Your home insurance is unlikely to cover repairs to your boiler or a replacement. Wear and tear isn’t covered as standard, but if your boiler is damaged in another way, you may be able to make a claim.
You’ll need to dig into the fine print in your policy documents for a definitive answer, or read on for an overview of the main points.
What your home insurance covers
Your home insurance may cover your boiler in these select circumstances:
✓ It’s damaged by an event covered by your policy, such as fire or flood.
✓ It’s accidentally damaged, and your policy includes accidental damage.
Accidental damage is typically an add-on to standard insurance, so if you didn’t tick the box to add it on, you’re unlikely to be covered.
You may also be able to claim for damage to your house caused by your boiler or central heating; for example, a water leak has ruined your carpets or laminate flooring.
Check your policy wording, as exclusions and limits apply.
What your home insurance DOESN’T cover
Standard home insurance doesn’t cover faulty boilers that need repairing or replacing due to age, wear and tear, or lack of maintenance.
For this, you’ll need specialist boiler cover.
If your boiler is new and the problem is due to a faulty part or manufacturing defect, you may be able to claim under the manufacturer’s warranty. But this only applies if it’s still within the warranty period and you’ve met the conditions, such as annual servicing.
Why is boiler insurance treated differently?
Home insurance is mainly for sudden, insured events such as floods and fire that damage your property. A boiler breaking down because its parts have worn out is usually considered a maintenance issue, not an insured event.
Boiler cover is specialist protection for mechanical breakdowns. You can usually buy it as an add-on from your energy provider, or as standalone cover from a boiler and central heating specialist like Arton Heating.
Different types of boiler cover
What’s included in your boiler cover depends on the plan. Boiler-only plans protect just your boiler, while comprehensive home care cover typically includes your boiler, central heating, plumbing and electrics (and sometimes your appliances).
Home emergency cover vs boiler cover
The difference between plans usually comes down to how much of your property they cover, as illustrated here.
| Boiler cover | Boiler + central heating | Full home care | |
| Annual boiler service | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boiler breakdown | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Central heating inc. radiators | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Plumbing and drains | ✓ | ||
| Electrics | ✓ | ||
| Appliances | Available as a bolt-on |
Some providers also offer service-only cover plans for the same price as an annual service, spread out over 12 months.
Paying monthly for your annual boiler service can take the pressure off paying one large bill. Additionally, when you buy servicing as part of a cover plan, you usually get priority call-outs and discounted parts for a year at no extra cost.
Most good boiler cover plans include priority access to a heating engineer, which can be worth it for peace of mind during winter. Priority access lets you jump the queue, even at busy times of year.
How to choose a boiler cover provider
When you’re comparing providers, look for the following in the small print of the agreement:
- What’s covered – boiler-only, or also controls, radiators, pipework, etc.?
- Are call-out and repair charges included, and is there an excess?
- What’s the limit on the number of call-outs in the policy period?
- Are there any exclusions, such as the boiler’s age, make, and model?
- Is an annual boiler service included as standard?
- What are the estimated wait times for an engineer to arrive in your area?
You should also check what happens if the boiler can’t be repaired. Some providers may contribute towards or discount a replacement, while others may not include replacement cover.
Why servicing matters
You hear it a lot, and probably assume it’s a sales ploy, but boiler servicing really does make a difference. It matters because without it, the manufacturer’s warranty on your boiler is likely to be invalid, and so is your boiler cover.
Regular boiler servicing helps keep your boiler safe and running efficiently. An engineer will inspect and clean key components, check that they’re working properly, and identify potential issues.
Over time, annual boiler servicing will pay off dividends as small issues can be nipped in the bud while they’re still cheap to repair before they turn into bigger – more expensive – problems.
Overall, an annual service will extend your boiler’s lifespan, so you get the most out of it for your money. After all, a boiler replacement isn’t cheap.
Your FAQs on boiler insurance
Our heating engineers answer your most common questions about boiler cover.
Where can I get boiler cover?
You can buy boiler cover through energy providers, like British Gas, or directly through your local heating and plumbing company.
Compare what’s included, claim limits, call-out charges, excess, boiler age and model eligibility, and whether annual servicing is covered. If you choose to go with an energy provider, check who carries out repairs and whether engineers are available in your area.
Do I need boiler landlord insurance?
Landlord boiler cover is an insurance and maintenance plan for buy-to-let properties. It usually includes an annual service and a gas safety certificate.
Landlords aren’t legally required to take out boiler cover, but over the long term, it may save you money. If the boiler in one of your rented properties fails, you are responsible for fixing it promptly, whatever the cost.
Is cover for an old boiler worth it?
Boiler cover can be worthwhile for an older boiler, helping manage unexpected repair costs and providing access to an engineer. But check eligibility, premiums, excesses, exclusions for pre-existing faults, and whether parts are available. Compare the cover’s cost with likely repair and replacement costs before deciding.
What does the manufacturer’s warranty cover?
If your boiler is still under warranty, you may be able to claim the cost of repairs if something goes wrong. The manufacturer’s warranty typically covers repairs or replacement of parts that fail due to a manufacturing defect. It’s unlikely to cover normal wear and tear, faults caused by poor installation or lack of maintenance.
Registration and annual servicing are typically required to keep the warranty valid.
