Product Description
Boiler and heating cover is a type of insurance that covers against the breakdown of your boiler and other parts of the heating system. There are two main products on offer from suppliers: just cover for your boiler or cover that combines the boiler and the rest of the central heating system. This type of insurance normally covers the cost of emergency call outs, parts and labour and so its quite comprehensive.

Main Players
The main provider of boiler and heating cover is British Gas. They offer a wide range of packages to suit most budgets. Other providers include Domestic & General, HomeAssist and the suppliers of gas and electricity services such as EON and Scottish & Southern. Some of the utility suppliers only cover certain areas of the country however British Gas can provide cover to the majority of UK regions.

Pros of Boiler & Heating Cover

• You have peace of mind that your boiler and possibly central heating system will be fixed should a problem occur.
• Comprehensive cover can often cost less than a single call out and repair if the problem is serious – and most comprehensive covers come with unlimited call outs, parts and labour.
• There is a level of cover available to suit everyone and some of the providers allow you to pick and choose the parts of your heating system you want covered.

Cons of Boiler & Heating Cover

• The cover can be expensive if you never use it.
• Even comprehensive covers don’t cover everything so you may still have to pay for parts and excessive labour.
• Some older boilers and central heating systems may not be covered but you wont find out until you claim.

Things to Consider when Choosing a Provider
There are a number of factors to consider when choosing who to go with. Firstly you want to look for a plan that has exactly what you need. Homes with new boilers and heating systems will probably only require a basic plan but the older the boiler gets, the more cover it could require. You also need to decide whether you want the entire heating system covered or just the boiler and controls. Obviously a comprehensive plan costs more but if your heating system is prone to problems then it’s probably worth the additional investment.

Other factors to consider include such things as the availability of a 24 hour emergency helpline, the average waiting period between you phoning and an engineer coming to fix the problem and the ease with which you can claim on the plan. You might also want to check for a ‘No Claims’ period as a lot of plans stipulate that you can’t claim within the first 30 days.

BUYability Summary
Boiler & heating cover is definitely worth thinking about if you have an older boiler that is prone to problems. There are numerous plans available from a range of providers so it’s easy to pick the level of cover you think you require. British Gas plans start from £7 per month which is affordable even on a budget and you do get the peace of mind of knowing that should the worst happen you’ll be covered.