It’s the middle of January, frost on the windows, and your boiler decides it’s had enough. No heating. No hot water. Just you, a kettle, and a lot of regrets. For thousands of Brits, that nightmare plays out every winter - which is why boiler cover (a.k.a. boiler insurance) exists.
- What is boiler cover?
- Boiler Cover vs Service Plan
- Boiler cover vs boiler warranty vs home insurance add-ons
- Quick comparison of common UK boiler cover providers (what to check)
- Is Boiler Cover Worth It?
- The stuff boiler cover companies don’t put on the advert
- Can you get boiler cover on an old boiler?
- Do you need boiler cover?
- What does the ideal boiler cover plan include?
- Boiler cover vs central heating cover
- What should you avoid?
When your boiler packs in at 10pm on a Sunday, you’ve got two options:
panic and pay whoever picks up the phone, or
have boiler cover in place so you call one number and a (Gas Safe) engineer turns up - with labour + parts usually included.
Sounds great. And sometimes it is great.
But boiler cover is one of those products where the small print does the damage: first-year teaser prices, excess per call-out, claim limits, and exclusions for sludge/limescale.
So let’s cut through it and work out what’s actually worth paying for.
PS we offer boiler servicing nationwide. Book your time and date here.
🔑 Key Points:
Boiler cover (boiler insurance cover) pays for breakdown repairs - typically call-outs, labour, and parts. Some plans include an annual service.
A boiler service plan is usually just the annual service (preventative, not protective).
Many providers have a waiting period before you can claim (often 14–30 days), and some exclude issues that look “pre-existing”.
Expect renewal hikes if you don’t keep an eye on it (classic “cheap year one, pricey year two”).
Older boilers can be harder/more expensive to cover, and some providers have stricter eligibility checks.
Which?’s research has previously found most people are financially better off paying for repairs as-and-when - but cover can still win on stress reduction + predictable costs.
What is boiler cover?
Boiler cover is basically a safety net. You pay a monthly fee, and in return, you’re covered if your boiler decides to give up.
A provider sends out an engineer, usually within 24 hours, and the cost of callout, labour, and parts is included in your policy.
Some policies stop there. Others bundle in an annual service - which is worth having, since it keeps your boiler efficient, safe, and in line with manufacturer warranties.
If you’ve got a bigger system with ageing pipework and radiators that moan like a haunted house, you might want “central heating cover,” which goes beyond the boiler to cover your whole setup.
Boiler Cover vs Service Plan
Here’s where people get confused. A boiler service plan isn’t the same thing as boiler cover.
A service plan is just a way of spreading the cost of your annual service over twelve months. Handy for budgeting, but it won’t help when your boiler actually breaks down.
Boiler cover, on the other hand, is designed for those “oh no, it’s stopped working” moments.
Think of it like car breakdown cover: you hope you never need it, but when you do, you’ll be glad it’s there.
Boiler cover vs boiler warranty vs home insurance add-ons
Before you buy anything, check if you’re already covered elsewhere:
1) Manufacturer warranty (newer boilers)
If your boiler is still in warranty, you may only need an annual service to keep it valid - and you might be duplicating cover by paying for a full policy.
2) Home insurance “home emergency cover”
Some home insurance policies let you add emergency cover that includes boiler breakdown.
It can be useful, but check the excess and response times (this is where people get caught out).
3) Boiler cover policy
Worth considering if you want a single point of contact and predictable costs - especially with older systems.
Quick comparison of common UK boiler cover providers (what to check)
Pricing varies wildly by postcode, boiler model, and excess - so instead of pretending there’s one “true” monthly cost, here are the high-signal differences people should compare.
Provider | Waiting period | Annual Service? | Key “watch-outs” |
British Gas HomeCare | No claims in first 14 days | Included | Excess options (commonly £60); check cover level + renewal price |
HomeServe | Eligibility checks (and exclusions) can bite | Often included | Sludge/scale exclusions + “pre-existing fault” rules + boiler checks |
Corgi HomePlan | 30-day no claim period | Depends on plan | Check claim rules + excess + whether add-ons are worth it |
HomeTree | Varies by plan | Depends on plan | Don’t buy on promo alone; confirm contract length + what’s excluded |
Is Boiler Cover Worth It?
Is boiler cover worth it?
This is the bit everyone wants answered.
Financially, boiler cover often doesn’t beat paying for repairs as you go (because insurance products price in profit + risk).
But “worth it” isn’t only pounds and pence. Boiler cover can make sense if:
You’d struggle to pay a surprise £200–£500 repair bill in one go
You’ve got a temperamental boiler and you’re sick of gambling
You’re a landlord and you want a simple process for tenants in winter
You value predictability + convenience more than “perfect value”
If your boiler is new-ish and reliable (especially in warranty), you’re often better with:
Annual servicing +
a small “boiler repair fund” you build up monthly
The stuff boiler cover companies don’t put on the advert
1) Waiting periods (you can’t claim straight away)
Many policies have an initial period where claims won’t be accepted - often 14–30 days - designed to stop people buying cover after something breaks.
