Does Home Insurance Cover Boiler Breakdown?

It’s easy to assume that your home insurance automatically covers boiler breakdown, but this won’t necessarily be the case. Due to the majority of boiler problems being caused by the lack of an annual service, many insurers consider it to be an avoidable issue that doesn’t justify an insurance claim.

Whilst breakdowns are especially likely during the colder months due to the boiler working harder for longer, they can also take place throughout the year if you don’t book regular servicing. In fact, turning off the heating throughout summer can result in the boiler being more prone to breaking down when the weather begins to cool, as it will have been a while since it last heated your home. This is comparable to a car that’s very rarely used – if you don’t start it up for a little while every so often, problems can arise later on. This is why we recommend turning your heating on for 20 minutes every few weeks during summer, as it will allow the boiler and the wider central heating system to remain healthy and ready for action when the times comes.

According to recent figures from uSwitch, a boiler repair costs an average of £314, although the price tag could be much higher depending on the problem. With boiler breakdowns being so common throughout the UK, most insurance providers exclude them from standard policies. If you’ve taken out emergency home cover or an add-on policy, which will increase the price of your monthly payments, boiler breakdown should be included. However, even these may not cover the call-out charge and will also come with a limit in regards to how much you can claim, with the usual result being that there will still be a bill to pay for any subsequent repairs. When you take into account parts and labour, not to mention rising premiums, getting your boiler repaired on your home insurance is usually a false economy.

Other factors to remember are that home insurers will usually only cover a boiler if it was installed within a certain timeframe. This means that you could soon find yourself paying for insurance that no longer applies to a breakdown. On top of this, many policies require an annual boiler service to take place, which if missed even once will render the insurance null and void, plus it might only cover a boiler breakdown during the winter months to begin with.

We’re sure you’ll agree that the above information isn’t very positive, but don’t worry, as there’s a very effective and affordable alternative. ProTech offers boiler cover to homeowners and landlords across East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire, applying years of expertise and the greatest attention to detail to ensure that it runs smoothly for as long as possible. Our range of ProCare Plans allow you to choose a monthly price that suits your budget, which can even include plumbing and gas supply network services. In addition, all of our boiler cover plans have no excess, so you can rest assured that the cost-effective price you pay each month covers everything you need.

Start your boiler cover today

Taking out boiler cover with an annual service as standard through ProTech is a very wise decision, as it enables you to protect your home whilst staying in control of your finances. To get started, contact us today on 01482 352643 or fill in our online form.