Home Emergency Cover

Martynt74 · 21 Jun 2018 at 12:34

Anyone have this either as part of their insurance or as a separate policy?

I'm just in the process of getting buildings insurance for our new house and it's an option for £42/year.

This is what it states is covered. Given we don't know the history of the electrics/plumbing etc, i'm thinking that for the first year this could actually be a handy service (assuming the excess isn't ridiculous).

24 hour emergency call-out service for assistance in the event of a home emergency.

You'll be covered for up to £1000 per claim for call outs, labour, parts and materials to carry out an emergency repair.

Boiler & heating system

Plumbing and drainage

Failure of internal electrics

Security (e.g. glazing and locks)

Pests

Gas supply pipe

My only concern is them not covering things because they weren't up to standard (although it all seems ok)

BigT · 21 Jun 2018 at 18:03

I have the AA (subcontracted to Homeserve) as part of my bank account. I had them out three times to my boiler to patch it up before it finally gave up the ghost a couple of years ago. Bought me another six months usage. And as recently as last month my hot water cylinder sprung a small leak where one of the immersion rods went in. Dripped enough overnight to go through a light fitting in the ceiling below. Perfectly containable but called them out anyway with the end result being a completely new cylinder and accessories fitted. Now it took two weeks and was complete PITA to deal with them but I didn't pay a penny. Pretty sure with the six engineer visits, parts, an entire day fitting the thing due to the pipework modifications and everything else it would have cost more than the £1000 cover I also have but was never charged - may have been because they messed up so badly initially I guess. If I'd paid £42 per year I'd have been frustrated but not unhappy at the result, which is pretty much what I feel about it effectively paying it through my premium bank account.

I should add my boiler was 15 years old and the hot water cylinder probably 30 in a 500 year old house with all sorts of stuff probably not conforming to current standards and regulations. At the end of the day the guy who actually visits makes the assessment and give him enough tea and biscuits and treat him nicely and he'll write it up for you so it's not a problem. They hate their employers almost universally from what I've seen. They're overworked and middle managem,ent keeps making their life harder with longer shifts and less money. Treat them well and you'll be OK.

HardwareGeek · 21 Jun 2018 at 18:41

You wanna check the T&Cs and make sure you are happy, some of these home emergency plans just cover making safe or patching up rather than fully repairing

Martynt74 · 22 Jun 2018 at 10:31

Ok Cheers.

I ended up going with AXA insurance in the end and to add the emergency cover was only £28/year.

I'll read through the paperwork when i get it but for the first year i'm happy paying that just on the off chance something is broken that we're unaware of. After 12months of living in the house we should have a decent idea of whats what so likely won't bother again.

novaenough · 22 Jun 2018 at 11:15

I'll maybe have to look into this, I always thought the costs were higher than that. If its Less than 30 quid a year its probably worth it even if they only come out to patch things up.

BigT · 22 Jun 2018 at 12:34

IME you need to read your policy carefully and then when you call up to get an engineer to come out be prepared to bend the truth slightly to be compliant with the policy. When someone comes out to see you it is generally too late for them to go back on helping and the engineers are completely disjointed from claims/back office anyway.

So,for example my leak. Before calling I read the policy that said it did not cover leaks that were containable. My leak would fill up a bucket every 24 hours probably so you could argue was contained. However because it happened overnight it dripped through the light fitting to the kitchen floor below. So when I called I truthfully told them water was leaking and through the lights into my kitchen. When asked if it was contained I truthfully said I had turned the water off and had no water now. That’s definitely an ‘emergency’ in their book so someone was duly called out. Once with me the engineer is incentivised to either fix it there and then (they get a bonus) or state it needs parts and so will stay assigned to the job to come back and fit the parts and get his bonus. Hence it was no problem for the guy to say it absolutely needed a new hot water cylinder and not question how much of an emergency it was.

HungryHippos · 23 Jun 2018 at 16:30

I have to give props to Policy Expert who I have used for the 2nd year running to get home and contents insurance including home emergency cover for around £100 for the year.

Jez · 27 Jun 2018 at 10:33

BigT said:
IME you need to read your policy carefully and then when you call up to get an engineer to come out be prepared to bend the truth slightly to be compliant with the policy. When someone comes out to see you it is generally too late for them to go back on helping and the engineers are completely disjointed from claims/back office anyway.

So,for example my leak. Before calling I read the policy that said it did not cover leaks that were containable. My leak would fill up a bucket every 24 hours probably so you could argue was contained. However because it happened overnight it dripped through the light fitting to the kitchen floor below. So when I called I truthfully told them water was leaking and through the lights into my kitchen. When asked if it was contained I truthfully said I had turned the water off and had no water now. That’s definitely an ‘emergency’ in their book so someone was duly called out. Once with me the engineer is incentivised to either fix it there and then (they get a bonus) or state it needs parts and so will stay assigned to the job to come back and fit the parts and get his bonus. Hence it was no problem for the guy to say it absolutely needed a new hot water cylinder and not question how much of an emergency it was.

Thanks for this, might be quite nice to have this in future when i next renew as this actually sounds surprisingly good for an insurance product.