Is boiler cover worth it?

What “boiler cover” actually means

“Boiler cover” is used for several quite different products. Before you can decide if it is worth it, it helps to know which one you are looking at.

Service plans

A service plan prepays scheduled servicing, either annually up front or through instalments with some providers. It may add booking reminders and member repair rates. Repairs are charged separately.

Service plus labour

Some plans add repair labour: if the boiler breaks down, the engineer’s time is covered, and you pay for parts.

Breakdown cover and boiler insurance

Full breakdown cover pays for repairs, including parts up to a limit, and sometimes a replacement boiler if yours cannot be fixed. Products that pay for parts and repairs on an uncertain event are often insurance, regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Home insurance add-ons

Many home insurers offer home emergency or boiler cover as an optional extra. These are often focused on emergencies and may not include an annual service.

When cover tends to be worth it

• You could not easily absorb a sudden repair bill. If a few hundred pounds in January would cause real problems, spreading the cost is worth something even if it costs a little more over time.
• Your boiler is past its first few years and out of the manufacturer’s guarantee, so faults are likely to land on you.
• The cover includes the annual service. You need the service anyway, so the true cost of the cover is the difference.
• You want priority. In a cold snap, being near the front of the queue has real value.

When it tends not to be worth it

• Your boiler is new and under guarantee. Most manufacturer guarantees cover parts and labour for faults, as long as you keep up the annual service. Paying for repair cover on top of that is often paying twice. Check your guarantee terms.
• The policy excludes what is likely to go wrong. Read the exclusions. Common ones include sludge and scale damage, pre-existing faults, older boilers, and limits on parts.
• It does not cover oil properly. Many national policies are written for gas. If you are on oil, check that the boiler, burner and fuel supply are actually covered.
• You would happily put the monthly amount aside yourself. If you are disciplined, a savings pot for repairs plus a pay-as-you-go service can work out cheaper.

How to compare boiler cover

Work out the total cost over a year, not the monthly price, and check these:

Question	Why it matters
Is the annual service included?	If not, add its cost to the comparison.
Is there an excess per callout?	A low monthly price with a high excess can cost more.
Is there a limit on parts or on claims per year?	Expensive parts such as heat exchangers can exceed caps.
Are oil boilers covered?	Essential in Northern Ireland.
Is there an age limit on the boiler?	Older boilers are often excluded or limited.
Is there a waiting period before you can claim?	Many plans exclude claims in the first few weeks.
What is excluded?	Sludge, scale, pre-existing faults and “beyond economic repair” are common exclusions.
Can you cancel, and what happens to your price at renewal?	Introductory prices often rise.
Is it insurance?	If so, it should come from an FCA-authorised firm, with the protections that brings.

Is the annual service the most important part?

For most homes, yes. A boiler that is serviced every year breaks down less, uses less fuel and keeps its guarantee. Whatever you decide about cover, keep the service. See how often to service a boiler.

Paying as you go instead

If you decide against cover, the simplest approach is:

1. Book a service every year, before winter for oil.
2. Keep a repair fund, roughly what you would have paid in cover.
3. Get repairs quoted before any work is done.

Our prices are published so you can do this sum yourself: gas service £79, oil service £89, repair visit £85 for the first hour, then a fixed quote.

The Blueprint Service Plan, for comparison

Our maintenance agreement pays for scheduled servicing. Gas is £72 a year, oil £82 and heat pump £119, paid up front. Compare one-off services at £79, £89 and £129 respectively.

We book the service for you and provide proof of service for your manufacturer’s guarantee. Members get 15% off repair labour and 10% off parts, and first pick of repair slots on best endeavours. You still pay for every repair and breakdown visit. The annual payment does not buy a promise to fix a breakdown.

The plan renews yearly unless you cancel, with reminders 30 and 7 days beforehand and a 14-day cooling-off period after purchase and each renewal. Read the plan terms and compare scheduled maintenance and separately charged repairs with the other products above. See boiler care plans or email [email protected].