Gas Boiler and Central Heating with Service

Frequently asked questions

• Am I eligible for this insurance?

  • This insurance is only for homeowners.

    It doesn’t include protection for mobile homes or park homes. Business premises and council and housing association properties cannot be covered.

    The boiler(s) at your home must have a power input of less than 70 KW/hr and be fired by natural gas (not LPG, electricity or oil), and gas supply pipes must be 35 mm or less in diameter.

• What information will I need to buy this insurance?

  • To make buying your cover as simple as possible, please make sure you have the following information to hand:

    • Details of the house, bungalow or flat you want to cover
    • Details of how it is heated (for example, the make of your boiler)
    • A valid email address
    • The bank details of whoever will pay for the insurance.

• What happens if I change my mind?

  • There is a cancellation period that begins at the same time as your cover. This is shown in your Policy Schedule as the Cancellation Period.

    If you cancel your cover during the cancellation period and have not made a claim, you will receive a full refund.

    If you have made a claim, you will receive a refund less an amount for the number of days which you have been on cover.

    If you cancel after the cancellation period and have not made a claim, you will receive a refund less an amount for the number of days you have been on cover.

    If you have made a claim, you will be required to pay any remaining payments due for the term of your policy.

    See the terms and conditions of your policy for more information on cancellation.

• When will I be able to make my first claim?

  • Once your policy is set up, there’ll be an initial 28-day exclusion period during which you will not be able to claim (except for the gas boiler element, where your boiler must pass the boiler health check before HomeServe can progress any claim you might make).

    Take a look at the terms and conditions of your policy for full details.

• When and how will I have to pay my excess?

  • You will have to pay £60 for each claim you make. We’ll need this payment before your claim can be progressed.

    We can only accept payment using the following cards: Mastercard, Visa, Visa Debit or Maestro.

    Please read the terms and conditions of your policy for full details.

• What’s a boiler health check, and why does my boiler need one?

  • Your boiler will be given a health check within the first year you’re covered by HomeServe. This is an initial inspection during which a Gas Safe registered engineer will check your boiler to ensure it is safe and can be insured.

    Your boiler must pass this health check before any boiler insurance claims you make can be progressed.

    Your boiler health check must be booked or completed within your first 90 days as a HomeServe customer, and it’s easy to arrange your appointment online.

    If you move house, you must let us know so that we can organise for a boiler health check to be carried out at your new home. This will need to be done before any further insurance claims can be made.

    Please note that in your first year with HomeServe, your boiler health check and boiler service will be carried out during the same appointment even though they are separate inspections. For more information, read our guide to the differences between a boiler health check and a boiler service.

• When will my boiler service be carried out?

  • In your first year as a HomeServe customer we’ll carry out your boiler service at the same time as performing your boiler health check.

    After this, if your insurance cover includes a boiler service it will usually be carried out sometime between April and September.

• Is my boiler service part of my insurance cover?

  • No. Your boiler service is not an element of your insurance and therefore is not part of the contract of insurance underwritten by the underwriter. Nor is it regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

    This means that if you have any complaint relating to your boiler service, you will not have the right to refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

    HomeServe also offers standalone boiler services, but the service provided is the same whether it is purchased on its own or together with insurance. When both are purchased together, the boiler service is FREE in the first year.

    When a FREE Boiler Service is included in your first year of cover, the boiler service is shown as FREE when compared to the equivalent cover without service.

    If you renew your cover for a second year you will have to pay for your boiler service, and the cost of this will be included as standard in the total price of your insurance.

• What if I need a repair that isn’t covered by my insurance?

  • Don’t worry. HomeServe’s one off repairs team can help!

    We offer a range of fixed price services that will help keep your home running smoothly. All our repairs are carried out by HomeServe approved experts. Call our team on 0330 0247 064 to find out more.

    Lines are open on weekdays from 8am to 6.30pm (except bank holidays) and Saturdays from 8am to 4pm. We are closed on Sundays. Calls will cost you no more than the rate of a standard call and charges may vary depending on your network provider. Calls are recorded for quality control and training purposes.

• Are there types of gas heating systems this insurance won’t cover?

  • Yes. Homeowners whose properties are heated by dual-purpose boilers, a warm air heating system, combination cylinders or thermal storage units are not eligible to buy this cover.

• What if I suspect I have a gas leak?

  • If you think you have a gas leak, call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately on 0800 111 999.

• What happens if my boiler is beyond economical repair (BER)?

  • In your first year of cover, or if you move home after 6 months:

    • If the boiler is BER and the boiler is under 7 years of age, we will replace it.
    • If the boiler is over 7 years of age, we will replace it, but you will be required to pay for the installation costs (including parts, labour and VAT).

• What happens after I’ve had my cover for a year?

  • Your cover is set up so that it will automatically renew every year. This is to make the process of renewing easier and ensure your home has continuous cover. We’ll send you a reminder about 4 weeks before your cover is due to renew. This will confirm the price of your cover for the next year and prompt you to check that it still meets your needs.

    The price of your cover will increase at renewal. Customers about to renew their cover for a second year can expect to pay £33.36 a month (£400.32 for the year), provided they have made no claims. This price includes the cost of your Boiler Service.

    If you’d rather your cover didn’t automatically renew, you can cancel this feature when you apply. Alternatively, you can log in or contact us to switch off automatic renewal at any time afterwards.

    If you decide you don’t want your cover to automatically renew, you’ll need to contact us each year to renew it yourself and organise payment.

• Will I have to pay any extra fees or charges?

  • No. You only have to pay your insurance premium and - in the event you make a claim - your excess.

    Our prices include all fees and Insurance Premium Tax (IPT).

• Who provides this insurance?

  • This cover is sold, arranged and administered by HomeServe and underwritten by Aviva Insurance Limited. Aviva Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

    Aviva Insurance Limited is registered in Scotland as company number 2116. Its registered address is:

    Pitheavlis,
    Perth,
    Scotland
    PH2 0NH.

    HomeServe is an insurance intermediary and arranges and administers cover on behalf of the underwriter. HomeServe is a trading name of HomeServe Membership Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for general insurance and credit broking activities, under firm reference number 312518.

    Our registered address is:

    Cable Drive,
    Walsall,
    West Midlands,
    WS2 7BN.

    HomeServe Membership Limited is registered in England as company number 2770612. Our VAT registration number is GB559669669.

    The regulatory status of Aviva Insurance Limited and HomeServe can be checked on the Financial Conduct Authority’s Financial Services Register.

• Where can I find the product documents and terms and conditions that relate to my cover?

  • The full terms and conditions of your policy, plus other important documents about your cover and HomeServe’s services, can be downloaded here.

    • Insurance Product Information Document
    • Terms and Conditions
    • About HomeServe’s services

• FREE Boiler Service Terms and Conditions

  • The price of a boiler service is shown as FREE when compared to the equivalent cover without service. The boiler service included with this cover is FREE in the first year only, upon renewal the boiler service is chargeable and will be included as standard in the total cost of the cover. Please refer to What happens after I’ve had my cover for a year?

    • The offer of a FREE Gas Boiler Service is only available on certain highlighted products on our website.
    • Only one offer per household
    • If you cancel your cover within the first 28 days you will not receive the boiler service
    • No cash alternatives will be offered
    • HomeServe staff are not eligible for this offer
    • Separate terms and conditions apply to the products themselves
    • HomeServe reserves the right to withdraw this offer at any time
    • This offer is for new customers only