Why should you get central heating cover?

What does the nights drawing in make you think of? Is it cosy comfort food, warm hot chocolate with lashings of cream and marshmallows and a lovely warm welcoming house? Sounds lovely doesn’t it?

But since most of us are dependent on central heating systems for our heating and hot water, what happens when your boiler breaks down, the central heating pump seizes or the central heating programmer stops working? The lovely warm toasty images become tinged with ice, long waits and unexpected bills for central heating repairs. Not quite such an attractive image is it? But it’s something you can avoid if you invest in a central heating cover package.

So apart from avoiding a freezing house in the cold winter months and ruining your careful budgeting with unexpected central heating breakdown bills, why should you get central heating cover?

What are boiler and central heating cover?

Boiler and central heating cover protect the householder against adverse events that may affect their boiler or central heating. It differs from house buildings and contents insurance, which insures against damage to the house and property.

Some traditional house insurance policies do include some level of boiler or central heating cover but this may only cover the boiler and central heating at certain times of the year, for example, September of year one to April of year two. If the cover forms part of the buildings and contents policy, a claim under the boiler or central heating cover may affect the no-claims position of the main policy. This could make the whole policy more expensive to renew.

What is a gas boiler cover policy?

A gas boiler cover policy protects against boiler breakdown. It covers the gas boiler and controls. The best boiler cover will also include an annual boiler service and the chance of a discount on a new boiler, if the existing boiler cannot be economically repaired.

Hometree offers a gas boiler cover package with both of these features, that is available with or without a standard call-out charge, and payable either annually or monthly.

It is important to compare boiler cover packages. To ensure the package you purchase is the best cover with service. Gas boiler cover with an annual boiler service is cost-efficient. An annual boiler service can cost between £65 and £85. This may be more during the winter months if there is a shortage of registered gas safe engineers. Larger firms, with bigger operating costs, often charge more than small contractors for an annual boiler service. It makes financial sense to have your boiler service and cover together. Hometree’s boiler cover includes an annual boiler service, in addition to covering the gas boiler and controls.

Manufacturers of the best gas boilers stipulate that an annual boiler service is required to maintain the manufacturer’s warranty on the boilers.

Important Information

Some providers offer insured plans to look after your Boiler and Heating and other home services like plumbing, drains and electrics, whereas other providers offer non-insured plans. An insured plan will be underwritten by an insurer and also regulated by the [Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)](https://www.fca.org.uk/). Non-insured plans are not backed by an insurer and are not regulated by the FCA. Often non-insured or maintenance plans include an annual service of the equipment covered, whereas these may or may not be included in insured plans.

What is central heating cover? How does it work?

Central heating cover is sometimes called central heating insurance.

It is an extension of gas boiler cover and includes everything in gas boiler cover plus the wider central heating system. Central heating insurance usually costs more than gas boiler cover but as a central heating system is dependent on all its components working efficiently to operate, an insurance policy for the boiler alone can be a false economy.

Boiler repairs are usually the most expensive but faults with the central heating programmer or time clock will stop the central heating working. Similarly, a central heating pump that does not work will bring the whole central heating system to a halt. So taking out central heating cover is worth considering if you want to ensure that all your central heating is protected.

Central heating cover usually includes the following:

• Gas boiler and controls
• Central heating programmer or central heating time clock
• Motorised valves, pumps, thermostats and heating controls
• Immersion heaters, expansion tanks, cylinders, hot water and feeds
• Radiator and valves
• Associated pipework and fittings
• An annual boiler service

If you decide that central heating cover is for you, how do find the best policy? Boiler comparison sites may have information on gas boiler cover and central heating cover but it is worth carrying out your own internet search. Use search words like best central heating cover or central heating insurance and check out the results. If you click on the safe links, you will find out what central heating cover costs and comprises of from different companies.
The best cover should include the following:

• Cover of the complete central heating system all year long, as detailed above.
• An annual boiler service should be included because ad hoc boiler services can cost on average £85, which is a considerable cost that has to be taken into account when costing out central heating cover.
• The facility to pay monthly as well as annually, for the central heating cover. Many people find paying monthly much easier to budget than larger annual payments, although usually there is a cost-saving for paying annually.
• The choice of opting for a standard call-out charge, usually around £60 per claim or call-out, or no call-out or excess charge, where the overall cost of the central heating cover will be more expensive, than the standard call-out charge.

Hometree’s central heating care plans

Hometree offers central heating care that has all the above features at a competitive price. See the website for details.

So for peace of mind, invest in a central heating care package that protects your entire central heating system. Let unexpected boiler repair and central heating bills be a distant memory. Have the reassurance that if your central heating system breaks down it will be repaired in a timely manner by qualified and registered gas safe engineers.

When you are deciding on the central heating care make sure it includes all the components detailed above and is competitively priced and offers choice in terms of payment period and whether you pay a call-out charge or excess or not.

If you want a lovely cosy house this winter, protect against central heating breakdown with a comprehensive, cost-effective central heating care package.