Tributes paid after death of chairman of Guildford-based Temple Legal Protection

Guildford-based legal expenses insurance provider Temple Legal Protection has announced that founder, owner and chairman Chris Wait has passed away.

Chris, who died peacefully at home on December 23, began his insurance career in 1985 and had been specifically involved in legal expenses insurance since 1992.

He had been a significant force in the development of the ATE (After The Event) insurance market - Chris was the underwriter who made decisions on many landmark cases, such as Callery v Gray, Sawar v Alam, Tilby v Perfect Pizza and Musa King v Telegraph Newspapers.

His influence was also felt in consultations with the Civil Justice Council and Department of Justice to help shape and develop the ATE insurance market.

Chris was Temple Legal Protection’s managing director from the company’s formation until 2019 and saw it grow to write more than £50million GWP (Gross Written Premium) per annum.

He introduced innovations such as deferred premiums and stepped premiums for ATE insurance, plus insurance-backed employment law advice schemes available to law firms.

In June 2019 Chris became chairman of the board of directors and continued to be a role model and mentor to all the Temple staff, while providing leadership and strategic support to the board.

Chris’s dynamic and inspirational leadership provided the foundations for Temple Legal Protection to grow from a firm with him as the sole employee to a market-leading provider of legal expenses insurance.

When not at work, Chris would often be found sailing and enjoying life on the open waves.

A man of many talents, he was equally at home in the cockpit of light aircraft, clay pigeon shooting or experiencing the full range of emotions in his support of Arsenal FC.

Chris leaves his wife Joanne and their four children.

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Picture: Temple Legal Protection founder, owner and chairman Chris Wait