British Gas Boiler Cover: Your Complete 2022 Guide

Confused about British Gas boiler cover? Not sure if the energy supplier is the best option to provide your boiler cover? Read on to find all the details you need to determine if British Gas boiler cover is right for your home.

In this British Gas boiler cover guide, we break down what exactly the coverage entails and how much it costs. We also explain how to get a new boiler and what to expect with a British Gas boiler installation.

Boiler cover is often not included in home insurance or tenants' insurance. Therefore, if you don't contract a separate boiler cover policy and your boiler needs repair, you may face high costs while you arrange and contract repairs.

British Gas boiler cover: What is it?

British Gas boiler cover is actually one part of British Gas HomeCare. Boiler cover is included in all four tiers of the company’s homecare offerings. The supplier also offers progressively more services in its pricier HomeCare options.

What exactly is covered depends on which of the company’s four tiers of HomeCare you purchase, simply named One , Two, Three and Four. As the numbers increase, so do the number of services included in the package, as does the corresponding price.

As you can see in the table above, British Gas’ most high-end option, HomeCare Four, provides much more coverage than its most basic option, HomeCare One. Four can be seen as a comprehensive cover for your home, including central heating breakdown cover, plumbing and drains cover and electrical. Meanwhile, Homecare One only provides coverage for your boiler.

Keep your boiler in tip top conditionAvoid costly callouts by following these boiler maintenance tips.

What does British Gas boiler cover include?

All four British Gas options include both an annual boiler service and the boiler and controls breakdown cover. But what does that mean exactly?

Annual boiler service refers to an annual boiler check. A Gas Safe registered engineer will check your boiler for leaks, disturbed connections and any other possible issues. This check can help you avoid more grave (not to mention expensive) problems in the future.

Boiler and controls breakdown cover is exactly what it sounds like. If your boiler or controls break down, British Gas will provide the repair services and parts to get your boiler back into ship-shape condition. With any of British Gas’ HomeCare options, you’ll receive this service.

You can find even more specific information on what is and isn’t covered by British Gas’ boiler cover policy in the table below. This information refers to the annual boiler service and the boiler and controls breakdown cover, which is available across all HomeCare options. Options Two, Three and Four have additional coverage, but here, we’re only focusing on the most basic British Gas boiler cover.

It’s important to realise that Boiler and controls breakdown only covers repairs for your boiler and not for your central heating system! If you do have central heating, you should look into the HomeCare Two, Three or Four options.

Beyond that, focusing solely on boiler cover, all standard services are included in all four of the HomeCare options. If you’re looking for a more comprehensive plan that covers more elements of your home, you should look into HomeCare 3 or 4, or contracting with a different boiler cover provider altogether.

Can I get a British Gas boiler service without HomeCare?

You can get an annual British Gas boiler service outside of a HomeCare contract. Be aware that this only covers the annual check on your boiler and the controls and accessories. It does not include any repairs you may need. This service starts at £90.

British Gas boiler cover prices

For all four of British Gas’ boiler options, customers can choose between paying a monthly bill or a one-time yearly cost. Paying for your HomeCare upfront will save you some money.

Additionally, be aware that boiler prices vary quite a bit depending on which option you choose and whether you choose to have an excess or not.

Excess payments

Another factor to keep in mind regarding what is and isn’t covered are “excess” payments. If you’re not aware, the excess is a minimum spend that customers must pay from their own pocket when they file a claim.

That means if you have an excess payment of £60, and you receive a bill of £45 (e.g. maintenance fee), this bill will not be covered by your boiler care. Conversely, if you have a bill of £150, you would pay £60 yourself and the remaining £90 would be covered by your insurer.

All four of British Gas’ HomeCare policies offer the option of having an excess of £60 or £0 (no excess payment, which means that you won’t have any costs to incur yourself before you can claim the remainder). Why would anyone opt into a policy that includes an excess payment? Choosing the £60 excess lowers your monthly bills, which may save you money in the long run.

British Gas landlord boiler cover

British Gas landlord boiler cover is available through British Gas HomeCare. As with plans for standard customers, HomeCare plans for landlords come in four different tiers. Each level includes British Gas landlord boiler cover, as well as a gas safety certificate.

The most basic plan, which just includes the annual boiler service, the boiler and controls, and the gas safety certificate, will set you back £16 pounds per month (or £192 per year) if you choose the £60 excess.

To compare British Gas landlord boiler cover against plans with other suppliers, head to our guide on boiler cover for landlords.

British Gas boiler quote

To get a quote for a new British Gas boiler, you will need to speak with a heating adviser. HomeCare customers are eligible for an extra £200 off a new British Gas boiler. British Gas occasionally offers discounts for when you sign up by a certain date. Interest-free payment plans for new boilers and all British Gas boilers come with a five-year warranty.

Can I get a free boiler from British Gas?

British Gas customers may be eligible for a free or reduced-price boiler through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme. This is a government-run scheme intended to improve energy efficiency and reduce fuel poverty.

With this scheme, qualified homeowners can get their old boilers replaced with a new energy-efficient boiler for free (or at a reduced rate). Tenants and landlords can no longer apply for a boiler grant.

To receive a grant for a new British Gas boiler, the property must be connected to mains gas. The scheme will remain open until March 2022. If you're not a British Gas customer, other suppliers that serve more than 150,000 customers are also a part of the scheme.

British Gas boiler installation

Once you've agreed on a quote, you can schedule a date for the British Gas boiler installation to take place. Before the new boiler is installed, a gas safe engineer will need to check a couple of things:

• The placement of the current boiler.
• The water pressure.
• The number of bathrooms.
• The number of radiators.

British Gas has been installing boilers for more than 50 years. The supplier has fit more than any other supplier in the UK.

How long does it take British Gas to fit a new boiler?

If you're swapping your boiler for the same type, the British Gas engineer should be able to complete the boiler installation within one day. If you're changing your boiler type, or if the boiler you currently have is quite old, the British Gas boiler installation may take up to two or three days. You'll also need to be around for an explanation of the new boiler controls once it is installed.

Which boilers does British Gas install?

British Gas installs three different types of boilers: combi boilers (or combination boilers), system boilers and conventional boilers. Selecting the type of British Gas boiler for your home will depend on a variety of factors, such as the size of the property and if you have a gas supply.

The boilers that British Gas installs are manufactured by companies like the following:

• Worcester
• Bosch
• Vaillant
• Glow worm
• Veissman