Self insure instead of maintenance contracts

verntern

Central heating insurance contracts like any insurance is a gamble. Can bring peace of mind that you are covered for the unexpected breakdown. However, the small print in the insurance document is very small and the the company, whoever it is, will try to find a reason not to meet your claim. There is no personal service. You may have paid your premiums for many years without a claim. I am trying another gamble. Self-insurance. Each month I save the equivalent of a central heating contract premium. I have got as far as £300 with some savings interest. If the whole heating system collapses tomorrow then I am a loser. After experiencing the rushed attention of the 'Homeserve' operatives who need to fill their daily quota with the next job. Best to find your local heating engineer with a good reputation.

anotherbaldrick

I agree with you verntern. That has been my philosophy since we had a new boiler as a replacement two years ago . The installer who is local and I am very happy with does a maintainance visit every February (£60) and the arrangement we have is that if it does breakdown he will be straight around and sort it . I know I am putting my trust in my assesment of his integrity but I am happier doing this than paying the previous outfit (Sutton and East Surrey Water Co ) £380 a year who when I did need them failed me totally . It was largely up to them that a replacement became necessary. Incidentally I found my good installer from the Checkatrade website (No affiliation)
Balders

welda

Dec 2004 I changed from oil to NG, installed in a well insulated outhouse.

Will be six year next month, never once had to have boiler looked at, or services, I have a gas engineer mate, who says, if it aint broke............

jcorbygas

The above is what we advise our clients - we charge £55 per year for a service and if there are any breakdowns during the year we go out straight away (or within 24 hours anyway) If nothing goes wrong then if you have saved the money you would have spent on a contract then that can be put towards a new boiler if required in the future.
I know people like the peace of mind that you get with say BG but if you listen carefully to their radio adverts you will hear that they do not respond on the same day at weekends and during peak periods - well, they could say anytime was a .peak period as an excuse for not coming round on the same day.

I know its difficult to find a reliable engineer but word of mouth is how we got most of our customers - we now have 600 regular customers!

ollski

jcorbygas wrote: »

I know people like the peace of mind that you get with say BG but if you listen carefully to their radio adverts you will hear that they do not respond on the same day at weekends and during peak periods - well, they could say anytime was a .peak period as an excuse for not coming round on the same day.

I thought it was periods of exceptional demand not peak periods....they are thinking of the days last year when the roads were deadly for the few vans that could get out and everyones condesate pipe froze.....they are throwing huge resources at the promise.