Boiler insurance

Nara

Hi,

I pay £18 a month to homeserve for our boiler insurance, this covers a service each year and certain things that might need fixing. So far we have had the fan replaced a couple of times and something broke on it which meant the heating and hot water would only come on at the same time instead of being able to choose which they also fixed.

The main worry for me is if it needed replacing it would be expensive and we wouldn't have the money sitting around to pay for it.

But i am trying to save money! and wondering if really this insurance is needed? Or would it work out cheaper to just pay for a service each year and then if it say ''blew up'' we could claim on home insurance for this?? but then our home insurance would go up??

Not sure what is the right money saving option to take!! (trying not to mention the 6+ calls a day i get from homeserve sometimes, altho i never answer them

McKneff

In all honesty, I wouldnt not insure your boiler but have you looked at other plans.

British gas do one for about £13 a month wich also covers central heating as well.

I think there is something else where you pay £7 or £8 a month but you pay the first £50 of any callout.

Have a look at their website for clarification.

Sods law says it will break down within a week of you stopping your insurance, been there, done that.:rotfl:

Suzanne_Louise

Try local heating companies. We live in Hull and have just taken out a policy that covers our boiler service and central heating, plumbing and electrics for £15 per month. I've used them before in my previous property and had 2 radiators replaced when they sprang leaks (a couple of years apart). In my opinion, worth doing, for peace of mind as no call-out charges either.

SandC

Check what you are paying for - British Gas cover only replaces a boiler under 7 years old if it was fitted by someone else and under 10 years old if it was fitted by them and has been under their cover ever since. You don't get a new boiler just because yours 'blew up', if it's of an age where it's considered not repairable (remember it is in the interests of the engineer to get you to have a new boiler supplied and fitted by them - a second opinion is vital if you have a problem where a british gas rep tells you it is not repairable).

Home insurance certainly doesn't boiler breakdown of any kind, although you may have emergency assistance within your policy so that you could call someone out if you have a problem.

These insurances are for maintenance and repair essentially so when your boiler has ended its natural life it's up to you to pay for a new one, insurance won't cover it.

* Edited, sorry I realise now it was Homeserve you are with but they will have the same rules on replacement of boilers.

Nara

Ah ok, well my boiler is over 7 years old, probably coming up to 9/10 years maybe. Everything im my house seems old and knackered lol i like the sound of the local compaines who cover everything, we have a radiator in my bedroom that hasnt worked for over a yr. When i called a plummer out for the same problem with a downstairs one he charged me £250 to fix it !! and to flush my system out, altho who knows if it actually needed that or not, since it didnt stop the one in my bedroom doing the same thing. !

SandC

Just checked Homeserve and boiler replacement isn't included at all.

On that basis I would rather go with BG than Homeserve but as the boiler is the age it is then ask, ask, ask around to try and find someone local.

*Scarlett

Ask your home insurance provider about adding on a home emergency cover. It would probably cost a lot less than £18 per month but bear in mind that the cover will be more restrictive. It wouldn't cover service costs and you're usually only covered if it fails completely. Maintenance of the boiler would generally not be covered.

These policies usually cover other areas as well - plumbing and drainage, electricity supply, security. But again the cover might be quite restricted. You are only covered up to a certain amount for each claim.

Many will cover boilers up to 15 yrs old, have no excess and if you need to claim won't affect your no claims discount as they are separate policies added on to your home insurance.

You would need to read the exclusions carefully and see if this type of cover would suit you.

If your home insurance is up for renewal soon, have a shop around. You may be able to find a policy with home emergency included, or at little extra cost.

olly300

Nara wrote: »

Ah ok, well my boiler is over 7 years old, probably coming up to 9/10 years maybe. Everything im my house seems old and knackered lol i like the sound of the local compaines who cover everything, we have a radiator in my bedroom that hasnt worked for over a yr. When i called a plummer out for the same problem with a downstairs one he charged me £250 to fix it !! and to flush my system out, altho who knows if it actually needed that or not, since it didnt stop the one in my bedroom doing the same thing. !

What do you mean by "not working"? Post on the DIY board as the problem could be simple i.e. air in the radiator.