Sir Martin Laing has issued a writ against his former family firm after it changed the level of his and his wife’s BUPA health cover

Former chairman of John Laing, Sir Martin Laing, is suing the construction company that bears his family name.

Sir Martin, 68, has issued a writ against the John Laing plc in a row over health insurance.

The writ, issued jointly with former deputy chairman Robert Wood, concerns changes to their BUPA health insurance provided for the pair and their wives.

They accuse John Laing plc of unilaterally changing the level of insurance cover provided, in breach of their employment contracts and are seeking declarations that the company is not allowed to reduce the level of their cover.

John Laing slashed their cover from scale A to scale C, the lowest level of cover offered by BUPA, in October 2008, which they argue it was not entitled to do.

The company also imposed an excess of £250 per person, although previously the agreed excess was £100, the writ says.

The writ also seeks declarations that Sir Martin, Wood and their wives are entitled to BUPA’s top level of cover for the rest of their lives.

Sir Martin, who made it on the Sunday Times’ Rich list in 2008 with a personal fortune of £172m, is now retired in Malta with his wife Stephanie. He stepped down as chairman of the company in 2001.

Topics