Boiler Insurance

Do I need heating cover?

Article updated: Tuesday 26 May, 2009

If you’ve ever had to pay for emergency heating repairs you’ll know just how much of a dent a busted boiler or clogged heating system can make in your finances.

Many people like the reassurance of having boiler cover or full central heating cover, and many also take this from their energy supplier without shopping around or considering whether they really need it in the first place. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about heating cover...

Is it your responsibility?
Where to get your cover
Your cover
Boiler-only or full heating system
How much cover?
Other things to consider
Do you really need it?
Save on your energy bills

Is it your responsibility?

Before deciding whether or not you need heating cover, you need to know whether it’s actually your responsibility to take care of your heating system.

Unless you own your own home - and live in it - you don’t need to buy heating insurance. If you rent from a private landlord, or live in social housing provided by your local council or a housing association, it’s your landlord’s responsibility to maintain your heating system, and to arrange yearly boiler inspections.

However, there are still steps that you can take to ensure that your boiler is in safe working condition. Read our guide on boiler safety.

If you do own your home, but have just had a new boiler or heating system installed, make sure you check that you’re not already covered by a warranty in the case of a breakdown before buying additional cover.

Where to get your cover

If you’ve decided that you do want the peace of mind that comes with insuring your boiler or heating system, you’re not obliged to take this cover either from your energy supplier or the company that installed your boiler.

Make sure you shop around and compare the different options available before committing, and make sure that you look at more than just the price; what is included in each plan is not uniform. Some cover just your boiler and controls, while others will include your annual boiler safety check, and the top plans will even cover your plumbing, drains and electrical wiring.

You can compare boiler cover deals online - simply visit BoilerChoices.co.uk (www.boilerchoices.co.uk). With various levels of cover to choose from, you should easily find the right package for your home.

Your cover

Because all policies differ in cost, coverage and level, they can be difficult to compare.

Think about what you need covered and don’t be tempted into covering more than you really need to, just because it’s only a couple of pounds more each month.

Our central heating cover guide gives information on all the plans available and their and prices.

Boiler-only or full heating system

Standard heating cover comes in two levels; boiler-only, which usually covers the boiler itself, and its controls, or the full heating system. This will include radiators, pipes and hot water as well as the boiler and controls.

Some plans will also include your yearly boiler inspection, something that you have to pay for anyway. Annual service quotes from a Corgi registered engineer will cost between £65 and £90*. It is a good idea to try to include it as a way of reclaiming back some of the money if you don’t need to make a claim during the year.

Top end cover also allows you to add plumbing and drains and even electrical wiring, but as these plans cost as much as £30 a month, think carefully about whether or not you really need these expensive extras.

How much cover?

Not all heating plans cover you for an unlimited number of callouts or an unlimited amount of work. Some limit you to as little as two callouts a year, or no more than £1,000 worth of work.

Other plans that might be cheaper might exclude your yearly boiler check-up - which will cost you around £90 on top - or damage from scale build-up.

Other things to consider

As well as the extent of your cover, make sure you check the following things before signing up:

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 cover? - If you’re already paying for boiler cover, 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

Do you really need it?

Industry leader British Gas charges a set fee of £190 for an emergency callout - which is actually less than a year’s HomeCare 200, starting from £17 a month (£19 within the M25). However, remember that you should be able to find 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.

If you’re more worried about having to fork out that much money in one go, you could set up a standing order for around £20 a month to go into a high interest savings account. That way you have an emergency fund in case you do have to pay for repairs - and if nothing goes wrong you can simply leave it in there, earning interest as well as peace of mind.