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Boiler insurance and heating cover
Calling out an engineer can typically cost anywhere between £33 an hour to £76 an hour if you live in london*, if you want the peace of mind heating cover offers then its time to think about where you’re going to get it from.
Heating cover is difficult to compare because one provider’s costs and cover differs so much from the next. But we’re here to give you the low down so that you know exactly what to look for.
Before signing up to boiler insurance or heating cover make sure you read our article Do I need central heating cover? to find out if your heating system is your responsibility, and what you do and don’t need from your heating cover.
Where to look
Many suppliers offer heating cover, but you don’t have to go with your current energy provider - so make sure that you shop around to find a boiler insurance package that suits you just right.
Cover your boiler, central heating, plumbing, electrics
Unlimited call outs, parts and labour (CORGI)
What to look for
There are a number of things that you need to consider when buying heating cover. As well as what parts of your heating system to want covered you should think about the following issues. Not all of these points are published on a provider's site as some things depend on boiler age and type for example. It is a good idea to ring your chosen heating care provider to double check on anything you're concerned about.
Your helpline Do you have access to a 24-hour emergency helpline, 365 days a year? Also, find out how long you will have to wait before a technician visits to assess the problem
What is considered an emergency? Some providers don’t consider a lack of hot water to be an emergency, while others only consider it an emergency during the winter
Is your boiler eligible for cover? Boilers older than 15 years are excluded from many plans, while those more than seven years old might require an inspection before you can cover them. Also, check that the make of the boiler will be covered by your chosen plan
No claims period Many heating cover plans have a 30 day no claims period to avoid people signing up on the day their boiler breaks down to avoid paying emergency repair costs
Do you already have boiler insurance? If you’re already paying for boiler insurance, you might not be able to just cancel your direct debit and switch to a cheaper provider. Check that there are no cancellation clauses in the small print of your current cover, and remember not to cancel until the no claims period of your new plan is over, just in case you do need assistance
As the UK’s number one boiler installer, British Gas (www.BritishGas.co.uk) is a known and trusted name in the industry, which is why many people choose HomeCare central heating cover for their home.
British Gas employ over 5000 engineers, the largest collection of CORGI registered engineers in the UK as well as Europe. The HomeCare Packages offer an 8 out of 10 same day repair promise for those without heating or hot water.
You also won't be tied into a 12 month contract with British Gas as with other suppliers, allowing you to cancel at any time. However British Gas may charge you a certain amount to cover costs which you have yet to reclaim.
While British Gas is not the most competitively priced, each of its cover plans does include your annual boiler safety check that would otherwise cost around £90 from British Gas and around £60 from an independent plumber.
If you live within the M25 it is important to note that you will be charged a small premium on cover in Greater London (see prices below).
Full central heating, plumbing and drains plus electrical wiring and fixtures. Unlimited parts, call outs and labour. Covers your annual boiler safety inspection
Flexi option available from £17 per month plus £50 per completed repair. Costs are more within the M25
HomeCall+, (www.homecallplus.co.uk) partners with Brit Insurance PLC to offer a wide range of emergency insurance policies for your home. As one of the UK's leading specialists in insurance they provide excellent rates for customers.
HomeCall+ employ over 2500 engineers, specifically catering to emergencies (as defined by HomeCall+) only. They aim to have an engineer to your home within 2 hours (or next day for gas heating breakdowns).
You should be aware that if you pay by monthly direct debit you will be liable for an administration charge of 15% of the gross premium if you were to cancel. If the policy is cancelled and a claim has been made however, you are liable for the premiums in full for the year. If you decide to pay annually and cancel, you will not receive a refund.
It is important to note that HomeCall+ policies are emergency only, they will not cover for recurring faults and your boiler must be less than 10 years old. The emergency hotline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Plumbing, drains, electrics, boilers, heating system and hot water. Includes boiler and CP12 gas safety service.
Claim limit of up to £500 (includes VAT, callout labour and parts). You benefit from unlimted amount of claims.
Home emergency cover - This is extended cover for boilers over 10 years old. Combination boilers can be covered up to 15 years, conventional boilers can be covered up to 20 years.
E.ON (www.eonenergy.com) offers simple central heating care with just two price plans, both offering cover for your boiler and central heating system as well as taking care of your annual safety check. However, if you want all those shiny extras like electrics and plumbing, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
E.ON's Option 1 cover is quite competitively priced, offering full heating system care and your annual boiler service for £13 a month - the same as British Gas’ HomeCare 100 but with more included.
Home Response 24 is a different way of covering your home heating system. Taking actual insurance from Direct Line (www.Direct Line.com) requires you to provide information about your home and heating system so that Direct Line can offer a quote. The amount you pay can range from around £60 a year to over £100 for terraced properties in London.
Home Response 24 could work out to cost anything from £5 a month - a lot less than central heating cover from other suppliers - and still covers your whole heating system and other parts of the home. However, if you’re looking to reclaim some of your monthly costs in the form of an inclusive annual boiler service, you should be aware that this won’t be covered with Direct Line as it offers insurance rather than a care package.
npower (www.npower.com) offers four different levels of heating cover, as well as a further plan for landlords, whose responsibility it is to maintain their tenant’s heating systems.
The cover is provided by Homeserve (see below) but by taking it from npower and signing up online, you can take advantage of special offers such as a 10 per cent discount. If you don’t want to get full cover, but want to pay in instalments for their annual boiler safety inspection, there is also a cover plan for your maintenance.
Industry leader British Gas charges a set fee of £190 per emergency callout - which is actually less than a year’s HomeCare 200, starting from £17 a month (£19 within the M25). And you should be able to find still cheaper cover and callout charges elsewhere.
This means that if you have a relatively new boiler and heating system, where you don’t expect to have to call them out more than once in a year, you might well be better off not taking out any cover at all - though you won't have the peace of mind offered by a boiler insurance deal.
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