Selecting gas boiler insurance
Selecting gas boiler insurance
Getting a central heating boiler fixed after an unforeseen breakdown can be really costly. If there is also a delay waiting for a plumber to arrive you could be without hot water for a considerable period. For peace of mind many people seek to protect themselves in an emergency by taking out central heating or central heating breakdown cover.
There are a number of things to look for and a number to head off when buying boiler cover. The payment will be by a fixed monthly fee and ensure that a heating engineer is available to call if you have an emergency. Attendance within 24 hours is a standard promise in most of these plans however, this response time will only be guaranteed if you pay a premium on your policy. You’ll also usually get priority if you are elderly or have young children.
If you want you can extend the cover to other services in your home such as the electrical wiring or plumbing and drains. Including additional options will increase the regular charge.
The right type of plan will depend on your circumstances. If your heating boiler heats both your water and your house, you might want to incorporate central heating with your insurance which will include protection for your radiators. In addition you might want to incorporate drains insurance if they are problematic.
Most policies include a 12 month service as part of the package. It is recommended that you commission a central heating system serviced annually whether or not it is included in your boiler cover plan. As badly maintained boilers can produce deadly carbon monoxide gases it is absolutely essential that you have a twelve month gas fired boiler service.
The likelihood of heating boiler breakdowns can be reduced through regular heating boiler servicing as problems are identified early. In addition you will ensure that your gas fired boiler operates safely. Often central heating boiler care suppliers will only offer care when they see that a regular gas boiler service is carried out.
If you do decide to take out central heating boiler cover check your policy for the following exceptions:
Some gas boiler care policies only offer basic parts and 1 hours labour. Some breakdowns will cost considerably more than this and you will have to pay the difference.
Some central heating system care providers will not offer care on older boilers. If you do have an old gas fired boiler you need to pay particular attention to this type of clause.
You need to continually inspect your plan on renewal as is sometimes some limitations will now apply to you. Boilers which incur a number of breakdowns may not be covered in the following year.
While you might be able to switch to another central heating system cover provider, it is recommended that you select one that does not contain a restriction on the age of the central heating boiler on renewal. The older your central heating system the more likely you will need cover and less likely a new supplier will provide insurance.
If you are unfortunate and have two breakdowns in one year you might find that some policies stop care. Choose a care plan that has limitless call outs and preferably does not limit the amount they will care you for.
The monthly fee can be reduced by by inclusion of an access payment amount if you call out the provider. This could be a good option if you have a comparatively new gas boiler.