▁legal ▁advice ▁and ▁covering ▁legal ▁costs ▁of ▁a ▁dispute , ▁regardless ▁of ▁whether ▁the ▁case ▁is ▁brought ▁by ▁or ▁against ▁the ▁policy holder . ▁Depending ▁on ▁the ▁national ▁rules , ▁legal ▁protection ▁ins ur ers ▁can ▁also ▁represent ▁the ▁policy holder ▁out - of - court ▁or ▁even ▁in - court . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Leg al ▁protection ▁ins urance ▁has ▁a ▁ 1 0 0 - year ▁history . ▁The ▁concept ▁origin ated ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 1 ▁when ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁' Autom obile ▁Club ▁de ▁l ’ O uest ''' ▁were ▁offered ▁several ▁additional ▁services ▁among ▁which ▁protection ▁in ▁case ▁of ▁fin es ▁or ▁for ▁disput es ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁police ▁courts . ▁This ▁basic ▁legal ▁protection ▁was ▁then ▁extended ▁to ▁traffic ▁acc idents ▁and ▁gave ▁rise ▁to ▁the ▁first ▁legal ▁protection ▁ins urance ▁policy ▁in ▁France ▁offered ▁by ▁‘ La ▁Dé f ense ▁Autom obile ▁et ▁Sport ive ▁( D AS ) ’ ▁which ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁‘ La ▁Dé f ense ▁Autom obile ▁et ▁Sport ive ▁( D AS ) ’ ▁offered ▁legal ▁services ▁and ▁coverage ▁of ▁exp enses ▁for ▁legal ▁pro sec ution ▁to ▁car ▁drivers ▁and ▁athlet es . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 8 , ▁a ▁mot oring ▁club ▁in ▁Germany ▁called ▁the ▁' De utsch e ▁Autom obil ▁Schutz ' ▁( D . A . S .) ▁increased ▁membership ▁contributions ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁similar ▁pool ▁to ▁pay ▁for ▁the ▁defence ▁of ▁its ▁members ▁charged ▁with ▁traffic