Despite promises from the British Insurers Association that people would not be punished for accepting those who left the Ukraine war, John Lewis asked for an extra 41 41.74 from Cath Bateman, in addition to the 1 381 recently charged for renewal of her home insurance. Bateman, who lives in a terrace house in Dartford, decided to offer the Ukrainian family somewhere to stay after learning they were crammed into a small house. The family – a mother, her 12-year-old daughter and her four-year-old son – were rescued in Poland by the mother’s sister, who hails from Ukraine but now lives in the United Kingdom. After the Guardian put her case to the company, John Lewis said a mistake had been made and that Bateman would be returned. “I do not have a big house, but I had two free rooms and I offered to set them up when I learned they had to sleep on the floor,” said the retired teacher. “I thought I should tell my insurer – more politely than anything else – but I did not believe it when they called me back to tell me I would have to pay an extra £ 41. “He feels completely wrong.” At the start of the conflict, the British Insurers’ Union said the industry was “united with the people of Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion” and that people sheltering refugees would not face financial punishment. “If you are a homeowner in the UK and want to temporarily house refugees displaced by the conflict in Ukraine as non-paying visitors to your home, you do not need to inform your insurer and your coverage will remain the same.” he said. “This applies to the first 12 months of any refugee living with you, even when your contract is about to be renewed. “After 12 months, if a refugee is still living with you, then you should inform your insurer when you renew your contract.” A spokesman for John Lewis said: “We do not charge additional premiums for our clients who receive Ukrainian refugees in their homes. We are very sorry that a mistake was made in this case and the customer will receive a full refund. ” That was just one of the problems Bateman faced. She was told that because her sister had brought the family to the UK on a family visa, she would not be able to claim the 350 350 a month payments offered by the government. She was also told she had to get a λι 95 gas boiler safety certificate at her own expense. “I am still very happy that I did it and we are doing well. However, the authorities could certainly do more to facilitate this. Why those who help people who are admitted with family visas are not entitled to the payments of 350 pounds exceeds me. “All our efforts to deal with this so far have failed.”
