Home insurance - boiler problem?

newguy12

Hi,

Is accidental damage to a boiler covered by home contents insurance?

I can't find any reference to boilers in the booklet I was sent when I signed up, furthermore it does cover heating installations.

Basically I caused a problem which might be serious and it is stressing me out - I am really hoping home insurance covers the cost as I am a tenant.

molerat

It should cover any accidental damage to the property that you are legally liable for providing you have tenant's insurance. What have you done ?

newguy12

we've been having problems for a while...

last time the electrician visited he said if it happens again (no heating/hot water) press in this little button (some sort of pressure release valve i guess) on the side of the element..!?

Anyway I did this but when i was putting a plate cover back on I pierced a pipe and its shorted the whole thing, plumber/sparky haven't arrived yet to see exactly what needs replaced (I am hiping for not very much - at worse one pump and the circuit board anyway). It may have simply fused?!, I just can't switch it on.

I have normal contents cover, I can only assume the landlord has the proper buildings cover.

jonesMUFCforever

IMO contents cover will not cover you for this.
I was told years and years ago that if you picked your house up and tipped it upside down - everything that falls out is covered by contents most of everything else is buildings. If your boiler fell out you would have real problems.

newguy12

what about tenants liability?

not sure what that exactly means but I have cover for that...?

l0u1se

Tenants liability is basically a part of the policy that will cover you for anything that you are liable for in your tenancy agreement.

Strict liability which also generally comes with contents insurance would cover you if the above didn't.

What insurance company are you with?

newguy12

my insurance is via HBOS (Bank of Scotland specifically)...

i may just have to ask the bank, however I don't want to explain it to them and then realise they twisted my words and I don't have cover.

_Andy_

newguy12 wrote: »

Hi,

Is accidental damage to a boiler covered by home contents insurance?

I can't find any reference to boilers in the booklet I was sent when I signed up, furthermore it does cover heating installations.

Basically I caused a problem which might be serious and it is stressing me out - I am really hoping home insurance covers the cost as I am a tenant.

Why not just ring your insurer and ask? How are randoms on a message board with no information about your policy supposed to know?

InsideInsurance

An installed central heating system is normally covered under buildings insurance rather than contents. That said, there is the possibility of it being covered under your tenants liability section (assuming your policy has such a section). I am a little unclear on what you were actually doing to damage the boiler? This may be an issue on if you have cover or not.

mcclunyboy

duplicate post - sorry

newguy12

Last time the electrician was here he showed me how to press a pressure release button.

When i completed this I was putting a plate cover back on when a leak appeared...accidental obviously. The covering plate must have cut through a tiny pipe which was running at pressure and is still leaking 2 days later. Plumber is yet to visit. We are capturing pretty much all the water now.

I have normal HBOS home insurance but as I stated I am privately renting the accomodation i believe I do have tenants liability up to £5000 - ignoring my excess.

Obviously it wasnt intentional damage so how would an accident not be covered via tenants liability?

I appreciate everyones help, I have never claimed against insurance and my renewal date is in 3 weeks so i think i need to renew it first.