QDOS or IPSE

[jamesbrown]

Still, it doesn't change the fact that TLC35 is a complete waste of money.

[malvolio]

Quite possibly. To paraphrase my contact (who is effectively a corporate vulture - he buys outright or buys into businesses embarrassingly cheaply and also has a record for getting people to pay him handsomely to take them off their hands! ), not enough dosh stashed under the mattress for a rainy day.

Buying IPSE is not that easy. After all, it's not a company limited by shares and the AoA are deliberately vague about what happens if it's wound up. It won't be a fire sale, that's for certain, and the membership would have to be recompensed first. You can't easily compare that situation to that of any standard commercial comapny.

[ladymuck]

I've never liked the T&C's for QDOS' insurance. I am still a member of IPSE as the overall package is still reasonable value for money. If you're only interested in one thing and don't care about the extras then it may not add up financially.

[jamesbrown]

I've never liked the T&C's for QDOS' insurance. I am still a member of IPSE as the overall package is still reasonable value for money. If you're only interested in one thing and don't care about the extras then it may not add up financially.

Indeed. There's an extremely straightforward get-out based on their interpretation of the prospects of success. How they would balance that against the potentially good publicity from losing a case and paying out is anyone's guess, but the T&Cs are written that way for a reason.

[courtg9000]

Buying IPSE is not that easy. After all, it's not a company limited by shares and the AoA are deliberately vague about what happens if it's wound up. It won't be a fire sale, that's for certain, and the membership would have to be recompensed first. You can't easily compare that situation to that of any standard commercial comapny.

If those sort of people want a deal done, they get a deal done. They won't really care either way as long as their numbers stack up. If those types are circling any business you have an involvement with its time to get very worried indeed. It doesn't matter what sort of company it is or who is involved.

[PerfectStorm]

QDOS is popular among the type of contractors I work with who don't get into contract reviews and so on. The vast majority in fact have no insurances at all - no one I know has heard of IPSE - but a few have QDOS TLC35 as insurance for their "sign whatever the agency gives you" contracts.

We really are the outliers on here.

I get the vouchers from IPSE which reduces the cost down to not very much, it's not huge as it is, and once a year or so I'll have a legal query that they've helped with too. They've also represented me in investigations via their Tax legals.

[Lance]

it's not really a very good comparison.

One is an insurance company.
The other is a body for professionals working as freelancers.

There is some product crossover with regards to tax investigation assistance. But it's only a thin crossover.

FWIW - I have QDOS PI, PL and EL. And I use Federation of Small Business (FSB), rather than IPSE, if I were to need tax investigation assistance.