A broken boiler in the middle of January is one of the most stressful household emergencies you can face. Emergency call-out fees alone can reach £100–£150, parts on top can push a single repair bill past £500, and if the boiler needs replacing, you're looking at £2,000–£4,000. Boiler cover — sometimes called boiler insurance or a boiler care plan — spreads that risk into a manageable monthly payment that also usually includes an annual service. The question is: which plan is actually worth paying for, and is cover the right choice for your situation?
What does boiler cover include?
At its core, a boiler cover policy pays for the call-out, labour and parts when your boiler or central heating system breaks down. The best plans layer on several extras:
- Annual boiler service — a Gas Safe registered engineer visits once a year to inspect, clean and safety-check your boiler. A standalone service costs £80–£120, so this alone can justify a budget plan.
- Unlimited call-outs — most mainstream providers remove any cap on engineer visits per year.
- 24/7 emergency helpline — you can report a breakdown at any time, including bank holidays.
- No repair-cost cap — better plans cover parts and labour with no upper limit per repair.
- Boiler replacement contribution — if the boiler is beyond economic repair and under 7 years old, providers such as OVO, Hometree and British Gas contribute up to £2,500 toward a replacement unit.
Pricier tiers extend cover to central heating pipework, radiators, plumbing and drainage, home electrics and even pest control. For most homeowners, boiler-and-heating cover — the middle tier — is the sweet spot.
Top 5 boiler cover plans in the UK for 2026
Prices and terms current at June 2026; always get a personalised quote as costs vary by postcode and boiler age.
1. British Gas HomeCare — best for same-day response
British Gas is the largest domestic boiler insurer in the UK and trades on network scale. The HomeCare plan covers the boiler, central heating system and gas supply pipes with no repair-cost cap. British Gas states that 80% of customers who report a fault before 11 am get a same-day engineer visit — an industry-leading response commitment. An annual boiler service is included, and you can choose your excess: £0, £60, or £99 per completed repair. The £0-excess option carries a higher monthly premium but eliminates any out-of-pocket cost at the point of repair.
Expect to pay around £22–£28 per month depending on excess choice and location, with three months free on new policies in 2026. Boilers of any age are considered, though they must pass an initial inspection. Waiting period: 14 days.
2. OVO Energy Boiler Cover — best for OVO energy customers
OVO offers three tiers in 2026. The Essentials plan (from £12/month after the introductory period, £95 excess) covers just the boiler. Starter (from £14/month) adds plumbing and electrics. Complete (from £18/month) throws in boiler replacement cover and a priority helpline. All three tiers include an annual boiler service worth around £84 and unlimited call-outs. For boilers under 7 years old on the Complete plan, OVO contributes up to £2,500 toward a new boiler if yours cannot be repaired; for boilers aged 7–10 years, the contribution drops to £400. Waiting period: 30 days.
3. Hometree — best for flexible excess
Hometree has built a strong reputation for transparent pricing and includes an annual boiler service on all four of its plan tiers (Your Boiler, Your Heating, Your Home, Your Home Plus). Its key differentiator is the widest excess range in the market — £0, £49, £60, or £95 — letting you fine-tune the premium vs. claim-cost trade-off. The Your Boiler plan starts from £12.95/month (£95 excess) or £22.90/month at £0 excess. Boilers of any age and make are covered; if yours is under 7 years old and beyond economic repair, Hometree offers a free replacement. 24/7 claims support with unlimited call-outs is standard across all tiers.
4. 247 Home Rescue — best budget pick
247 Home Rescue (written as 24|7 Home Rescue) consistently undercuts the big players on price. Its Boiler Care plan starts from around £8.99/month and includes a free annual boiler service by a Gas Safe engineer alongside unlimited call-outs. Excess options run from £0 up to £95, with £45 being a common mid-range choice. Plans step up to Heating Care and Home Care Plus for wider coverage. The provider regularly runs 50%-off promotions for new customers. Worth noting: as a smaller provider, response times during winter peak periods can be longer than British Gas — check recent Trustpilot reviews before committing.
5. Corgi HomePlan — best for boiler replacement guarantee
The Corgi name carries heritage trust in UK gas safety. Corgi HomePlan offers four tiers: Essentials, Starter, Advanced and Complete. An annual boiler service is included and engineers are Gas Safe registered. The Complete plan adds boiler replacement cover and extends protection to plumbing, drains and electrics. Entry-level plans start from around £7/month; the full Complete package sits at the higher end of the market. Unlimited call-outs and 24/7 support feature throughout. A 30-day no-claim waiting period applies to new policies.
