really makes people think .
kevin le messurier - girling , president of sterlon underwriting managers ltd . , which provides legal insurance for professionals and businesses , but not for individual consumers , said the idea of selling legal - expense insurance to consumers in canada isn ' t new . he was in charge of british - based legal protection group when its launch of a similar product line for canadian customers in 1990 flopped .
c ) to afford complete freedom of choice from the date of the insurance claim .
call the which ? money helpline for guidance on everything from tax to travel insurance .
policies will not offer cover for disputes that arose before the insurance was taken out .
das cuts off customers who it believes are suing people just because they have insurance .
if the main insurer also underwrites the legal expenses cover , it will usually delegate the actual administration of this cover to a claims - handling agent , so as to be able to continue to spread the risk .
box legal are one of the foremost after the event insurance providers in the country . we have over 14 years of experience in the ate insurance industry and have arranged over 400 , 000 after the event insurance policies for over 250 firms in this time . we specialise in arranging after the event insurance products that are tailored to solicitor’s needs . all of the after the event insurance policies we arrange can be cancelled at any time and reporting requirements are minimal . if you’re looking for reliable , cost effective after the event insurance , backed up with outstanding service , you’ve come to the right place . the links below provide access to details of the ate insurance products and services we can arrange , as well as some of our most popular after the event insurance advice pages .
das uk group , the uk’s leading legal expenses insurer , has launched a new suite of commercial products that will be available on the company’s new quote and buy web portal – das connect – which goes live today .
if you compare home insurance through gocompare . com , your results page will allow you to filter the table so that you only see policies that include legal assistance .
would you like to learn more about this product , or do you wish to take out this insurance ? make an appointment with our insurance adviser who will be happy to help you select the most suitable insurance product . this meeting represents no obligation on your part .
in the cases we see , the terms of a legal expenses policy do not generally guarantee any particular firm of solicitors , any specific location or any minimum size of firm . all they promise is a panel firm of solicitors prior to legal proceedings being necessary . after legal proceedings have become necessary - and to comply with statutory regulations - the policyholder can choose their own solicitor .
motor - related legal expenses policies cover only causes of action that arise from the use or ownership of the insured vehicle - in other words , bringing ( or defending ) negligence actions against ( or by ) third parties .
finding the best home insurance policy can be tricky . we ' ve taken a look at over 30 providers to help you get the right cover on your buildings and contents insurance .
© 2018 das legal expenses insurance company limited is authorised by the prudential regulation authority and regulated by the financial conduct authority ( frn202106 ) and the prudential regulation authority | das law limited is authorised and regulated by the solicitors regulation authority ( registered number 423113 ) . das is not responsible for the content of external websites .
your motor insurance policy will provide legal protection if you are sued having accidentally caused injury or damage to another vehicle while driving . however , this standard protection will not help you pursue your own legal rights against another driver if they caused the accident .
for example - an accountant completes a client ' s tax return negligently , but the client does not discover this until several years later , when a demand for unpaid tax is made . the client thinks that legal action against their accountant will be covered by the legal expenses policy they had subsequently taken out .
a before - the - event policy is mainly sold together with other insurance ( for example , car insurance to cover car - related disputes , or house insurance ) . it cannot generally be bought once a problem exists . in effect , if you have this kind of insurance to cover your costs , you would not need to enter into a conditional - fee agreement .
what would you do if you had a legal dispute with a contractor , neighbour or tenant ? would you contact a lawyer ? would you have the financial resources to cover the costs of securing advice and going to court ? legal protection insurance is designed to provide you with access to legal advice , assistance and cost coverage for just this situation and for many other common legal disputes . continue reading to learn more .
the whole notion of legal insurance for consumers is , with some exceptions , a foreign concept in canada , despite its popularity in europe and the u . s . legal protection insurance is included in some canadian auto workers ' and other unions ' contracts , and the provision of similar insurance coverage in quebec is co - ordinated by the profession ' s governing body , le barreau du québec . but otherwise , it is largely unknown here .
where such undertakings are given ( which is the option taken by all uk legal expenses insurers ) , freedom to choose is triggered where an inquiry or proceedings are imminent : old ( art 4 ( 1 ) ( a ) ) .
