HOME EMERGENCY COVER & boiler repair insurance

Our Full Home Emergency insurance option covers the cost of emergency boiler repairs (up to the £500 claim limit) in the case of sudden failure, except where it cannot be repaired or is beyond economic repair. Homeprotect emergency cover does not cover replacement boilers or appliances.     

The sudden or unexpected occurrence of an insured incident during the policy term, which necessitates immediate corrective action to:  

• Prevent damage or further damage to your home;  
• Make your home secure; or  
• Relieve unreasonable discomfort, risk or difficulty to you and your family.  

The following circumstances are covered under our Basic Home Emergency (subject to terms and conditions), which is included as standard: 

• Plumbing and drainage (i.e. damage to or blockage, breakage or leaking of the drains or plumbing system (that you are responsible for) 
• Power supply (failure of the domestic electricity or gas supply) 
• Toilet unit (damage to or mechanical failure of a toilet bowl or cistern that results in complete loss of function of the only toilet – or all toilets – in the property) 
• Home security (damage to, or failure of, external doors, windows or locks which leaves the property insecure) 

• Vermin (the sudden infestation of vermin in the insured property which prevents the use of the lofts or one or more rooms) 

Our full home emergency option also covers (again subject to terms and conditions), the following circumstances: 

• Main heating system (i.e. failure to function of the boiler) 
• Roof damage (where internal damage – e.g. an ingress of water – has been caused or is likely) 
• Hotel accommodation (£300 to cover the cost of a room if the property is uninhabitable following an emergency) 

More details can be found in our Insurance Product Information Document (IPID). 

In the event of a Home Emergency – please call our 24/7 claims line – contact us here

No, you don’t have to pay the tradesperson. Our home emergency provider – DAS – will arrange and pay for a contractor to take action to resolve the Emergency. The action taken will depend on what would be fair and reasonable in the circumstances and will be either to:

• Carry out a temporary repair (or a permanent repair if this is no more expensive); or
• Take other action, such as isolating a leaking component

Home Emergency cover is intended to deal with issues requiring immediate attention, therefore wear and tear is not covered under the Home Emergency product.

Contact the assistance helpline as soon as possible (and within 48 hours) after a home emergency covered by this policy. Ensure somebody aged 18 or over is at the insured property when the approved contractor arrives.

There is no limit to the number of claims you make per year on either our Basic or Full products.

For Full Home Emergency cover, if your home remains uninhabitable overnight following an insured incident, DAS will pay up to £300 for hotel accommodation. The decision on whether your home is uninhabitable will take into account whether it would be fair and reasonable to remain in your home.

The main Homeprotect policy will cover either loss of rent (if your property is let to tenants) or the cost of the alternative accommodation for yourself and other residents if your home is unhabitable for prolonged periods.

Please check your Policy Booklet for the maximum amount you can claim for.

No. Please do not arrange for a contractor yourself, as this will not be covered. When you have provided details of your claim to our home emergency provider – DAS –  and they have accepted it, DAS will arrange for one of their approved contractors to help you as quickly as possible. DAS will tell you what to do next.

1. Turn off the stop-cock by rotating it clockwise until it is completely closed.
2. Switch off your heating systems as soon as possible.
3. Drain excess water from the system. You do this by turning on all the taps and flushing toilets multiple times, until the water stops coming through.
4. If anything electrical has been affected by the flood, turn off the mains electricity immediately before approaching the wet area. If the flooding is near the mains switch then seek professional assistance and do not approach it.
5. Check for bulges in the ceilings of rooms beneath the burst pipe, indicating trapped water. Place a bucket underneath the bulge and puncture it to control the drain.
6. If the pipes require defrosting you should either thaw the pipes gently with a hair-dryer, or seek professional advice if required. Do not attempt to thaw pipes with the central heating as this can make things worse.
7. Once the initial crisis is under control, you should contact us if you need to start a claim.