Key things to check before you buy
Excess fees. Excesses on UK boiler cover policies typically range from £0 to £99 per completed repair visit — even a diagnostic-only visit usually triggers the excess. Run the maths: if you pay £60/month for a £0-excess plan, one avoided excess per year still may not offset the premium difference versus a £95-excess plan at £13/month.
Waiting periods. Most providers impose a 14–30 day period after the policy starts during which you cannot make a claim. Don't buy cover the morning your boiler breaks.
Boiler age limits. Many providers will cover boilers of any age but charge higher premiums for older units, or may decline cover after a first inspection. Replacement guarantees usually only apply to boilers under 7 years old.
Pre-existing faults. A common exclusion: if an engineer judges that a fault existed before the policy started, the claim can be rejected. Some providers require an inspection or service before cover begins.
Renewal price hikes. Introductory pricing is common. HomeServe's basic cover, for example, was reported to jump from £150 in year one to over £370 in year two. Set a calendar reminder to shop around 30 days before renewal.
Annual service quality. Check that the included service is a full Gas Safety Inspection producing a CP12 certificate — useful evidence if you're a landlord or planning to sell. Some lower-tier plans provide only a basic health check.
Is boiler cover worth it — or should you build a savings pot?
For a boiler under 3 years old still within manufacturer warranty, self-insuring is usually the smarter financial move. Set aside the same monthly amount you'd pay in premiums into an easy-access savings account. If the boiler never breaks, the money is yours.
Cover makes more financial sense when your boiler is 5–10 years old and out of warranty, or when your household budget can't absorb an unexpected £400–£800 repair bill. The annual service alone — worth £80–£120 at current Gas Safe engineer rates — can cover a large share of a budget plan's annual cost.
A middle path: pair a cheap boiler-only plan (primarily for the annual service and emergency call-out) with an emergency savings buffer of £300–£500. This removes the risk of a waiting period catching you out while still limiting ongoing premium spend.
Boiler cover and smart heating systems
If you've already invested in a best smart thermostat such as a Hive Active, Tado or Nest Learning Thermostat, it's worth checking whether your boiler cover extends to the thermostat controls and wiring. British Gas HomeCare explicitly covers boiler controls; others vary. Some plans exclude third-party smart controls.
Modern best combi boilers UK with connected diagnostics — such as Worcester Bosch Greenstar models with the Bosch Smart Home app — can flag fault codes remotely before a breakdown occurs, giving you time to contact your cover provider without emergency-rate urgency. If you're considering a new boiler, our Worcester Bosch boiler review explains which models carry the longest manufacturer warranties (up to 12 years), which may reduce your need for third-party cover in the short term. Similarly, our Ideal boiler review UK compares their warranty cover against the cost of an independent plan.
Quick comparison table
The table below uses indicative 2026 pricing at standard (mid-range) excess. Get a personalised quote on each provider's website for your exact postcode and boiler age.
| Provider | Entry price (approx.) | Annual service | Excess (typical) | Boiler replacement | Waiting period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Gas HomeCare | ~£22/month | Yes | £0 / £60 / £99 | Yes (<7 yrs) | 14 days |
| OVO Complete Cover | ~£18/month | Yes | £95 | Yes (<7 yrs, up to £2,500) | 30 days |
| Hometree Your Boiler | from £12.95/month | Yes | £49 / £60 / £95 | Yes (<7 yrs) | varies |
| 247 Home Rescue Boiler Care | from £8.99/month | Yes | £45 | No (basic plan) | varies |
| Corgi HomePlan Essentials | from £7/month | Yes (most plans) | varies | Yes (Complete plan) | 30 days |
Our verdict
Best overall: Hometree — transparent pricing, flexible excess options, annual service on every plan, and covers boilers of any age.
Best budget pick: 247 Home Rescue — hard to beat below £10/month with annual service included; ideal if your boiler is relatively new.
Best for response times: British Gas HomeCare — same-day engineer commitment and national engineer network is unmatched for peace of mind.
Best for OVO customers: OVO Complete Cover — convenient billing alongside your energy, solid replacement cover on the top tier.
