Do you need central heating cover?

There’s nothing worse than going to turn your central heating up on a cold winter’s night, only to discover it’s not working properly. You spend time searching for a reputable heating engineer you can call but they can’t get to you until ‘sometime tomorrow’ and their quote for central heating repairs is going to snap up all of your spare cash for the month. It’s a situation no one wants to be in and thankfully, with central heating cover, you can prevent it happening to you.

Boiler and central heating cover can be paid for monthly or annually. It will ease your worries as if something goes wrong with your home’s heating system, your provider will organise a qualified engineer to fix it for you quickly. There’ll be no need to go weeks without heating or hot water and you won’t have to worry about digging into your savings to foot the bill. Central heating cover offers the peace of mind you need that your family will be safe and warm all-year-round.

Different types of boiler and central heating cover

Today, there are so many different providers offering central heating insurance and there’s no such thing as a standard plan. You will need to look into the different types of boiler and central heating cover to make sure you’re only paying for what you need insuring. Generally speaking, insurance companies will offer the following plans:

• Boiler breakdown cover – This will cover repairs to your boiler, flue and its controls (such as boiler timers and thermostats.) Some companies, like Hometree, will offer additional benefits such as an annual boiler service too.
• Central heating cover – This type of insurance covers your central heating system, including your radiators, cylinders and pipes, as well as your boiler and its controls. If you rely on your boiler for both heating and hot water, it may be wise to choose this type of plan to make sure you’re fully covered.
• Home cover – A comprehensive insurance package, covering boiler repairs, central heating maintenance and other utilities i.e. drains, plumbing and electrics.

Benefits of central heating cover

For many, the small monthly outlay or annual cost of central heating cover is worth it for peace of mind alone. If something goes wrong and central heating repairs are required, you won’t have to worry about finding a reliable engineer quickly. Instead, you’ll simply be able to ring up your insurance provider and they’ll organise everything on your behalf. It’ll save you time and is much more convenient.

The other big benefit of central heating boiler cover is that you won’t be hit with surprise repair costs. If your boiler breaks down, you have frozen pipes or there is something else wrong with your central heating, it will be covered by your insurance. It makes financial planning much easier and you won’t have to panic about dipping into your savings.

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.

How to choose central heating cover

We’ve already talked about the different types of boiler heating cover available but we feel we should also share some tips on how to make sure you’re getting a good deal. Here are a few ‘extras’ to look out for that could make a central heating insurance package more valuable to you:

• Free annual boiler service – This inspection ensures your boiler is operating safely and efficiently. Having regular services can help to prolong the life of your system.
• Unlimited callouts and claims – Benefit from being able to make a claim or arrange a callout whenever required.
• No cap repairs – Make sure your insurance covers parts and labour and there is no cap on the cost of repairing central heating problems.
• Local engineers – A company that uses local engineers is better as chances are they can reach you quicker. Here at Hometree we also offer evening and weekend callouts, for your convenience.
• 24/7 Helpline – Heating repair cover should come with a 24/7 helpline so you can reach your insurance providers, seek advice and make a claim at any time of day or night.
• Discount on a new boiler – As well as having unlimited claims, many heating insurance providers will also offer you a discount on a new boiler if your existing system can’t be fixed by their engineers. Hometree’s central heating cover includes a 15% discount off the cost of a new boiler if we can’t fix it.

With so many providers offering different packages, we suggest that you compare boiler and central heating cover online. Use a comparison tool, pop in a few of your details and it’ll bring up a whole host of quotes for you to consider. It’s the best way to get a good price for your central heating insurance.

What to watch out for when taking out central heating cover

Central heating boiler cover will benefit you in many ways but there are certain things to watch out for when taking out a policy. Read through our list below so you don’t get caught out:

• You don’t need to be loyal – Don’t let your energy supplier convince you that you need to take out central heating cover with them. You can get cover from any provider. Shop around for quotes and choose the best package.
• Read the small print – Always check what isn’t included in your central heating insurance, as well as what is. For example, most providers won’t cover the removal of sludge build-up in your central heating system or repairs to damage as a result.
• Check the age of your boiler – Some companies will only offer central heating cover for boilers and systems less than 10 years old. You may need to have an inspection carried out on an older boiler before they’ll insure it.
• Be wary of price hikes – Attractive introductory prices may win you over but check how much you’ll be paying the next year. The company is bound to hike up the price and you don’t want to be left out of pocket. Here at Hometree we are completely transparent with customers and offer a fixed price on care packages for the entire length of their contract.

Is central heating insurance really necessary?

If you own your own home and don’t want to be hit with the expensive costs or inconvenience of your central heating breaking down, then yes central heating cover is necessary. The type of policy you take out will depend on what you need covering. Just be sure to check that you’re not paying for things that are already covered by any home or building insurance you already have.

Your boiler and central heating system are expensive (and important) home purchases so it’s worth making sure they’re properly insured.