
Best Boiler Cover
Save £100s on boiler and home emergency cover
If you're worried about your boiler or central heating system failing, there's a type of insurance you can get if things go wrong. Energy providers often try and flog their own boiler breakdown cover at inflated prices, but you don't need to take it. This guide shows you how to compare policies to find the best deal, plus alternatives to consider first.
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What is boiler cover?

Boiler cover pretty much does what it says on the tin – it's an insurance policy you buy to cover the cost of getting your boiler working again if it breaks. But there are several different levels of cover to choose from:
- Boiler-only cover. This is the starting level of cover, and usually the cheapest. It typically covers only the boiler and its controls. The majority of central heating claims are down to a broken boiler, but if the problem is outside the 'white box', this sort of cover won't help.
- Boiler and central heating cover. The same as above, plus cover if, for example, pipes, radiators or central-heating pumps break.
- Boiler, heating, plumbing, drains and home electrics cover. This would be classed as high-end cover, and so tends to be more expensive. Here you'd be covered for all central-heating repairs, plus burst pipes, blocked drains and electrical repairs. It's slightly different to the home emergency cover below, as this policy would also cover repairs that aren't considered an emergency.
- Home emergency. Broadly, this tends to cover your boiler and central heating, plus also provide help for floods, pest infestation and more. As the name suggests, it tends to cover emergencies – usually if your health's at risk, your home's uninhabitable or at risk from further damage if the problem's not fixed. For example, this could be if you've a burst pipe and can't turn off the water supply, or your boiler's broken and it's zero degrees outside.
Whichever level of cover you opt for, always double-check what you're getting and closely inspect the terms to make sure the policy suits you, and you're not under or over-covered. It's also important to note that almost all plans include an initial no-claims period (designed to stop people signing up to plans on the day their boiler breaks), which varies from 14 to 30 days.

Should I get boiler cover?
As a policy is optional, you'll need to weigh up whether the monthly cost is worth it for you – though there's absolutely no point in shelling out for cover if you don't have to. Here are some key points that should help:
- You don't need it if you rent. Only homeowners need to consider boiler cover. If you rent, it's not your responsibility. Though it's always best to check what level of cover your landlord has in place before you sign your rental contract, so you know how long you could be left in the cold if anything were to break.
- Check if your home insurance already provides cover. Some contents insurance policies include a home emergency or boiler cover option, either as standard or a paid-for extra. This often covers the cost of call outs and a temporary repair, though sometimes you'll still need to pay an excess.
Check with your provider beforehand to avoid being double-covered or use our Cheap Home Insurance guide to find an insurer that offers this cover as part of the package.
- Consider self-insuring if your boiler is under three years old. If you've new, reliable kit, it may be cheaper to self-insure. Instead of paying for a policy each month, put the same amount into a top savings account to build up your own emergency fund. If you have a problem, the cash is there to pay for it. If you don't, the cash is yours.
However be aware that this method takes time to build up and the cost of repairing or replacing a boiler can be expensive. For example, a new fan could cost around £230, a replacement pump can be up to £300 and a replacement heat exchanger upwards of £400.
You could consider playing the odds by self-insuring during the early years of your boiler's life – when it's least likely to go kaput – then after three years or so, bite the bullet and take out insurance.
Boiler cover need-to-knows
If you think boiler insurance is right for you, here are five key need-to-knows to understand before opting for a new policy. Plus, remember with any new boiler insurance policy, you can't claim within the first 14-30 days.
Best buys: How to find the cheapest cover

Before you start looking for cover, know that your boiler cover is completely separate from your energy provider. Energy providers often craftily try to link the two, but that's usually nonsense (unless cover comes 'free' with your tariff).
However, always ensure you're on the best energy deal as the savings from switching could more than pay for your boiler cover. Our Cheap Energy Club lets you compare deals or it can pick a tariff for you to select every year to ensure you're always on a cheap deal.
The top comparison sites for cheap boiler insurance
Thankfully, a few comparison sites do the hard work for you. Just pop in your details and you'll get a result in minutes. The prices in your results will usually depend on where you live, the type and age of your boiler, and what level of cover you're looking to buy.
The comparison sites below include almost all of the major boiler insurance providers. You'll also be able to choose home emergency policies if that's what you're looking for.

Try uSwitch first – it has the best range
The widest comparison of providers is offered by uSwitch*. It will return quotes with a brief overview of the cover provided. You can then select the type of policy you are looking for via a simple tab system.
Cover is available from under £3/mth for boiler-only cover, and from £5/mth for boiler and central-heating cover. It doesn't cover every insurer, so it's worth trying at least one of the comparison sites below to ensure you get the widest reach.
We've limited feedback on uSwitch's comparison tool, so if you do use it, please let us know how you got on in the forum discussion.
Next, try MoneySupermarket and GoCompare
We've included these as they may have some insurers uSwitch doesn't, so may give you a cheaper price. However, both sites have their own drawbacks...

- MoneySupermarket* also has boiler-only cover results 'from under £2/mth'. Yet that 'from' is important as these don't tend to be tailored prices – meaning the cost can increase when you click through and put in info about where you live or more details about the cover you're looking for.

- For a wider choice of providers, try Gocompare too – though its results tend to be more focused around home emergency providers. Great if that's what you're after, but may not be useful if you're looking for boiler-only cover.
If you use these sites, let us know how you get on in the boiler insurance forum discussion.
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Cashback sites may pay you for signing up
As an extra boon, members of specialist cashback websites can be paid when they sign up to some financial products. Once you know who your cheapest boiler cover provider is, you need to check there aren't any hidden cashback deals. Do check that it's exactly the same deal though, as terms can be different. And remember the cashback is never 100% guaranteed until it's in your account.
Full help to take advantage of this and pros & cons are in our Top Cashback Sites guide.
How to complain about your insurance provider
The insurance industry doesn't have the best reputation for customer service. Plus, while a provider may be good for some, it can be hell for others.
Common problems include claims either not being paid out on time or at all, unfair charges, or exclusions being hidden in small print. It's always worth trying to call your provider first, but, if not, then…
Free tool to help you complain
This tool helps you draft and manage your complaint. It's totally free to use, and it's offered by Resolver, a firm we work with to help people get complaints justice.
RESOLVER – FREE COMPLAINTS TOOL*
If the company won't help, Resolver also helps you escalate your complaint to the free Financial Ombudsman Service.

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