Boiler Guides

Choosing boiler cover

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If you’re worried about your boiler breaking down during the coming cold months then why not take out boiler insurance to keep you covered if anything goes wrong

But with so many different plans on offer things can get confusing; which is where out top tips can help you choose the right boiler cover for your home.

1. Do you need boiler cover?

You only need to get boiler insurance if you own your own home. If you rent your property, either from the council or a private landlord then you don’t need boiler cover; it’s your landlord’s responsibility to make sure that your central heating system is working properly.

2. Is your boiler too old?

Most boiler cover plans exclude models that are over 15 years old, and those older than seven years might have to undergo an inspection before being covered.

Also, make sure that your particular brand and model of boiler is covered too, as some of the older, or more obscure makes are sometimes excluded.

3. Where to get your cover

You don’t have to take your boiler cover from your current energy provider; you can take out boiler insurance with anyone offering a plan that suits your needs, and your budget.

Make sure that you compare the market before signing up to ensure that you get the best deal around.

4. Boiler-only cover

The cheapest boiler insurance policies cover only your boiler and controls. This means that while you’ll be covered in case your boiler breaks down, no other parts of your heating system are insured.

5. Full heating system cover

If you’re willing to shell out a bit more each month then you can take out a higher level plan, covering your entire heating system, including radiators and pipes, and some will even cover your boiler’s annual safety check - saving you between £60 and £90 a year according to Corgi engineers.

Top-level boiler insurance can even include plumbing and electrics, but these plans will set you back around £26 a month.

6. Does it offer unlimited callouts?

Some plans limit the amount of cover that they offer so you’re not insured for unlimited callouts or an unlimited amount of work, with some restricting you to a maximum of just two callouts a year or no more than £1,000 of work.

7. No claims period

Check if your new plan has a no claims period. Most do, to prevent people signing up on the day that their boiler breaks down to cut the cost of an emergency, and the majority of no claims periods last 30 days, so bear in mind that you won’t be covered during that time.

8. What is considered an emergency?

Make sure you know exactly what your boiler insurance provider considers an emergency - and what it doesn’t. Some insurance providers don’t think that a lack of hot water constitutes an emergency, while others will only rush to fix it during the winter.

Also find out if you’ll have access to a 24-hour emergency line, 365 days of the year - you don’t want to be waiting around for the call centre to open if your boiler’s gone bust.

9. Do you really need it?

British Gas (www.britishgas.co.uk) charges a set fee of £190 for an emergency call-out - less than a year’s payments for HomeCare 200, which covers your boiler and radiators and costs £17 a month, or £19 within the M25.

So if you have a relatively new boiler that’s not likely to break down any time soon, you could simply put £20 a month into a savings account to cover the cost of an emergency - if one does occur. And if it doesn’t, you’ve gained some interest and still have peace of mind.

However, this isn’t advisable if you have an older, less reliable boiler as you might need to make more than one call-out a year, massively increasing your costs.

10. Compare suppliers

If you’ve decided that you want the peace of mind that boiler insurance offers, then use our boiler cover comparison service to compare providers and ensure that you get the best deal for your needs.