Know what you’re buying - Emergency boiler cover

I've been with Homeserve since they started . Took it out when my husband was alive over 20 years ago. It covers my plumbing and heating and boiler service every year. Unlimited call outs unlimited claims . Brilliant service saved thousands over the years on call 24/7. Not long after I moved here the sewerage pipe under my drive broke. 4 call outs to find where it was broken . Team of 4 men here all day . Dug up the drive ,sewage tanker came to clean out the gunk as one of the men put it. Worked from early morning until job done and drive repaired . Dread to think how much it would have cost without the cover. And my premiums have never risen.

Plus all the things I had done at our old house. Also here had valves replaced on all my radiators and 2
pipes repaired, Boiler repairs as well ..For me it's peace of mind and knowing it will be repaired within a day or 2 at most of phoning .

How much is that cover please Whiff?

We are with a very good local company a couple of hundred yards from our front door. They have been looking after our heating for 25 years and have never let us down.

We are on first name terms and they provided supporting documents for free when I was in dispute with the company that own all the gas mains.

We decided against taking out these “cover plans” when we added up how much we had paid and never had to use them. We put the payment we would have paid into a savings account and we have more than enough to cover any “emergencies”
We had our new boiler installed by a local engineer, he comes for its annual service and, if we ever have a problem he is reliable and quick!

My boiler is only two years old and came with what I consider a comprehensive 12 year warranty..

Jaxjacky I pay £76 per month but have no excess . There are other plans cheaper but you have to pay so much excess. And I would rather pay the extra and not have to worry about any other money.

Have a look at there web page as they do have offers on for new customers where it's cheaper for the first few months or year then goes up the next year . But I wouldn't be without . All the people they use are vetted and they are lovely . I also had new thermostat/ timer fitted in my living room when the old one broken. It's a modern one not like the one that was here. I used to have to switch the boiler on . Now I just use the control panel. When you take out cover they come and service your boiler then your cover starts . They also cover electric and few other things .

I am also on their priority list because of my health . But only been on it last 5 years. I know some people don't like paying out monthly thinking they won't need it. But plumbers and boiler engineers charge call out fees and cost a lot . It gives me peace of mind which is worth it's weight in gold

Just looked at Homeserve website they do have offers on but the plans have excess . Best if you phone if you want a plan with no excess .

Thanks for the information, I think we’ll stay with our local man, £90 for a yearly service, any issues in between he’ll attend within 24 hours.

I completely understand you wanting the peace of mind of cover for any problems, Whiff, and I’m of the same mindset.

Last year we only had our boiler and gas fire serviced under our British Gas Homecare Four policy, but we had four call-outs on top of that the previous year, for various problems. Swings and roundabouts - we’ve an old house with the usual old house problems and I reckon the cover has saved us money on call outs and repairs over the years.

We have the boiler, central heating, plumbing, drains and electrics covered, plus the gas fire service, with no excess, and have always had a very efficient same or next day service.

I do feel you could get a better price though, if you spoke to HomeServe. BG give us a much higher initial quote every single year, which is annoying, but they always reduce it when I get in touch and query it. We’re currently paying £38 a month.