das provides legal expense coverage that can be purchased by individuals who need to pursue legal action for a legal dispute that has already occurred . this insurance is purchased through lawyers at the outset of a case and will cover disbursements and adversary costs in the event of an unsuccessful case . ate insurance mitigates financial risk for clients and protects the disbursement investments lawyers make to run a case . premium is only payable if the case is successful .
that depends on the type of insurance that it’s applied to . lei for car insurance covers having to take action against another driver or defending accusations made against you . a prime example of when you’d have to use this cover is if you need to take somebody to court in order to recover the costs from an accident . if you don’t have this cover in place , you’d have to pay the legal expenses for this yourself .
facing a trial , whether it’s over an argument with a neighbour or a dispute about an employment contract , can be very expensive . but with our legal expenses insurance , you’ll have access to expert advice and your costs will be covered . for example , if a member of your family was hurt and you wanted to seek damages , our home insurance add - on would cover the cost of pursuing this up to £100 , 000 .
many professions need to have professional indemnity insurance as part of their respective industry body’s regulatory requirements . even if you are not obliged to have pi insurance , without it , you could be liable for thousands of pounds worth of legal fees and compensation payments – not to mention lost income from the time spent defending any allegation . you are likely to need professional indemnity insurance if :
the insurance age events team works alongside the brand ' s editorial staff and industry advisors to produce content around key issues affecting the insurance industry . don ' t miss out - follow our events .
legal assistance to recover your uninsured losses and help you stay on the road after an accident . our cover helps you save up to 60 % versus your car insurance add - on .
legal cover is not compulsory when taking out home insurance , but it is included as standard on some deals , or it can be purchased as an add - on to your policy .
generally speaking , legal services policies bought or included with your home insurance don ' t cover family law disputes , such as divorce . driving - related issues will also be excluded .
with our landlord legal protection insurance , you can discuss any matter relating to the residential tenancy of premises you own and rent to others . the helpline is available 24 hours a day .
to see how affordable personalized home insurance can be , get an online quote now . or , call
mlei can also provide cover for legal representation to defend you if you are charged with a criminal offence – such as dangerous driving – and provide access to a legal helpline .
the insurance company will provide legal advice ; it will bear the costs incurred with respect to the hiring of an attorney or authorised expert , court fees and other necessary costs . in addition , it will seek the satisfaction of your claims ( damage compensation , insurance payment , etc . ) .
a survey was taken recently by das canada ltd , a company that provides legal protection insurance , to determine why people decided whether or not to access the legal system . most people said that financial considerations would stop them from taking legal action . many of them said they know someone who has gone into debt trying to solve a legal issue . who wants to go into debt to take a case to court , when you may not get a positive result ?
in the cases we see , we usually decide that an insurer should not reject a genuine claim - as long as it has not been prejudiced by the late notification . late notification can be a significant issue with legal expenses policies , because failing to act as quickly as possible can adversely affect a legal case - for example , where issues involve :
abbey legal protection ( alp ) has launched its new online quote system ( oqs ) .
the cba supports professional excellence among the legal community through our many engaging and expert publications .
also , this type of insurance does not cover you for all types of legal problem , nor will your insurer necessarily take your case on , which is why it is important to get advice .
those bills make him an example of someone who could have benefited from what is known as
legal protection insurance ,
says the head of a company trying to sell canadians on the concept .
henry j . kaiser family foundation . state health facts . health insurance coverage of children 0 - 18 .
as far as we are aware , the article 3 ( 2 ) ( c ) option was not taken up by any uk insurers . uk insurers chose to separate legal expenses from other classes of insurance business by means of separate underwriters and / or claims - handlers - in other words , option ( a ) or ( b ) under article 3 ( 2 ) - and not by granting freedom of choice from the point of the insurance , as in option ( c ) .
no . motor legal protection is an insurance policy , and so the only payment we receive is your annual premium . our service ensures that you receive the compensation you ' re entitled to in full .
