Boiler and Appliance Cover: Whether It Is Worth It

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Boiler and Appliance Cover: Whether It Is Worth It

What is included, exclusions, annual servicing and the alternatives

Boiler and appliance cover is insurance against breakdown, and whether it pays depends on the exclusions and on what you would otherwise spend. This is general information rather than advice.

Do the arithmetic

Multiply the monthly premium by twelve, add any excess, and compare against the realistic cost of the repairs covered. Then consider how likely they are given the age of the appliance.

On a boiler under a few years old and still under manufacturer warranty, cover frequently duplicates protection you already have.

What is usually included

Breakdown repairs, parts and labour, and in most boiler policies an annual service. The service has independent value, since it is required to keep many manufacturer warranties valid and is a gas safety matter.

The exclusions that matter

Pre-existing faults, anything present before the policy started, and a waiting period of a few weeks after purchase. Buying cover when something is already faulty does not work.

Check whether the boiler is excluded above a certain age, whether there is a limit on the number of callouts or a cap per claim, and whether parts that are difficult to source are excluded.

Sludge, scale and system faults outside the boiler itself are commonly excluded, and those are frequently what actually causes a breakdown.

Landlords have legal duties

In the UK, landlords must have gas appliances checked annually by a registered engineer and provide a certificate. That is a legal requirement rather than an insurance product.

Alternatives

Paying for an annual service directly and setting the rest aside works well for anyone able to absorb a bill. A service costs considerably less than a year of cover in many cases.

Reducing breakdowns

Annual servicing, bleeding radiators, keeping the system pressure correct and adding a magnetic filter all reduce boiler faults. In hard water areas, scale is a major cause of failure and is preventable.

For appliances, cleaning filters, clearing lint and descaling prevent most of the failures cover is bought for.

Cover for appliances

Check whether appliances are covered individually or as a package, and any age limit. Many manufacturer warranties can be extended at purchase for less than separate cover costs later.

Before you buy cover

Check what your home insurance, manufacturer warranty and any bank account package already include, since duplication is common. Read the policy document rather than the summary.

Practical

Keep service records, since a claim frequently depends on them. Check whether the policy renews automatically and at what price, since renewal quotes are often higher than new-customer pricing.

Only ever use a registered engineer for gas work, which is a legal requirement.

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