A broken boiler often means a cold house with no access to heating or hot water, leaving most of us feeling uncomfortable and inconvenienced.

For the elderly, the young and the vulnerable, it could be much more serious, especially during the winter months.

This is why it is so important for you to get your broken boiler fixed or replaced as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, getting your boiler fixed or replaced can be a large cost and one that many homeowners are not prepared for.

Despite 45% of people having experienced their boiler breaking down during winter, with an average repair cost of £940, almost half of property owners don’t have any money set aside, with a third saying they wouldn’t be able to afford a new system if their current one broke down.

Getting boiler insurance can take the pressure off affording these unexpected costs, though it is important to choose the policy that is best for you as they vary and some cover far more than others.

Different Types of Boiler Insurance

Boiler Cover

This is the most basic policy and covers your boiler and its controls. There is usually a 24/7 call centre available so you can immediately arrange a call-out for a repair.

This also includes an optional annual service and maintenance check, though it is worth noting boilers that aren’t maintained with annual checks may not be covered under some policies.

Boiler and Central Heating Cover

This offers all the same benefits of the boiler cover and also covers radiators, pumps and flues.

Boiler, Central Heating, Plumbing and Wiring Cover

This offers all the benefits of boiler and central heating cover as well as covering either your plumbing and drains, electrical wiring or both.

Can I Insure My Older Boiler?

Whether or not your older boiler will be covered depends on the policy. Some will only allow you to take cover out for boilers under a certain age (usually 15 years), so bear this in mind if your boiler is very old.

Some policies also limit the amount they pay towards repairs, so it is usually best to opt for a policy with an unlimited claim cost. This means if your boiler is broken beyond repair, they will cover the cost of replacement or pay some money towards it.

Can I Purchase an iHeat Boiler With My Insurance?

To get a new boiler from iHeat with your insurance claim, get a fixed quote from our website and speak with your insurance provider.

Once you have made a claim, find your quote and go to checkout, where you can choose to pay by card or by finance, in which case you will fill in the finance application. Make sure to select the option for applying through insurance.

Their contribution will usually be taken as the deposit or cover the cost of the boiler and you may be expected to pay the remaining fees for installation, depending on your policy.

How Much Does Boiler Insurance Cost?

According to a survey conducted by Which? in August 2020, people paid an average of £288 a year for their boiler insurance packages, though the price of your cover depends on what your package includes.

Top 5 Boiler Insurance Insurance Policies

To save you time researching boiler insurance policies, we have done all the work for you. We have chosen our Top 5 based on cost, what’s covered, call out excess and the age of boilers they cover.

1. Scottish Power ‘Boiler Insurance’

This is the cheapest boiler policy on the market, so is great if you’re looking for a low/cost boiler cover plan that covers the basics. Unfortunately, this plan does have its limits as it doesn’t include an annual service or a 24/7 helpline.

• Cost: £3.50/month or £42.00/year
• Call Out Excess: £99
• Maximum Boiler Age: 14

What’s included?

• Up to £1,500 in breakdown repairs to your boiler and controls
• Up to £750 towards a replacement boiler if required (excluding installation and delivery costs)
• Expert Gas Safe engineers

What’s not included?

• Central heating repairs
• 24/7 UK based helpline
• Annual service
• Repairs caused by sludge, limescale or corrosion
• Pre-existing faults or problems
• Accidental damage
• Flues
• Upgrade work
• LPG/oil/electricity/heating systems

2. Corgi HomePlan ‘Starter’

This plan is not the cheapest option, however, it does cover plenty, including boiler and heating, plumbing and electrics with a lower call out excess.

• Cost: £3.50/month or £42.00/year
• Call Out Excess: £99
• Maximum Boiler Age: 14

What’s included?

