Home emergency cover explained

Chris Torney, Confused.com personal finance writer and expert explains home emergency cover.

Insurers usually offer home emergency cover as an optional extra on home contents policies – you will either be charged extra on your standard annual premium, or pay a monthly subscription fee.

Some providers offer this kind of service free – for example More Than does, and Sheila’s Wheels currently offers home emergency cover at no extra charge for the first year.

Home emergency cover gives you a helpline number to call if you need immediate help – for example if a pipe has burst, a window has been broken or if you’ve been the victim of storm damage.

Not all policies charge an excess, so you may not have to contribute to the cost of any callout, but there is likely to be an upper limit – say £500 – on the value of work done. Check the small print before you sign up.

The insurer will send its own approved tradesperson to deal with your emergency. You will generally not be allowed to employ someone yourself and then claim the costs back from your policy provider.

Check also whether the policy offers cover against boiler breakdowns: not all of them do, and you may need to buy further separate insurance if you want to insure yourself against a central heating malfunction.

Comments

[Steve Pack]

I had a home insurance through Sheila`s Wheels with emergency cover included.The company was very good when I requested help.However the person attending to rectify the problem of a ridge tile which had come adrift during high winds was less than inspiring.Although full details of missing tile was provided.He arrived with no tile but pushed plastic bags which I provided into the void.

[Connie @ car repair grand rapids mi]

Nowadays, home insurance is indeed necessary as it can save you from being sued if a person gets injured while in your house.

[home owners insurance company]

Thanks for explaining this home cover. This is the information that I have needed to avail of coverage.