Does Home Insurance Cover Boiler? Here’s What You Need to Know
Does your home insurance cover your boiler? The short answer is no; standard home insurance does not cover boiler breakdowns, repairs, or replacement. It’s one of the most common misconceptions UK homeowners and landlords have, and finding out the hard way can mean an unexpected bill running into hundreds of pounds.
In this guide, you will find out exactly what it does not cover, what your real options are, and how to make sure your boiler is covered properly.
What Does Home Insurance Actually Cover for Boilers?
Home insurance in the UK includes two types; building insurance covers the structure of your property, and contents insurance covers your possessions. A boiler is a permanently fitted appliance, so it falls under buildings insurance but that still doesn’t mean breakdown is covered.
The standard Home Insurance is designed to cover your property against unexpected events, but when it comes to your boiler, the cover is not what most people expect. Knowing exactly where your policy stops could save you from a sudden expensive bill. Here is where your policy applies and where it does not in terms of your boiler.
Does Home Insurance Cover Boiler Breakdown and Repairs?
Boiler repairs and breakdowns are generally not covered by home insurance. When your boiler develops a fault or requires a part to be replaced, it’s your responsibility, and none of this is covered by a standard home insurance policy. And if your boiler needs replacing entirely, your home insurance will not help there either.
Will Home Insurance Cover a Boiler Replacement?
Standard Home insurance does not cover boiler replacement. The only exception is if your boiler was destroyed as a direct result of an insured event such as a fire or flood. A boiler that has broken down or worn out is not covered regardless of its age.
Does Home Insurance Cover a Boiler Leak?
If your boiler develops a leak and causes water damage to your floors, walls, or ceilings, your home insurance might cover the damage to your property. The cost of repairing the boiler itself or fixing the source of the leak is not covered under home insurance.
Can Home Insurance Cover Accidental Damage to my Boiler?
Accidental damage cover can be added to buildings insurance as an optional add-on to some home insurance policies. This can include repairs to your boiler if it is accidentally damaged while doing a DIY repair or renovation. However, it doesn’t cover boiler breakdown, mechanical issues or wear and tear. To do this, you will require a dedicated boiler cover.
How Can I Get the Right Cover for My Boiler?
Standard home insurance does not cover boiler breakdown, but there are dedicated options that do, each offering a different level of protection depending on what you need.
Boiler Cover
Boiler cover is a dedicated policy designed specifically for what home insurance leaves out that is boiler breakdown, repairs, parts, labour, and the callout costs. Most policies also include an annual boiler service, which keeps your boiler running and is often a condition of keeping your cover valid. If your primary concern is protecting your boiler and avoiding unexpected repair bills, this is the most direct solution.
Boiler Insurance You Can Trust
Get boiler breakdown and landlord cover including free annual boiler service.
Choose your policy type
Home Emergency Cover
Some policies go further combining dedicated boiler breakdown protection with wider cover for your home, including plumbing emergencies, electrical failures, drainage, pest control, and home security. Although home emergency cover typically includes these benefits, it does not always include boiler breakdown protection. 24|7 Home Rescue’s My Home Plus combines both, bringing boiler cover and home emergency cover together under one policy, so there is no need to manage separate policies for separate risks.
Home Emergency Cover
Safeguard your property against unforeseen circumstances with Home Emergency Cover from 24|7 Home Rescue.
Does Landlord Insurance Cover Boiler?
If you are a landlord, you have a legal obligation to take certain actions and that includes boiler maintenance with a valid Landlord Gas Safety Certificate. Boiler breakdown and repair is not typically covered under your landlord insurance policy, but as a landlord, you must ensure that you have a safe heating system for your tenants. If a boiler breakdown occurs, you are responsible for repairing it. To ensure that the responsibility is managed without the risk of an unexpected bill a landlord boiler cover comes as an ideal solution, which includes cover for parts, labour, callout fees and breakdown.
CP12 Certificate
Ensure compliance with a CP12 certificate inspected by Gas Safe engineers. Get our Landlord Boiler Cover, including a CP12 certificate.
Conclusion
Now that you know, standard home insurance does not cover boiler breakdown, repairs, or replacement. The next step is straightforward. You need a dedicated boiler cover, as boiler repairs can cost anywhere from £120 to £750 depending on the fault. Without a dedicated cover, you are responsible for the full repair cost.
24|7 Home Rescue offers cover options to suit every homeowner and landlord, whether that is standalone boiler cover, landlord cover, or a combined boiler and home emergency policy under My Home Plus. Explore 24|7 Home Rescue boiler cover options to find the right level of cover for you.
What Is the Difference Between Home Insurance and Boiler Cover?
Home insurance covers your property against damage from events such as fire, flood, and theft. Boiler cover is a separate policy that covers your boiler against mechanical breakdown, parts failure, and repair costs, risks that home insurance does not cover. If your boiler breaks down, home insurance will not pay for the repair. Boiler cover will.
Does contents insurance cover boilers?
No, contents insurance does not cover boilers; it includes your personal belongings such as furniture, appliances, and electronics against events like theft, fire, and flood. Your contents insurance could provide cover for the damage to your contents caused by a leak in your boiler, but it won’t cover repair to the boiler itself.
Does buildings insurance cover boiler replacement?
Mechanical breakdowns are not covered under buildings insurance. Buildings insurance will only pay for a boiler to be replaced if it is destroyed by an insured event (such as fire or flood) rather than wear and tear or mechanical failure.
Can I claim on home insurance for boiler damage to my property?
If a boiler leak causes water damage to your floors, walls or ceilings, your home insurance may cover the repair costs to your property. It will not cover repairing the boiler itself or fixing the source of the leak.
At 24|7 Home Rescue, we aim to keep our blogs accurate and helpful at the time of publication. However, details such as images, services, or related information may change over time. Content is provided for general information only and should not be taken as professional advice. For appliance- or boiler-specific guidance, always refer to your manufacturer’s user manual, as controls, settings and features may vary by brand and model. For the latest updates on our services, please review our Terms & Conditions or contact us directly. 24|7 Home Rescue accepts no liability for any actions taken based on outdated or incomplete content. Our team is always happy to help with any questions.
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