Do I need boiler cover?

04th July 2022

Do you really need boiler cover? Picture the scene: it’s a cold winter’s night. You’ve got no heating or hot water, and you’re struggling to find a heating engineer to help.

To many, boiler cover is deemed an unnecessary expense. But if you were to find yourself stuck in the situation above, it’s likely you’d wish you’d researched suitable boiler insurance and service plans and got some boiler cover quotes.
According to a study by Which?, four out of 10 boilers need to be repaired within the first six years of operation. With the average repair cost (not including call out fees) costing as much as £268 and boiler replacement running into the thousands, we’d be inclined to say the answer to ‘do you really need boiler cover?’ is a resounding yes.

But what if you’re one of the lucky ones whose boiler seems to run and run? Or maybe you’ve only just had a new boiler installed? Is comprehensive boiler cover and a service plan really an essential for you?

To help you decide whether boiler cover is a worthwhile expense for you, take a look at our guide. Here, we identify who needs to consider boiler insurance, the different types of boiler service and breakdown insurance plans available, and the pros and cons.

Do I need to consider boiler cover for my property?

We’ll start by saying not everyone needs boiler cover. Only people who own their house will need to consider taking out an insurance policy. If you live in rented accommodation, your boiler service and breakdown cover is your landlord’s responsibility.

If you’re a homeowner, you might be asking yourself ‘is boiler breakdown already covered on my house insurance policy?’ You’re right to ask. Checking to see if boiler breakdown cover is included in any existing home insurance or building insurance policies you already pay for is the first step to take before you sign up for any additional cover.

If it is covered, make sure it offers an adequate level of protection. Should you find that it doesn’t, you may need to compare boiler cover plans to safeguard your current setup.

Recently had a new boiler installed? It’s unlikely you’ll need cover just yet. Your boiler should be protected by the manufacturer’s warranty. Double check just to be on the safe side and see how long the warranty is for.

What boiler cover and service plan options are available?

Boiler care plans vary from one company to the next, with options to suit all budgets. As a general rule, the more you pay, the more your policy will cover. This is worth bearing in mind when working out the average boiler cover cost for what your property will need.

The cheapest policies tend to offer basic boiler breakdown cover. This will include repairs to your boiler and its controls. Sometimes providers include annual boiler servicing too.

More expensive policies will offer a more comprehensive home cover package. In addition to boiler service and breakdown cover, they may also cover your wider heating system, home electrics and drainage.

Decide what kind of cover you need and what you can afford. On one hand, you don’t want to pay for extra cover if you don’t think it’s essential. On the other hand, paying a little extra and covering more of your home utilities could save you a lot of money in the long run.

How to choose a boiler cover provider

It’s important to remember that you don’t have to take out boiler cover with your gas supplier. A wide range of companies offer boiler insurance, so it’s a good idea to shop around and do a boiler care cover comparison to see who can offer you the best policy within your budget. Here are a few tips for choosing a boiler care provider.

Compare boiler cover online

We suggest that you compare boiler cover and service options online. There are lots of comparison sites that will take a few details from you and then bring up the best quotes from a wide range of insurance providers. Essentially, they make it easy to find cheap cover and save you from having to spend time getting quotes from individual companies.

Important Information

Some providers offer insured plans to look after your Boiler and Heating and other home services like plumbing, drains and electrics, whereas other providers offer non-insured plans. An insured plan will be underwritten by an insurer and also regulated by the [Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)](https://www.fca.org.uk/). Non-insured plans are not backed by an insurer and are not regulated by the FCA. Often non-insured or maintenance plans include an annual service of the equipment covered, whereas these may or may not be included in insured plans.

04th July 2022

Read the small print

When taking out boiler insurance, always read through the policy – even the small print! As well as finding out what is covered, it should be clear what isn’t covered. For example, boiler breakdown cover may not include faults caused by someone else you used for repair work. If you’re unsure, ask questions about the plan that you’re interested in. You are entitled to know exactly what you’re paying for.

Check boiler breakdown cover limits and excess

It’s also important to check if the boiler cover provider limits how many claims you can make per year. Find out what excess you are required to pay on repairs too. This information should be available to you within the written policy.

Ask if your boiler qualifies

Consider that some policies will only cover boilers less than 15 years old. Cover for old boilers can be difficult to come by as the older equipment tends to not meet the current standards, so insurance providers don’t like to cover them. If your boiler is old, you may be required to have it inspected before a company is willing to insure it.

Is boiler insurance and a service plan a necessary expense?

One of the benefits of having boiler service and breakdown cover is that if something goes wrong, you can simply get in touch with your insurance provider and they’ll sort out everything for you. So, if you need a qualified heating engineer to come out to you quickly, you’ll be prioritised.

Another plus is that you don’t have to worry about unexpected costs. You have to ask yourself, would it hurt you financially if you had to fork out hundreds or even thousands of pounds for a boiler repair or replacement? For the majority of people, the answer will be ‘yes,’ which is why boiler cover can be a necessary expense. Having a policy in place for when the unexpected happens means you won’t need to scrimp the next month or dip into savings for repairs.

The only real downside of boiler insurance is that you may not need to use it. If you’re one of the lucky ones, you might not have any trouble with your boiler, and it could feel like you’re paying for nothing. But you could always have that horrible feeling of ‘what if something goes wrong?’ Taking the time to compare boiler cover quotes and putting the right policy in place can offer you peace of mind.

Boiler cover is recommended, but even if you don’t decide to take out a policy, it’s worth looking into the different boiler cover and service plans. Getting your boiler serviced annually is essential for keeping it running safely and efficiently. A one-off service can cost you around £60 to £70. You may find it cheaper to take out an insurance plan with annual boiler servicing included, rather than paying the boiler service cost.