How much does home emergency cover cost?

Winter’s setting in. It’s the season of mulled wine, fairy lights and Christmas cheer. But it’s also the season of broken boilers, burst pipes and floods! To help you mitigate against those risks, we’ve taken a look at the average cost of home emergency cover and price comparisons. Read on for all you need to know.

What is home emergency cover?

Home emergency cover is an add-on home insurance policy. It typically covers you for issues with your home that could affect your health, your property’s security or its risk of damage.

Standalone home emergency cover

Normally, home emergency cover is a part of your home insurance policy. However, you can get a standalone home emergency cover as well. As a standalone, this cover only helps you pay for the repair of the emergency, not for the damage caused by it. For example, if you have a burst pipe, a standalone home emergency insurance will take care of the cost to repair the pipe. But, it will not cover the cost of damaged flooring caused by the burst pipe. That is something a home insurance policy covers.

While this may sound like a good reason to buy this policy as an add on, standalone home emergency insurance generally covers more emergencies than the add on does.

What does home emergency cover policy include?

Here are a few examples of home emergencies typically covered by this kind of insurance:

• Boiler breakdowns
• Blocked drains
• Central heating failure
• Burst pipes
• Pest infestations
• Loss of hot water
• Electrical failure

Home emergency cover will usually cover you for fixing the issue itself, but not the damage caused by the issue. So, if you have a burst pipe, it would usually cover you for fixing the pipe but not repairing the damage caused by any leaks that occurred

Most home emergency policies will include a 24-hour helpline for emergencies, cover for all parts, labour up to a certain amount and access to an approved engineer.

What does home emergency cover policy not include?

Home emergency insurance policy won’t usually include things that have been caused over a long period of time, or that have occurred due to inadequate maintenance. For example, it won’t usually cover:

• Wear and tear
• Rot
• Damp
• Old boilers (often over seven years old)
• Boilers that haven’t been regularly serviced

Home emergency cover price comparison

It is usually charged as a flat fee on top of your normal home insurance cover. Prices vary depending on how extensive the home emergency cover is. For example, the amount you can claim and the maximum number of claims you can make each year will vary from provider to provider. On top of that, the emergencies that each provider will cover you for will be different. Some may cover both your boiler and heating system, for instance, while some will only cover your boiler.

To make sure you’re getting the best home emergency cover and prices possible, we’d recommend getting a number of insurance quotes to compare. The home insurance costs we’ve provided here are for HomeServe, who offer a range of cover options and packages to suit your needs, across the UK.

How to save on the cost of home emergency cover

To make sure you’re not paying more than you need to, follow these simple steps:

• Check your existing home insurance policy to make sure you don’t pay twice for things you’re already covered for
• Pay annually instead of monthly
• Compare insurance providers to make sure you’re getting the best deal

Just remember that it’s not all about getting the cheapest price possible. Instead, focus on value. Check for any claims limits and restrictions on how often you can claim per year, as well as checking the cost.

FAQs about home emergency cover

Will claiming against my home emergency cover affect my no claims bonus?

Claiming on your home emergency cover won’t usually affect your no claims bonus as it’s a separate policy from your home insurance policy.

Do you need home emergency cover if you’re renting?

If you’re renting, you won’t need home emergency cover. It’s normally your landlord’s responsibility to deal with home emergencies.

Is there an excess for home emergency cover?

Whilst most insurance companies don’t charge an excess for home emergency cover if it’s an add on to the home insurance policy, you should check with your provider and the details of your plan.