Legal Membership Agreement | Frequently Asked Questions
The answers to the questions below are only a summary. Please refer to your Legal Membership Agreement document for exact details.
GENERAL
Your digital membership card
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How can I download my digital membership card?
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Here’s how to download your digital card:
- Save the Scorpion WhatsApp number 011 842 7890
- Message "Hi". You will get a list of dropdown menu items.
- Select option 2 - Membership card/payments/admin queries
- Then select option 1 - Membership card
- Type in your Scorpion contract number or your ID number
Your membership card will load, and you can download/save it.
View video here.
Fulfilment/ welcome pack
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What is the Member Fulfilment/ Welcome Pack, and why is it so important?
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The Member Fulfilment Pack is also known as a Welcome Pack or Membership Pack. This is what new members receive when they join Scorpion.
The Fulfilment Pack includes your:
- Schedule of Insurance
- Membership card
- Membership Agreement
- Statutory Disclosure Notice
It’s important to understand all the documents in your Member Fulfilment/ Welcome Pack, as they tell you what you are and aren’t covered for.
If you have any questions or don’t understand something, please feel free to call us on 0861 333 333.
Membership card
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What do I do if I haven’t received my membership card yet?
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If 6 weeks have passed and you have not received your membership card in the post, you can:
- Talk to us on WhatsApp by adding Scorpion Legal Protection to your contacts. Our WhatsApp number is 011 842 7890. Send us a message and a list of menu options will appear. Select option 1, then option 2 to download and save your membership card.
- Message us on Facebook.
- If you are in a branch, ask the receptionist if they have a card printing machine to print your card for you while you wait.
- Call Scorpion on 0861 333 333 and talk to our Admin department.
Just so you are aware, your membership is still valid even if you haven’t received your physical card yet. You can still access member benefits and pay your premiums – your membership does not start when you receive your card.
Premiums
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Why did my debit order deduction for my premiums not go off my bank account?
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There are many reasons for premiums not being deducted off your bank account, such as insufficient funds or the account being closed at the time the deduction was made. One of the biggest reasons for this happening is that your bank account details have changed, but you did not let us know in time about the change.
It is important that we have your correct and latest banking details on record. If you want to change or update your details, you can:
- Call us on 0861 333 333.
- Visit your nearest Scorpion branch
- SMS CHANGE to 34453 (Standard SMS rates and Ts & Cs apply) and we’ll call you back
- Send an email to admin@scorpion.biz
Change of membership details
COMMUNICATING WITH YOU
Facebook
WhatsApp
Newsletters
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Why do I not get my newsletters in the post anymore?
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During 2020 we moved to a digital format newsletter, where we send out the newsletter to members via either WhatsApp, SMS or email. We are no longer sending out printed newsletters. Therefore, it is very important that we have your correct and latest contact details on record. To update your details:
- Chat to us on our website using LiveChat
- Chat to us on Facebook by sending us a private message on Facebook Messenger
- Chat to us on WhatsApp by adding Scorpion Legal Protection to your contacts (011 842 7890) and following the menu options.
- Visit your nearest Scorpion branch
- SMS* CHANGE to 34453 (Standard SMS rates and Ts & Cs apply) and we’ll call you back
- Send an email to admin@scorpion.biz
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Why did I not get my digital newsletter?
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It may be that we do not have your correct and up-to-date mobile or email details on record, or you have previously opted out to receive these types of communications from Scorpion.
It is important that we have your correct and latest contact details on record so we can contact you when we need to. To update your details:
- Chat to us on our website using LiveChat
- Chat to us on Facebook by sending us a private message on Facebook Messenger
- Chat to us on WhatsApp by adding Scorpion Legal Protection to your contacts (011 842 7890) and following the menu options.
- Visit your nearest Scorpion branch
- SMS* CHANGE to 34453 (Standard SMS rates and Ts & Cs apply) and we’ll call you back
- Send an email to admin@scorpion.biz
LEGAL MEMBERSHIP AGREEMENT
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Why is the Membership Agreement / policy document so important?
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The Membership Agreement / policy document is important because it contains the nuts and bolts of your policy/ plan. It spells out your policy's terms, conditions and limitations, and is a reference point for both you and your insurer about cover, exclusions, rules, and claim procedures.
SCHEDULE OF INSURANCE
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What is the Schedule of Insurance?
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The policy schedule contains all the important details about your contract which are set out in detail in the Membership Agreement/ policy document. It is essential that the details in the schedule are correct. Understanding the contract and its conditions will ensure that you are covered as you intended, and that you or your beneficiaries are paid out without delay in the event of a claim.
LEGAL POLICY
Who is covered?
