Is Boiler Cover Worth It?

The boiler is one of the hardest working appliances in any household, and as such you may find that it encounters one or two problems over the course of its lifetime. When such problems arise, they raise an important question: is there any point in getting boiler cover? There are arguments for both sides, and this article will look at the pros and cons of each.

The Benefits

Getting cover offers a number of benefits to you and your home. If you decide to purchase cover, which is available from most energy suppliers, you will have access to engineers who will repair your boiler should it suffer a fault, and most cover schemes will include an annual service too.

This means any repairs you need can be carried out as and when you need them, and the annual service will ensure that any potential faults can be identified and prevented, saving you hassle.

The average boiler repair bill last year was £314, according to energy experts uSwitch. While boiler cover may be expensive, you never know how many times your boiler could break down, so that £314 could be multiplied a few times over the course of a year.

That isn’t to say that your boiler will definitely encounter problems; you may find you have a boiler that’s been in perfect working order for years on end, but if you don’t elect for boiler cover, you are taking a risk that could have an unwelcome impact on your wallet.

Any Drawbacks?

There are strong cases for both sides of the boiler cover argument, with both options having their own set of advantages and drawbacks. It may seem like purchasing boiler cover could be a pointless exercise, as you may be lucky enough to not have any faults with your system, in which case you’ve paid for cover that you don’t need. 

However, paying an engineer for repairs as and when they are needed can become very costly, with weekend call-outs costing as much as £180, including a six hour wait for service. Boiler cover, on the other hand, can cost as little as £5 a month with a £50 excess fee, or £12.90 without the excess fee.

Existing Policies

When buying insurance cover, it is important to check if you are already covered through your home insurance scheme first. Boiler cover is not included for mobile homes and bedsits, and only homeowners can receive it, not tenants.

If your home insurance does not include boiler cover and you would like to opt for it, make sure you ask around the different energy providers to see which company can offer you the best deal. If your existing energy provider sells boiler cover, you may be able to get a discount for using their service.