Health benefits

New and updated

• Date:

  1 March 2001

  Type:

  Law reports

  Insurers entitled to reduce benefit to women

  In Scott v MPFS (Insurance Services Ltd) a Central London County Court (Judge Hallgarten QC) has ruled that the underwriters of the Metropolitan Police medical insurance fund did not unlawfully discriminate on grounds of sex by reducing benefits payable to women police officers in respect of permanent total disablement to half of those payable to male police officers.

• Date:

  1 November 1999

  Type:

  Law reports

  Construction of contract: PHI cover did not cease when employee left service

  A restriction in an insurance policy underwriting a contractual permanent health insurance scheme, which disentitled an employee to benefits on leaving service, was not incorporated by reference or implication into his contract of employment, holds the High Court in Villella v MFI Furniture Centres Ltd.

• Date:

  1 December 1997

  Type:

  Law reports

  Contracts of employment: Employee did not abandon long-term sickness rights

  An employee's entitlement to benefit under his employer's permanent health insurance scheme was not terminated merely because he undertook some different work while incapacitated from working in his original job, as the scheme provided for payment of reduced benefits in such circumstances, holds the Court of Appeal in Brompton v (1) AOC International Ltd (2) Unum Ltd.

• Date:

  1 May 1997

  Type:

  Law reports

  Adin v Sedco Forex International Resources Ltd

  In Adin v Sedco Forex International Resources Ltd [1997] IRLR 280 CS, the Court of Session held that if an employer provides sickness benefits it will be a breach of contract to dismiss an employee on grounds of ill health while he or she has sickness benefit outstanding.

• Date:

  22 February 1991

  Type:

  Law reports

  Contracts of employment: Implied term on employee insurance cover

  In Rutherford v Radio Rentals Ltd, the Court of Session holds that to give effect to an employer's contractual obligation to provide personal accident insurance for its employees, it may be necessary to imply a further term that the employer must make a payment to any employee who qualifies under the terms of the insurance policy referred to in the contract. The employer cannot discharge its obligations merely by relying on a refusal by the insurance company to honour the policy.

• Date:

  1 January 1986

  Type:

  Law reports

  Higher PHI premiums for women justified

  In an important test case, Pinder v The Friends Provident Life Office (County Court, 15.8.85) EOR5D, the court rejects a claim that a 50% higher premium charged to women for permanent health insurance cover than charged to similarly-situated men was unlawfully discriminatory.