▁as ▁Before - the - event ▁ins urance ▁( B TE ). ▁The ▁event ▁in ▁this ▁case ▁being ▁the ▁incident ▁trigger ing ▁the ▁legal ▁action . ▁However , ▁in ▁some ▁countries ▁( e . g . ▁Australia , ▁Canada , ▁and ▁the ▁UK ), ▁it ▁is ▁also ▁possible ▁to ▁obtain ▁cover ▁after ▁a ▁legal ▁dispute ▁has ▁been ▁initi ated ▁which ▁is ▁described ▁as ▁After - the - event ▁ins urance ▁( ATE ). ▁In ▁the ▁US ▁market , ▁legal ▁protection ▁and ▁support ▁is ▁often ▁granted ▁via ▁legal ▁plans ▁or ▁pre - pa id ▁legal ▁services ▁which , ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁time , ▁are ▁not ▁an ▁ins urance . ▁▁ ▁Before - the - event ▁legal ▁protection ▁ins urance ▁ ▁This ▁form ▁of ▁ins urance ▁is ▁the ▁most ▁w ides p read . ▁It ▁covers ▁those ▁wish ing ▁to ▁protect ▁themselves ▁against ▁possible ▁future ▁claims ▁and ▁it ▁is ▁purchased ▁before ▁the ▁prospect ▁of ▁any ▁legal ▁dispute . ▁It ▁supports ▁the ▁policy holder ▁either ▁by ▁providing ▁legal ▁advice ▁or ▁even ▁by ▁representing ▁the ▁policy holder ▁in - court ▁or ▁out - of - court . ▁It ▁also ▁covers ▁the ▁costs ▁and ▁exp enses ▁of ▁legal ▁proceed ings . ▁▁ ▁After - the - event ▁legal ▁protection ▁ins urance ▁ ▁A TE ▁policies ▁ins ure ▁legal ▁actions ▁rel ating ▁to ▁events ▁that ▁have ▁already ▁happened . ▁This ▁ins urance ▁covers ▁an ▁already ▁existing ▁dispute ▁where , ▁however , ▁proceed ings ▁have ▁not ▁yet ▁started ▁or ▁significant ▁legal ▁costs ▁or ▁dis b urs ements ▁have ▁not ▁been