Compare Boiler Insurance

Things to Consider First

It is only homeowners who require boiler insurance:

• If you rent, you almost certainly do not need to purchase insurance as your landlord is in charge of that side of things.
• However, do double-check and also ask about the terms of your contract (essentially, how long you probably would be left without heating and hot water if it all fails)

Some property types cannot be insured:

• Mobile homes and bedsits are often excluded from regular cover
• You need to look into specialist cover if possible

Check whether your boiler or central heating system are still under guarantee:

• If they were fitted within the past year they probably are, even if it is only a simple guarantee put in place by the fitting engineer
• Any cover you purchase should only start when this runs out

Which Boilers Can Be Covered?

The majority of policies will only cover gas boilers, so if you have an oil-fired appliance, you may need a special care package.

It often doesn’t matter whether you have a combi, regular or system boiler installed in your home, but it is best to know all the specifications before you apply for insurance to guarantee a more accurate price plan.

Why Do I Need Boiler Insurance?

Your home heating system is undoubtedly a lot more critical than any appliances or gadgets you may own. It provides not only your heating but also hot water.

The cost of any repairs or replacements isn’t the only thing that insurance can help you with. There can be a lot of work involved in trying to get it back up and running, from contacting local plumbers and heating engineers to possibly having to purchase heaters which will keep you warm in the meantime.

You will also want to do all of this ASAP, so you aren’t left without for long, but we all have busy lives, so this isn’t always possible. Finding a plumber at such short notice can be a nightmare, too. The good news is that insurance providers will do all of this for you.

What are the Benefits of Boiler Insurance?

Boiler insurance differs to that which concerns white goods or appliances because it affects the running of your home as opposed to being an added extra. There are plenty of other aspects to concern in addition to basic breakdown cover, such as whether providers offer an annual boiler service or will also protect your central heating, plumbing and drains.

Some of the more substantial home emergency care plans may also cover your electrics, depending on the supplier. Before you look into possible options, it is best to think about what is best for your household; it may save you a lot of money to be protected by a policy which covers absolutely everything rather than preserving them separately.

Insurance takes care of any breakdowns and problems almost immediately. Most providers offer 24/7 call centres who you can contact in case of emergency, and they will talk you through any basic troubleshooting checks you need to make to ensure you can’t fix the problem yourself. Beyond this, they arrange for a dedicated engineer to visit your home in next to no time, diagnose the problem and talk you through the following steps that need to be taken.

All policies differ, but more often than not a huge chunk of the cost will be covered. This includes callout/labour charges and the price of any replacement parts. Most will also offer to replace your boiler if necessary and cover the costs up to a specific limit.

What Will My Boiler Insurance Policy Cover?

As mentioned, all policies are different, and the price and provider of your plan will affect the aftercare you receive. However, as a rule, the majority will cover basic breakdown costs, such as calling out an engineer to your home and replacement parts. Most also include an annual boiler service, which will hopefully detect any minor problems before they become incredibly troublesome.

Some boilers include guides on what to do should you incur a minor problem, such as needing to bleed radiators, relight the pilot light or re-pressurise your heating system. Your boiler works with gas, so it is not recommended that you assess any problems which go beyond these. Especially don’t try to fix them, unless you are a qualified engineer.

You can often claim for your general boiler problems and essential controls. If the thermostat stops working and regulating the heat, your insurance provider will cover the cost of replacement parts. A broken diaphragm, valve or airlock will also need replacing by a professional. If there are strange banging/whistling/gurgling noises, then an engineer will be able to see what is causing it and take the relevant action.

Most policies also include care for your central heating, so if your radiators or hot water cylinder need repairing it isn’t a problem.

Are There Any Incidents Not Covered?

Don’t assume cover is unlimited with any insurance policy, especially where your boiler is concerned.

If yours has not been serviced within the past year, any claims you make may be invalidated. This is because it hasn’t been adequately maintained. Most boiler insurance policies, therefore, offer an annual service, but if yours doesn’t, arrange for regular servicing with a local plumber and gas engineer.

To take out a new cover policy, you will likely have to have had your boiler serviced within the past year, too. Some insurance providers may further wish to send an engineer to your home before accepting your request, to double-check everything is in working order.

Older boilers are harder to get cover against. Most policies require a boiler to be under a certain age, commonly about seven years old. If your boiler is between 12 and 15, you will see much smaller availability in possible coverage options.

Over 15, and you are unlikely to be able to get cover at all (unless you are renewing a long-standing policy). In this case, with the knowledge that yours is likely to fail pretty soon, you may want to consider the cost of getting a new boiler which will likely give you cheaper cover in the long run.

Some providers may also limit the number of callouts you can request within a 12-month period or limit the total amount of money you can claim. So even if you have unlimited callouts and you can be covered for costs up to £4000, you may not be able to pass this financial limit despite needing several expensive callouts.

You may also only be covered for a few hours’ worth of callout and labour costs. Repairing a single boiler can take a massive chunk out of an engineer’s day, and insurance companies will be aware of this possible significant fee and limit their terms and conditions as a result.

Not all companies guarantee that they will able to send an engineer the same day, either. This may depend on both the availability of engineers in your area and how urgent your problem is. Different companies class different issues as emergencies. If your home is uninhabitable or your health is at risk, it’s top priority that you are seen to ASAP. But if your toilet is blocked, some companies will only class it as an emergency if it is the only one in your home.

Almost all plans also have an initial no-claims period. This is to stop people signing up if their boiler has gone kaput overnight, so ensure you bear this in mind – overlap your new contract with the one that is about to run out if you are particularly worried, but there’s usually no need.