• Up to £2,000 per claim on boiler repairs
• Up to £2,000 per claim on heating repairs
• Up to £2,000 per claim on plumbing repairs
• Up to £2,000 per claim on electric repairs
• Up to £2,500 towards replacing a boiler under 7 years old
• Up to £400 towards replacing a boiler between 7-10 years old
• Annual boiler service

What’s not included?

• Claims in the first 30 days
• Underfloor heating and controls
• Boiler repairs above £300 per claim within the first 3 months
• Repairs caused by weather or freezing
• Repairs caused by sludge, limescale or corrosion
• Electrical ‘Terminal Ends’ e.g. light bulbs, extractor fans etc…
• Landlord or Guest Houses/B&Bs

3. Domestic & General ‘Gold’

This is the most expensive cover on our list, however, there is no call-out charge and it covers boiler repairs of up to £1,500 on boilers up to 15 years old.

• Cost: £17.50/month or £210/year
• Call Out Excess: £0
• Maximum Boiler Age: 14

What’s included?

• Up to £1,500 per claim on boiler repairs
• Up to £750 towards a replacement boiler if required (excluding installation and delivery costs)
• Annual boiler service
• Expert Gas Safe engineers
• Exclusive access to Boiler Care portal

What’s not included?

• Damage, whether accidental or malicious
• Repairs caused by sludge, limescale, freezing or hard water scale deposits
• LPG, oil an electric heating systems
• Flues
• Pre-existing faults or problems

4. 24/7 Home Rescue ‘24/7 Heating Care’

This covers more than just the basics and has no Claim limit, providing the boiler is not deemed Beyond Economic Repair (BER), in which case you will be referred to their sister company where you may qualify for a £1,000 discount on a replacement.

• Cost: £9.99/month or £119.88/year
• Call Out Excess: £95
• Maximum Boiler Age: Not stated

What’s included?

• Boiler repairs with no claim limit unless deemed BER
• Annual boiler service
• Up to £1000 per claim on heating repairs

What’s not included?

• General maintenance e.g. bleeding radiators
• Maintenance or replacement of fan convector heaters, heated towel rails or underfloor heating
• Corrosion or any work arising from hard water scale deposits
• Removal of sludge or hard water scale from the protected system
• Faults deemed intermittent or pre-existing

5. YourRepair ‘Gas Boiler Breakdown Care’

This boiler policy covers boilers of all ages, meaning it is a good plan if you are looking for cover for your older boiler.

• Cost: £9/month or £108/year
• Call Out Excess: £60
• Maximum Boiler Age: Repair any age of boiler providing it's in good working order when you join

What’s included?

• Boiler and control repairs with no claim limit unless deemed BER
• Carbon monoxide test
• Annual boiler service
• Boiler replacement for boilers under 7 years old
• Up to £350 towards replacing a boiler over 7 years old

What’s not included?

• These boiler models: Potterton, Powerma, Brittany, Chaffoteaux, Servowarm
• Faults caused by you or someone else for repairs
• Faults caused by sludge, hard water scale or blockages
• Faults when your home is empty or unoccupied for over 30 days in a row
• Faults on the central heating system
• Pre-existing faults
• Damage caused by weather or freezing
• General maintenance tasks e.g. bleeding radiators

Things to Keep in Mind

Boiler Age

Many insurance providers won’t allow you to take cover out for boilers under a certain age (usually 15 years) and may not renew your cover if you are an existing customer once your boiler reaches this age.

Maintenance

Some boiler insurance policies (and boiler warranties) do not cover boilers that are not serviced annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer. At iHeat, we send out yearly reminders for when you need to get your boiler serviced.

Cost Limits

Some policies limit the amount they contribute towards repairs, so it is often best to opt for a policy with an unlimited claim cost.

iHeat Boiler Warranty

At iHeat, all of our boilers have warranties between 7 and 10 years, during which time the warranty covers your boiler against manufacturing/material defects for both parts and labour. To claim under the warranty, you must ensure that the boiler has been maintained and inspected by a Gas Safe registered engineer on an annual basis. See our terms & conditions for more information.