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Who is covered by my legal policy?
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Your legal policy provides paralegal services and legal expenses insurance cover for the main member, a spouse and children under 21, subject to the terms, conditions and limitations set out in the Membership Agreement.
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Can I add additional people to my legal policy, like my parents, sisters/brothers, aunts/uncles, etc?
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Yes, for a small additional premium per person and subject to the terms, conditions and limitations set out in the Membership Agreement, we do allow parents/parents-in-law to be added to the legal policy in terms of Extended Family Protection. Any other family members will have to apply to join on their own legal policy, they cannot join yours.
Legal Expenses Insurance
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Why do I need a legal expenses insurance policy from Scorpion Legal Protection?
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Scorpion Legal Protection will give you peace of mind by partnering with you to navigate the legal pitfalls that you may encounter daily. It is sensible to tackle your day-to-day challenges with legal backup. In addition, legal expenses can be financially crippling, which means that legal expenses insurance covers you and your family against high and unexpected legal costs from legal action brought by or against you.
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What is meant by Legal Expenses Insurance?
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Legal expenses insurance works in a similar way to medical aid. Just like medical aid helps you cover high and unexpected medical costs and doctors’ bills, legal expenses insurance covers you and your family against high and unexpected legal costs from legal action brought by or against you.
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What does it mean if a matter predates cover?
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It means that your legal matter happened before you were covered by a Scorpion policy. Because legal insurance is similar to car or house insurance, you can’t claim for things that happened before you joined.
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If I join Scorpion, can I be helped if my matter occurred before I joined?
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If your matter predates cover, you will not be able to claim the Legal Expenses Insurance Cover benefit, which means we will not cover you in court for your matter. However, Scorpion can still advise you and help you through paralegal services. Your policy must be paid up in order for you to receive paralegal services, and the terms, conditions and limitations set out in the Membership Agreement apply.
Paralegal Services
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What is the Scorpion Paralegal Services benefit?
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Paralegal services are dispute prevention services that we provide through our in-house, legally trained counsellors.
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How can I get Scorpion’s paralegal services?
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You can get Scorpion’s paralegal services by making an appointment to consult with a legal counsellor at any one of our nationwide Scorpion branches or by calling our 24/7 legal call centre on 0861 333 333. You can also contact us via any one of our digital channels – Facebook, website or WhatsApp. Our customer care consultants will direct your query to our legal department, and one of our legal counsellors will call you back.
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Am I automatically entitled to paralegal services as a Scorpion legal policy member?
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No, we provide paralegal services to you at our discretion. We have no obligation to do so, and we may set limits on these services at any time.
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What if my matter cannot be resolved through paralegal services?
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If we cannot resolve your matter through paralegal services, we will refer your matter to one of our in-house paralegal specialist departments or to a network lawyer in terms of the Legal Expenses Insurance Cover benefit. The referral is, however, dependent on your cover, terms, conditions, and limitations as set out in the Membership Agreement.
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Can I claim paralegal services if my matter is excluded from cover?
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If you need help with an excluded matter, our legal counsellors will try to help you as best they can through paralegal services, as long as you are a paid-up member (you are not behind in paying your premiums). Our legal counsellors can give you advice, write legal letters or negotiate with third parties on your behalf.
Remember, though, that as per the terms and conditions of the Membership Agreement, Scorpion has discretion in whether or not to offer paralegal services, and there are a few excluded matters where no paralegal services can be offered. You would also not be able to claim the Legal Expenses Insurance Cover benefit, which means we cannot represent you in court.
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What is a Scorpion Paralegal Specialist Department?
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To ensure that you get the best legal help, we structure some of our paralegal counsellor teams into specialist departments. Each department specialises in a different legal field, for example, labour, motor vehicle, tax, etc. Specialisation allows us to train dedicated staff in specialised legal fields, resulting in quicker resolution of matters and higher success rates.
Legal Expenses Insurance Cover
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What is the Legal Expenses Insurance Cover benefit?
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If Scorpion’s in-house legal counsellors are unable to resolve your matter through paralegal services, and you or your family need legal representation in court proceedings, Scorpion will offer you the choice of a network lawyer to help defend or enforce your legal rights. Scorpion’s payment of the lawyer’s legal fees/expenses is the Legal Expenses Insurance Cover benefit.
Please note, however, that there are terms, conditions and limitations applicable to the Legal Expenses Insurance Cover benefit, which are set out in the Membership Agreement.
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Are there limitations on the Legal Expenses Insurance Cover?
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Yes, there are limitations on how much we pay for lawyers. These cover limitations are covered inter alia, from Sections 7 to 10 in the Membership Agreement.
