Is A Broken Boiler Covered By Home Insurance?

day and night to keep you warm inside. However, despite all its impressive feats, the boiler is only a machine. Like all other machines, it has mechanical parts that are prone to failure and fault.

Unfortunately, we can never really tell when disaster cometh (Unless you are a prophet). Trust us. You never want to deal with a broken boiler during the winter season when it’s painfully cold.

Not long ago, thisismoney researched and found out that in the last 12 months, about 20% of UK households have had to deal with a broken boiler. They also established that one out of the ten was caught completely unaware and had to turn to loans and credit cards for repairs.

To protect ourselves from such calamities, some put money aside for emergencies. However, not all of us are that disciplined. Most of us will break into our piggy banks on the third day after saving.

What then can you do? How can you prepare yourself for the unfortunate?

Does home insurance cover a boiler?

No. Not your standard home insurance policy.

Despite boiler breakdowns being rampant, most insurance policies offered won’t help with boiler repairs or replacements. Oddly enough, they offer cover for the damage caused by appliances. For example, if water or oil leaks from your boiler and damages your property.

Isn’t that strange and “unfair?”

In their defence, insurance service providers claim that most boiler breakdowns are user-caused. Most of the time, lack of good maintenance and regular servicing triggers boiler breakdowns—Both of which are the owner’s responsibility.

It’s not the end. There’s hope.

Fortunately, you have the option of taking another cover on top of your home insurance policy. As you might have guessed, this other cover specifically targets boilers. It’s commonly known as “Boiler Cover” or “Emergency Home Cover.”

Is it expensive?

Let’s just say it doesn’t cost as much as you’d expect. Generally, it will cost you an additional 5 to 10 pounds monthly.

Sure, you could always spend that money elsewhere. However, isn’t it wiser to spend on the future? At least you’ll be able to comfortably make it through the winter season without worrying that your boiler might fail you at any time.

How does Boiler cover work?

Generally, the extra cover will have your back should your boiler crash. Besides emergency assistance, it might also cover the whole or part of the cost for boiler replacement.

Remember, different providers offer covers under different terms. If you are still unsure, you can always contact your insurance service provider for more details.

When does home insurance cover broken boilers?

Once again, we’re advising you not to jump to any conclusions. We only offer general solutions. For a more accurate answer, we recommend reading through your specific policy. Before anything else, make sure it covers boilers.

Below are some of the scenarios where a standard home insurance policy might cover a boiler:

• If the boiler broke due to an explosion. Most home insurance policies cover explosions.
• If the boiler broke due to a covered natural disaster. Please take note of the word “covered.” Not every natural disaster will apply. Examples of covered natural disasters are windstorms, hail, blizzards, and lightning. On the contrary, we have natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, and mudslides. Most standard home insurance policies don’t cover them.

Besides natural disasters, other scenarios might prevent your home insurance from covering your boiler:

• If the boiler broke down because of your misuse.
• If the boiler breaks down because of improper initial installation.
• If lack of servicing and maintenance is the reason why the boiler broke down. Remember, wear and tear aren’t covered by most policies since it’s the owner’s responsibility to care for the boiler.

How does boiler insurance pay?

Let’s assume your home insurance policy covers your boiler. If unfortunately, an explosion damages your boiler, your service provider will cover part or all of the replacement costs. On the other hand, they’ll expect you to pay the policy’s deductible. On top of that, you might have to pay the remainder of the repair fees if the cover is partial. Some limits determine much the policy covers. You can always buy a policy with higher limits. That way, it will cover most of the repair and replacement costs.

If you’re specifically worried about explosions, you should consider getting another policy called Umbrella Insurance. As you know, explosions rarely affect one household. It will help settle boiler damage costs and compensation to neighbours.

What if I don’t have a boiler insurance cover?

It’s a no-brainer that you’ll have to cover all of the repair or replacement costs.

However, apart from insurance covers, there is still coming you can do to relieve the cost weight. The most logical solution is to always purchase your boiler from trusted manufacturers with spacious warranty periods.

Who to call to fix your boiler?

Here is a little advice on how you can save money on boiler repairs.

When most boilers fail, they usually display an error code on their screens. Take note of the code and research a bit. Sometimes, you can fix the problem without calling a professional.

Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean you can fix all the problems alone. If you fail your attempt at restoring your boiler, always consult a Gas Safe registered heating engineer.

Conclusion

Not always. Indeed, some home insurance policies cover boilers. However, most of the standard ones do not. Above all, we advise you to inquire with your home insurance provider.