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Claims procedure

Except for situations necessitating immediate representation by a private-practice criminal defense attorney***, eligible ATPE members must contact the ATPE Member Legal Services Department at (800) 777-ATPE between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday for legal assistance with employment concerns. In some cases, eligible members are referred to private-practice attorneys on the list of firms approved by the insurance company.

Except for criminal defense, only fees from attorneys and law firms approved by the National Union Fire Insurance Co. of Pittsburgh, Pa., may be covered. If members retain attorneys in private practice, they must comply with the claims procedure set forth by ATPE.*

When and how to contact the ATPE Member Legal Services Department**

To access these benefits, you must be a member at the time of the activity that leads to an action against you.

1. Always contact the ATPE Member Legal Services Department first when you have an employment-related legal problem***. Use the hotline. Call (800) 777-ATPE and save yourself long distance expenses. Alternately, use the Member Legal Services Intake System (MLSIS), an online system. Access MLSIS.
2. Identify your call immediately to the ATPE receptionist by asking for the legal department.
3. Be assured that your call is CONFIDENTIAL. Legal services are provided for ATPE members only, hence the need to verify name, current address and telephone number.
4. Start by stating your question or problem beginning with the most recent event / occurrence.
5. Have a copy of your contract or pertinent documentation readily available for the attorney.
6. Fax your material directly to the legal department fax line at (512) 454-4543 prior to your call and include a call-back time.
7. If your time is limited during business hours, call the state office and leave a message with the legal receptionist for an attorney to contact you at a convenient time. Your call will be returned promptly. You may do the same if all the lines to the legal department are occupied rather than hold indefinitely.
8. Have a friend or relative call on your behalf and request a call-back at your convenience.
9. The legal department operates on weekdays with inbound calls taken from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and call-backs exclusively to members after hours.

*The Educators Professional Liability Insurance Policy is underwritten by National Union Fire Insurance Co. of Pittsburgh, Pa. All coverage is subject to the express terms of the master insurance policy issued to ATPE and kept on file at the ATPE state office. Coverage applies to an insured’s activities within his/her professional capacity.  Click here to download a summary in PDF format. Eligibility for ATPE membership benefits is contingent upon ATPE’s receipt of the entire annual membership dues amount for your appropriate membership category. A disruption in payments to an authorized payment plan may result in discontinuation of such benefits, including cancellation of insurance coverage for the entire membership year, retroactive to the earlier of Sept. 1 or your membership date.

**The insured member services and staff attorneys’ assistance are offered through separate programs.
    

***If you need to consult an attorney on a criminal matter and are not able to reach the state office, please consult any attorney necessary and contact the ATPE state office at (800) 777-ATPE or atpe@atpe.org at your earliest opportunity.