cyber liability policies are indemnity policies and cover any loss which may arise because of the peril covered under the policy . the client based on his assessment or legal requirement buys a policy with an indemnity amount . the insurer generally covers privacy breach liability , cyber extortion , business interruption losses , liability from multimedia and public relations costs , legal expenses and data theft liability .
get clued up on motor legal protection and find out what our cover can do for you .
exclusive our legal protection , discover how we ' ll fight your corner if you face prosecution .
uninsured losses are losses which are not covered under your motor insurance or any other policy you may already have .
like all legal expenses insurance policies , motor legal protection pursues claims on a
reasonable prospects of success
basis . this means that compensation is sought as long as there is over 51 % likelihood that your case will be successful and your losses will be recovered . in cases where fault for the accident may be shared , a claim will be pursued as long as there is over 51 % likelihood of the case succeeding , and the policy will work to recover losses proportional to the blame .
if you’re thinking cover might be worthwhile , remember to check whether you already get free legal advice through your trade union or being a named driver on someone else’s car insurance . there’s no point in doubling up .
markel direct is a trading name of markel ( uk ) limited which is a company registered in england and an appointed representative of markel international insurance company limited . markel ( uk ) limited only places insurance policies with markel international insurance company limited which is authorised by the prudential regulation authority and regulated by the financial conduct authority and prudential regulation authority .
for example , if a policyholder were to take their neighbour to court in a property dispute , it is possible they could share the same household insurer . by having specialist insurers underwrite the legal expenses risk , the chance of a conflict of interest is reduced - though not completely removed .
insurer lv estimates that 40 % of its customers choose to add this type of cover to their home insurance policies .
on 25 february , 2016 , urltoken analysed 421 home contents policies and 412 buildings insurance policies listed on the matrix of independent financial researcher defaqto and found that 25 % of them included legal cover as a standard feature .
many independent legal firms won ' t be able to take on the work required at this rate .
personal injury after a road accident if you were the driver ( although this can be covered through your car insurance ) .
you need to sign in to use this feature . if you don’t have an insurance age account , please register now .
most
before the event
policies will cover the cost of legal proceedings only where the event or dispute giving rise to the legal action occurred - or came to light - after the start of the policy .
robert nicholls , director of sales at abbey legal analyses opportunities for brokers to grow in the care market .
the court didn’t conclude that the amount offered by the insurer would always be acceptable . but it did say that a legal expenses insurer has the right to restrict what it would pay to a non - panel solicitor , provided the remuneration is not so low as to render the policyholder’s freedom of choice meaningless .
the cyber insurance market is already flourishing owing to the increase in cyber - attacks . and in the coming years the market is expected to grow at double - digit figure , and a significant surge in demand for cyber insurance policies is also predicted .
if you ' re being taken to court you should expect a policy to cover legal fees and legal costs awarded against you , but don ' t expect it to cover any compensation you ' re ordered to pay .
ate insurance is purchased after an accident ( “the event” ) has taken place , but normally before any significant legal costs or disbursements are incurred , so most ate insurance policies are purchased at the point at which a solicitor begins a claim . the overall concept of an ate insurance policy is that it will protect the claimant against costs risks right from the outset - if a claim is insured at a late stage then ( as with most insurance policies ) costs and disbursements which occurred before the date of the after the event insurance policy will not normally be covered . since , when they commence , many personal injury claims fall within a broadly similar risk category , many ate insurers offer a standardised ate policy premium if the case is insured early .
if you already have a policy with us and need to get in touch , our home insurance specialists are here to help .
an ' any one claim ' policy provides cover up to the full limit for each individual claim made in the period of insurance , whereas an ' aggregate ' policy provides cover up to the full limit for all claims made in the period of insurance .
a ' claims made ' policy provides cover for claims which are made and notified to the insurer during the period of insurance .
it can be used in any type of litigation and by either a claimant or a defendant , although in practice ate insurance is mainly used by claimants . the ate insurance cover is normally purchased by solicitors on behalf of their clients . the after the event insurance policies we arrange are available only to claimants and apart from some specialised ate products our policies are normally only available for personal injury claims , but we do also offer after the event insurance for employment tribunal claims ( see urltoken ) and conveyancing matters .