Boiler Cover vs Home Emergency Cover: Which Do You Need?
• Boiler cover deals with your gas boiler breaking down. Some plans also cover the wider central heating system. • Home emergency cover includes the boiler and adds other emergencies, such as plumbing, drainage, electrics, pests and lost keys, depending on the plan. • Boiler-only cover is usually cheaper, but it won’t help with a burst pipe or a power failure. • You don’t need both: a home emergency plan that includes the boiler already covers boiler breakdowns. • Neither covers servicing, wear and tear or problems that existed before you took out the policy.
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A boiler breakdown in winter is one of the most common, and most stressful, home emergencies. But it isn’t the only one. Burst pipes, blocked drains, electrical failures and lockouts can all happen without warning. So should you cover just your boiler, or your whole home? This guide comparesboiler cover and home emergency cover, with real examples of which one helps when.
What is boiler cover?
Boiler cover pays for an approved Gas Safe registered engineer to repair your gas boiler if it breaks down, including the call-out, parts and labour, up to your claim limit. With Smart Cover, there are two boiler-focused plans:
- Smart Boiler: covers your gas boiler and the gas supply pipe inside your home.
- Smart Heating: adds the wider central heating system, such as radiators and pipework. See Central Heating Cover.
Homeowner policies may also include a payment towards temporary heating if parts take more than 60 hours to arrive, and a contribution towards a new boiler if yours is under 7 years old and can’t be repaired economically.
What boiler cover doesn’t include: an annual service, wear and tear, faults that existed before the policy started, oil, LPG and electric boilers, boilers with an output over 60kW, and breakdowns where the boiler hasn’t been serviced in the last 12 months.
What is home emergency cover?
Home emergency cover deals with a wider range of sudden problems that make your home unsafe, insecure or unliveable. Smart Cover’s home plans include everything in Smart Heating, then add more:
- Smart Home: adds plumbing, drainage and electrics.
- Smart Home Plus: also adds pests, and security and lost keys.
For full details of what each area includes and excludes, see what home emergency cover includes.
Boiler cover vs home emergency cover at a glance
Boiler cover | Home emergency cover | |
Gas boiler breakdown | ✓ | ✓ |
Central heating (radiators, pipework) | On Smart Heating | ✓ |
Plumbing and drainage | ✓ | |
Electrics | ✓ | |
Pests, security and lost keys | On Smart Home Plus | |
Annual boiler service | Not included | Not included |
Wear and tear | Not covered | Not covered |
Which cover would help?
Here’s how the two compare in some common situations:
Situation | Boiler cover | Home emergency cover |
Your boiler stops working in January | Yes | Yes |
A radiator starts leaking | Smart Heating only | Yes |
A pipe bursts under the kitchen floor | No | Yes |
You lose all power because of a fault in your home | No | Yes |
You’re locked out after losing your keys | No | Smart Home Plus |
Rats in the loft | No | Smart Home Plus |
A storm damages your roof | No | No (home insurance) |
A tap has been dripping for weeks | No | No (wear and tear) |
If water from a burst pipe damages your floors or ceilings, that damage is a matter for your buildings or contents insurance. Seehome insurance vs home emergency cover.
When boiler cover may be enough
- Your main worry is losing heating and hot water.
- Your plumbing and wiring are in good condition, or you’d be happy to pay for those repairs yourself.
- You want the lowest-cost way to protect against a boiler breakdown.
Ask yourself how old your boiler is and how much a repair would set you back, compared with the cost of cover.
When home emergency cover makes more sense
- Your home is older, with ageing pipework or wiring as well as the boiler.
- A burst pipe, blocked drain or power failure would be hard to sort out quickly or pay for.
- You’d rather have one policy and one number to call for most household emergencies.
- You’re a landlord with a duty to keep tenants safe. See landlord home emergency cover.
Do you need both?
No. Every Smart Cover home plan includes the boiler, so buying separate boiler cover on top would mean paying twice for the same thing. It’s also worth checking whether your home insurance or bank account already includes some emergency cover before you buy.
How much does each cost?
Boiler-only cover is usually the cheapest option, because it covers less. The price rises as you add more areas of cover, and also depends on whether you choose Essential or Premium, the excess you select, and how you pay. For current prices, compare the plans on ourBoiler Breakdown Cover and Home Emergency Coverpages.
Looking after your boiler
Whichever cover you choose, a yearly service by a Gas Safe registered engineer helps keep your boiler safe and efficient, and it’s a condition of a boiler breakdown claim. Smart Cover offers aboiler service as a separate, non-insurance feature. It’s a service and safety check only, with no repairs included. For more tips, read our guide to boiler safety.
Final word
Boiler cover and home emergency cover both help when something goes wrong, but they cover different amounts of your home. If the boiler is your main concern, boiler cover may be all you need. If you want help with plumbing, drainage, electrics and more, a home emergency plan covers the boiler too. Compare the plans to find the level of cover that suits your home.
Disclaimer
This blog is for information only and should not be taken as advice. Whether cover is right for you depends on your needs and circumstances. Cover is subject to eligibility, exclusions and claim limits. Please read the full policy terms and conditions before purchasing. Smart-Cover is a trading name of Smart-Cover Direct Limited (FRN 600428), which is an Appointed Representative of City and Commercial Limited (FRN 314346), who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
