If your budget won't stretch to your boiler or central heating system failing, boiler breakdown cover can protect you from costly repair bills when you least expect or want them.
The policies are designed to help if things go wrong, and are a way to smooth out the impact of hefty repair bills - but they come at a cost and are not right for everyone. In fact, a report by consumer champion Which? earlier this year found that cover is financially worthwhile for very few people and paying for services and repairs when you need them works out cheaper than taking out boiler cover in most cases.
For many, though, having a policy in place offers peace of mind, as you know you'll be covered if your boiler breaks in the depths of winter and that peace of mind is worth the extra you'll probably end up paying overall. If you've not got enough savings to get your boiler repaired or, in a worst-case scenario, replaced easily, it might be worth considering to keep your home warm if the worst happens.
Read more: How to defrost the condensate pipe on your boiler in 4 easy steps
Remember that standard home insurance policy are unlikely to cover the cost of replacing or repairing a broken boiler unless you pay extra for 'home emergency cover' instead of boiler cover, but do check that you're not already paying for boiler cover as an extra on your home insurance before signing up.
If you think boiler cover might be for you, here are some points and infoirmation to consider:
What is boiler cover?
Boiler cover an insurance policy you buy to help you cover the cost of getting your boiler working again if it breaks. There are several different levels of cover to choose from:
- Boiler-only cover. This is basic and usually the cheapest cover, typically coverings only the boiler and its controls.
- Boiler and central heating cover. This covers your boiler and controls, plus pipes, radiators and central heating pumps
- Boiler, heating, plumbing, drains and home electrics cover. This type of cover tends to be more expensive. Here you'd be covered for all central-heating repairs, plus burst pipes, blocked drains and electrical repairs.
It's important to note that almost all plans include an initial no-claims period from 14 to 30 days, so it's no use trying to get cover on the day your boiler breaks. Some policies also set maximum ages for boilers they will allow you to take out cover for – usually 15 years. So, if you have a very old one, you may need to shop around for cover.
Some policies also limit how much they will pay towards repairs. Choose a policy with an unlimited claim cost, which will also replace your boiler (or pay some money towards a replacement) if it's no longer economical to repair it. This is particularly useful if you have an older model.
Should I get boiler cover?
Which?'s survey found that people paid an average of £265.80 a year for a boiler cover package. In general, the more your cover includes, the more you’ll pay for it and there's no point in shelling out for cover if you don't have to. You don't need cover, for example, if you have home emergency or boiler cover option with your household insurance.
If you rent, your boiler is not your responsibility so you don't need cover.
If you have savings or you have the discipline to put money aside to pay for repairs as and when you need them, boiler cover is probably not necessary.
You'll need an annual boiler service
Most policies won't pay if your boiler's not not been properly maintained, although many boiler cover policies now either include the service as part of the policy, or give as an option to add-on.
Watch out for limits
The amount you can claim in the event of a boiler breakdown varies from product to product but don't assume cover is unlimited and make sure you read the small print. Watch out for policies that only pay for costs up to a certain level per claim and per year, limit the number of call-outs or charge an excess for each call-out.
It's also possible you'll only be covered for the first two or three hours of labour costs and not all companies guarantee they'll send an engineer the same day.
What if your boiler can't be fixed?
Some policies will give you a contribution towards the replacement, but most will not pay out for the cost of a new boiler.
Check how old you boiler is
Most plans require a boiler to be below a certain age when the cover is bought and others need a boiler inspection before granting cover.
How do I choose a policy?
If you've decided a boiler breakdown policy is right for you, use a comparison sire such as Uswitch to compare cover and costs . Look at things like:
- The level of cover you want
- The level of excess per claim
- If you want an annual boiler service included
How to get cheap boiler cover
- Don't pay for more cover than you need
- Consider paying for your boiler cover annually
- Switch boiler cover provider annually
- Pay an excess fee to keep monthly costs down
Now read:
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