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What is a network lawyer?
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This is a panel of admitted attorneys that we have contracted with to assist our members with legal representation in court, tribunal or arbitration proceedings. The attorneys on the Scorpion network work according to the Scorpion Schedule of Tariffs.
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Can I choose my own lawyer or do I have to use one of Scorpion’s network lawyers?
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Yes, you can choose your own lawyer, but the lawyer will only be paid according to the Scorpion Schedule of Tariffs. If the lawyer charges more than the Scorpion Schedule of Tariffs, you will have to pay for the difference. Scorpion network lawyers have agreements in place with Scorpion, which means we can guarantee the quality of their work. If you choose your own lawyer, we will not be able to guarantee the quality of the lawyer’s work, as we don’t have a service agreement or relationship with them.
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What is the Scorpion Schedule of Tariffs?
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The Scorpion Schedule of Tariffs is the agreed upon amounts that we have contracted with network lawyers for their services, and are paid to the network lawyer as part of your cover.
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Do I have cover for a case that occurred outside South Africa?
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No, we only pay legal expenses for a case initiated and finalised in a court/ tribunal in South Africa regarding relevant events that happened in South Africa. This includes the execution steps and any recovery associated with the case.
Waiting period
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When does the waiting period on the legal policy start?
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The waiting period is stated in your schedule of insurance and starts from the day we receive your first premium.
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Can I claim for paralegal services and legal expenses insurance cover during my waiting period?
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You can only claim for paralegal services during the waiting period.
Remember, though, that you need to be paid up (you are not behind in paying your premiums), and as per the terms and conditions of the Membership Agreement. Scorpion also has the discretion to decide whether or not to offer paralegal services.
Cooling-off period
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Do you have a cooling-off period?
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Yes. It is important to us that you are satisfied with the legal policy you have signed up for, so we provide you with 31 days from the date we receive your first premium to read and familiarise yourself with the terms and conditions of membership. We will refund you if, during this 31-day period, you are not entirely satisfied with the cover provided and you have not instituted a claim with us.
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Will my premium be refunded if I have made a claim during the cooling-off period?
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No, you will not be refunded if you have received paralegal services and/or legal expenses insurance cover during the cooling-off period. The cooling-off period is intended for you to have some time to review the terms and conditions of membership and for you to make sure whether membership is for you.
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Will I be refunded if I have cancelled my membership after the cooling-off period?
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No, you will not be refunded if you have cancelled your membership after your cooling-off/waiting period.
Exclusions
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Why are certain legal matters excluded from cover?
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Our aim is to make this an effective, but affordable product. For this reason, the main legal issues that you face are covered, but to keep the product affordable, we do need to have conditions, exclusions and limitations, which are set out in the Membership Agreement.
Cover Limits
How to Claim
Retrenchment/Disability benefit
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What is the Retrenchment/Disability benefit?
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If the main member is retrenched or becomes totally and temporarily disabled to work after a period of continuous paid membership (which is stated in your Schedule of Insurance), Scorpion will then step in and pay your premiums for 12 months from the date you got retrenched or became temporarily or permanently disabled.
This is, therefore, a 12-month premium waiver, so you will still receive legal cover for 12 months without having to worry about making your premium payments.
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Can the Retrenchment/Disability benefit be bought on its own?
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No, this benefit cannot be bought as a stand-alone policy.
Legal Expenses Accidental Death (LEAD) benefit
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Who is covered by the Legal Expenses Accidental Death (LEAD) benefit?
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The Legal Expenses Accidental Death (LEAD) benefit applies to the accidental death of the main member only.
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Can the Legal Expenses Accidental Death (LEAD) benefit be bought on its own?
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No, this benefit cannot be bought as a stand-alone policy.
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I am the nominated beneficiary of the deceased member, can I claim for the Legal Expenses Accidental Death (LEAD) benefit during the waiting period?
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Yes, as long as the membership was paid up, you can claim for the Legal Expenses Accidental Death (LEAD) benefit during the waiting period.
Personal Income Tax benefit
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Does legal expenses insurance cover apply to the Personal Income Tax benefit?
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No, legal expenses insurance cover does not apply to the Personal Income Tax benefit. Our in-house tax practitioners offer tax advice and tax assistance on Legal Policy A and Platinum A, and tax advice only on Legal Policy B & C.
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What is the difference between tax advice and tax assistance?
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Tax advice is when our Scorpion tax practitioners give you their opinion on what you should do. Tax Assistance is when our Scorpion tax practitioners give you their opinion on what you should do and also help you to resolve your tax matter. For example, making telephone calls on your behalf.
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