09 January 2012

With cost-effective conduct of litigation and customer interests being key drivers for ARAG, the company has set up an arrangement with Go2mediation who provide an online mediation service. Not only will this help to reduce costs of litigation it is hoped that it will save our policyholders the time and stress involved in court proceedings.

Specialising in online mediation, all Go2mediation mediators are fully trained and Civil Mediation Council approved. The system works in a similar way as face-to-face mediation sessions with a series of confidential conversations held between the mediator and interested parties to hopefully negotiate a settlement. However, as the process occurs via virtual rooms it can take place from anywhere in the world and is not time-sensitive.

The benefits of the online system can clearly be seen in the reduced costs of travelling, convenience and the time saved by both parties in dispute. Many people also find online mediation to be a less stressful process, one user commented that:

“It gave me time to think matters over rather than having to make an instant decision in a day's mediation. It also meant that it didn't seem as much hassle as I could do it at my computer whenever I had time.”

Go2medation was picked by ARAG to provide this service as their platform is one of the most user-friendly, recreating the look and feel of a traditional mediation, with private “rooms” for confidential talks with the mediator and common “rooms” where the parties talk to each other with the mediator acting as a neutral “chairperson”.

As part of an ARAG legal expenses policy the costs for online mediation will be met and mediation will be considered for most of the litigation cases that ARAG refer. ARAG’s Claims Manager, Paul Upton comments:

“All too often, mediation is overlooked by parties involved in a dispute or indeed, by those representing them. Equally, cost and geographical considerations can be prohibitive. An online mediation facility therefore had a major appeal for ARAG as an alternative way in which to overcome these difficulties and the success rates speak for themselves”.

ENDS

For more information please contact Claire Jones at ARAG
0117 917 1578 / claire.jones@arag.co.uk

Notes to Editors

ARAG
ARAG is one of the world’s leading players in legal expense insurance, operating across 14 European countries as well as the US. Founded in Germany in 1935, ARAG now employs over 3,700 staff and generates a premium income of over €1.4 billion. Combining the best of Assistance and ‘Before’ and ‘After’ the Event solutions, ARAG has developed a comprehensive suite of products and services for a wide range of legal issues for businesses and private individuals.

Go2mediation
Designed by professional mediators and lawyers, the Go2mediation combines cutting edge software with an easy to use format. Go2mediation recreates the common rooms and private rooms of the traditional mediation process in a secure online environment, supported by high quality litigation and risk analysis tools. Each case is mediated online by a real life mediator fully accredited by the professional body the Civil Mediation Council