2) Excess per claim (you pay every time)
An excess is the amount you pay towards each repair visit. Some plans look cheap until you realise you’re paying £60–£100 per call-out.
3) Sludge/limescale exclusions (the big “gotcha”)
A lot of providers won’t pay for issues caused by sludge, scale, rust, or poor system water quality.
That’s why powerflushing and filters exist - and why policies love wriggling out on this point.
4) “Pre-existing fault” rules and eligibility checks
Some providers do checks early on (or at first claim). If they decide the problem existed before the policy started, you can be left paying anyway.
5) Claim caps / annual limits (varies by plan)
Some policies cap what they’ll pay per repair or per year. Always look for the words “limit”, “maximum”, “up to”.
Can you get boiler cover on an old boiler?
Sometimes - but it can be trickier or pricier.
A common rule of thumb in the market is that very old boilers (often ~15 years+) can have more restrictions, higher premiums, or stricter eligibility.
If your boiler is getting on a bit, you want to look for:
Clear wording on repair limits
What happens if it’s “beyond economic repair”
Whether exclusions (sludge/scale) would likely block a claim anyway
Honestly: if it’s truly on its last legs, you’re often better putting the monthly premium into a replacement fund.
Do you need boiler cover?
If you are a homeowner or a landlord securing boiler cover offers you the peace of mind that the boiler will be repaired and back in action as soon as possible.
Ultimately, it means you don’t have to worry about sourcing an emergency plumber on your own and can avoid dealing with expensive call-out charges and other emergency fees.
However, it’s certainly worth checking whether you aren’t protected from boiler breakdowns already.
For example, you may have a manufacturer's warranty that offers to repair your boiler, but this is likely to be limited to certain circumstances, while boiler cover typically covers a wider range of scenarios.
It’s certainly worth checking whether or not your warranty is still valid and hasn’t expired and check what types of repairs are covered under the boiler manufacturer's warranty.
In addition, your current home insurance may cover you for boiler repairs, so that’s certainly another avenue to explore.
Yet again, this could be limited to certain scenarios and involve large excess fees, so make sure to check the small print.
If you're a boiler you may also want to consider Landlord Boiler Cover which is a service plan designed primarily to protect a landlord’s boiler from unexpected breakdowns.
Moreover, it gives your tenant the ability to book in with a heating engineer if there’s a breakdown or some sort of emergency (e.g., a gas leak).
What does the ideal boiler cover plan include?
Right now, you may be slightly confused and be asking yourself what is the best type of boiler cover with so many options available?
Here are the ideal offerings you should look for in a boiler cover plan:
An annual boiler service
No cap on repair costs, meaning the repair will be paid for in full
Unlimited call-outs year-round (no cap)
Access to customer support 24/7
Of course, the above list is the ideal scenario, but bear in mind that the rule of thumb is the more your cover includes, the more you will pay.
Before taking out any plan, it’s also useful to check the following:
The amount of excess you will have to pay for emergency call-outs
The overall quality of the customer service and helpline
Boiler cover vs central heating cover
Boiler cover usually means: boiler + controls (sometimes flue too).
Central heating cover usually means: boiler + radiators + pipework + cylinder/tanks (if applicable) + system components.
If your radiators are cold at the bottom, your pipes are ancient, or your system’s noisy/temperamental, central heating cover can be more relevant than “boiler only”.
But: broader cover usually means higher price and more conditions.
What should you avoid?
Be cautious of introductory price offers
It's extremely common for companies to offer a very cheap introductory offer e.g. the first year of boiler cover is reasonable, but can more than double in the second year when it's time to renew.
Therefore, be cautious when shopping around and if you do decide to sign up on the basis of an appealing introductory offer make sure to note down the renewal date.
Check what is covered under the policy
Bear in mind that not everything may be included in your boiler plan policy, so make sure to double-check exactly what is.
For example, there are certain companies that will not cover boiler breakdowns that are caused by sludge build-up, which can cost several hundreds of pounds to rectify.
Recommended heating guides:
Will your house insurance cover your boiler?
Boiler repairs aren’t usually covered under standard buildings/contents insurance - but you may be able to add home emergency cover for an extra fee. Just check:
excess amount
response times
what exactly is included/excluded
The Heatable View
We’re not here to flog cover for the sake of it.
If your boiler is under warranty: don’t double-pay for “insurance”. Get it serviced annually and keep the warranty valid.
If your boiler is ageing and you hate surprise costs: cover can buy you predictability (and less stress), but read exclusions like you’re reading a breakup text.
If it’s a cranky old boiler on borrowed time: you’ll usually be better putting the monthly premium towards a replacement.
And whichever path you choose - don’t skip the annual service.
👉 We offer boiler servicing nationwide. Book your date here.
