Home emergency cover is not a legal requirement in the United Kingdom, but many people may benefit from having the protection in place. A lot of people consider home emergency cover if they live in an older property where issues might be more likely, or they want the reassurance that they can sort problems out when things go wrong.
Home emergency cover is all about the urgent repair. Let’s face it, you don’t want to end up with a burst pipe, a moment of severe panic and just a soggy tea towel to clean everything up.
You can never switch off as a homeowner. Just when a cold weather snap hits, the boiler might go bang. Pipes love waiting for the worst moment to strike with a leak. Electrics and drains also flare up with snags when you really don’t need them to.
For many UK homeowners, home emergency cover can be worth considering if you want fast access to help when an urgent problem makes your home unsafe or difficult to live in. The cover can help you out when the house is having a tantrum and throwing its toys out of the pram.
What is Home Emergency Cover?
Home emergency cover is all about securing access to emergency repairs for snags that suddenly happen in your house. These are usually issues that make your house unlivable because of the safety risks or potential damage. Depending on the policy, home emergency cover can help with contractor costs for emergency repairs, including:
- External water supply pipe issues
- Internal plumbing emergencies
- Drainage failure
- Domestic central heating failure
- Electrical emergencies
- Internal gas supply pipe emergencies
- Security issues
- Lost keys
- Roofing emergencies
- Certain pest infestations
The main benefit is speed at any time of the day or night. When something major happens, like a plumbing disaster, you need it fixed as soon as possible. Water squirting everywhere in the kitchen is bad news, and the disaster only grows if it is at midnight. This cover can give insured access to the 24-hour claims line. A qualified tradesperson is arranged, meaning help is always available.
Who is Home Emergency Cover for?
Home emergency cover arranged by Insureworks is designed for homeowners who live in their property as their main permanent residence. This needs to be within Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. You need to have a gas boiler.
In line with legal requirements, the homeowner needs to be 18 and have buildings & contents insurance in place. This type of cover is not suitable for properties that will be left unoccupied for 30 days or more. Use it or lose it.
This cover is not designed for commercial properties, business premises, mobile homes, bedsits, rented homes, or let properties.
When May Home Emergency Cover Be Worth It?
Home emergency cover may be worth considering if you want help arranging urgent repairs when disaster strikes. It can be an incredibly stressful situation with a lot of pressure on your shoulders. This cover may be worth getting if you don’t want to face that situation. Think of it like a pressure release valve, and pass it on to a qualified tradesperson who has dealt with it all before.
It also depends on your personal financial situation. If you’re someone who doesn’t feel like you can cover an emergency repair at short notice, having this safety net may give you peace of mind.
If you are elderly or are living with elderly residents, then home emergency cover may be worth it for you. Older residents may be badly affected by the loss of heating, water or power, so having a quick fix may be considered more essential.
As a homeowner, a disaster can strike at any time, so it’s not about preempting that. It’s about having a reliable 24-hour line and being prepared for different types of emergencies, and getting them sorted quickly.
When Might You Not Need Home Emergency Cover?
On the other hand, you may not feel like home emergency cover is worth it for you if you already have certain foundations in place. Perhaps you already have reliable tradespeople you know personally or have worked with before. If you’re someone who has savings set aside for emergencies, then you probably feel more comfortable about being able to cover the bill. In that case, there’s no stress.
You may have already been proactive and got your boiler or heating system covered under another suitable plan. It’s also worth double-checking your eligibility first. And make sure you go through and work out what you already have in terms of cover. Nobody wants to pay twice for the same thing. It’s like buying milk, only to get home and find two bottles in the fridge already.
Do I need Home Emergency Cover in an Older Home?
Older homes scream problems. That’s not to say there will never be an emergency problem with a new build; things can break at any point. Some older homes are also in perfect nick. But it’s only natural to have more things going wrong with older homes because of ageing. There is no legal requirement to have home emergency cover in an older home. There is no age limit applied.
As a result, it can be worth considering home emergency cover for older homes. However, it’s not the be-all and end-all. Issues caused by wear and tear, poor maintenance, gradual deterioration, rust, corrosion, hard water scale, sludge, poor installation or known faults may be excluded.
Do I Need Home Emergency Cover If I Have Home Insurance?
Adding home emergency cover to your home insurance is not a requirement. It’s worth weighing up your own personal circumstances to work out whether or not it’s best for you.
Standard home insurance and emergency cover are two completely different things. Home insurance will typically cover damage to your home and its contents following an issue. Typically, this follows a fire, theft, or a natural disaster. Home emergency cover is for issues that require urgent, sudden attention. It’s about stopping or limiting the problem.
For example, if a pipe bursts, home emergency cover may help arrange a contractor to stop the leak. Your main home insurance may then be the policy that deals with damage caused by the water, depending on your cover. Home emergency cover is not designed to replace home insurance; it’s more of an additional top-up.
Expert Comment on Needing Home Emergency Cover
Home emergency cover is most useful when a sudden issue leaves your home unsafe, insecure or at risk of further damage. It is not designed to replace regular maintenance, so homeowners should check what counts as an emergency before buying. The main things to look at are the claim limit, the 14-day waiting period, boiler requirements and exclusions for wear and tear. This helps avoid paying for cover that does not match your home or expectations.
Nick Rinylo – Insurance Specialist at Insureworks.
FAQs about Home Emergency Cover
We know you might have some questions about home emergency cover and how it works. The following FAQ section is a clear, no-nonsense breakdown to help you understand it and work out if it’s worth it for you.
Does home emergency cover include boiler breakdown?
You need to have an old-school gas boiler. The policy can cover unexpected and complete failures by the domestic central heating system. In the event your domestic boiler is declared beyond economic repair, the policy may put £500 towards a replacement. It does not cover non-gas boilers, boilers over 60kW/hr, routine maintenance, sludge, limescale or systems that have not been serviced in line with manufacturer recommendations. Check the policy for more information.
Is home emergency cover worth it?
Working out whether home emergency cover is worth it depends on your own personal circumstances. If you feel like you can deal with a sudden emergency from a cost and repair point of view, then it may not be worth it. If you feel like you may crumble under the pressure or struggle to organise the repair, then home emergency cover can help you.
Does home emergency cover include plumbing?
If the plumbing emergency is caused by unexpected failures or damages to the internal plumbing, including central heating pipes and radiator valves, which could lead to internal flooring or water damage in your home, then home emergency cover may be able to help.
For those who want to consider their options, Insureworks makes it simple to compare home emergency cover quotes. Without the jargon and faff, Insureworks helps arrange quotes quickly. We arrange insurance on a non-advised basis as an appointed representative of Your Company Matters Ltd. Policies are underwritten by a panel of insurers (shown at the quote stage).