Which home emergency cover is right for me?

What is home emergency cover?

Home emergency cover is pretty much what it says on the tin. In simple terms, it’s insurance that helps cover the cost of unexpected repairs in your home.

Usually, this covers things like electrical faults or boiler breakdowns, but this can vary depending on which company you get your home emergency cover with and what level of cover you purchase.

With HomeServe, you can choose the type of home emergency cover that suits you best, whether that’s Boiler and Heating cover, Plumbing and Drainage cover, or a policy that combines several options together. Whatever you choose, you’ll have access to trusted engineers and tradespeople who’ll come out to fix the issue quickly and safely.

Once your claim is approved, the cost of labour, parts, and materials is covered up to an £8000 limit per claim. It’s all designed to help you get your home back to normal without the stress of an unexpected bill.

What counts as a home emergency?

A home emergency, as defined in most policies, is a sudden and unforeseen incident in the home that needs to be fixed as soon as possible because:

• You’ve lost essential services, such as mains drainage, heating, lighting or water
• Your property has become permanently damaged, dangerous or uninhabitable
• Your health and well-being could be at risk

What Home Emergency Cover options do HomeServe offer?

At HomeServe, we know that every home is different, and so are the problems that can crop up unexpectedly. That’s why we offer a range of Home Emergency Cover options:

You can choose to protect just one area of your home or combine multiple types of cover for all-round peace of mind. Our main options available include:

• Boiler and Heating cover: Covers repairs to your boiler, central heating system, radiators, and pipework if they stop working unexpectedly. This helps keep your home warm and your hot water running when you need it most.
• Plumbing and Drainage cover: Protects against leaks, burst pipes, and blocked drains, so you’re not left facing water damage or disruption.
• Electrical cover: Covers repairs if you experience a sudden electrical fault, such as power loss or faulty wiring.
• Landlord cover: Tailored for landlords, this provides protection for essential systems like boilers, plumbing, drainage, and electrics in your rental properties.

With HomeServe, you can take out these covers individually or as part of a combined policy, so you only pay for the protection you really need. And if something does go wrong, one call is all it takes for a qualified HomeServe engineer to put things right.

What is covered by our Home Emergency Cover options?

Depending on which Home Emergency Cover you decide on, you’ll be protected against a range of home emergencies, such as:

• Plumbing and drainage issues, such as leaking pipes and blocked drains
• Central heating and boiler breakdown
• Security issues, like broken front door locks and lost house keys
• Electrical faults
• Roof damage after a storm that exposes your home
• Pest infestations, such as rats, mice, wasps, and hornets, in your home

What isn’t covered by our Home Emergency Cover options?

Unfortunately, we can’t cover everything, so our policies do come with some exclusions.

In many cases, these are things such as:

• Breakdown of appliances i.e. fridge, freezer, ovens etc,
• Blockages in central heating caused by sludge or hard water deposits
• Limitless claims in one policy year, unless it’s a policy specifically offering unlimited claims
• Repair costs higher than the maximum claim limit (£8000 per claim)
• Power cuts or power outages
• Boilers that use fuels other than mains gas and/or have over 70kW/hr input
• Emergencies in the first 28 days of your policy start date
• Unoccupied properties

How can I prevent home emergencies?

Of course, emergencies do happen. But there are a number of tasks you can tick off to significantly reduce the probability of them happening to you:

• Get an annual boiler service with a Gas Safe registered engineer
• Maintain your taps and pipes
• Locate your stopcock, so you can quickly stop your water supply if plumbing problems occur
• Don’t put food, coffee grounds, oil, and fat down the kitchen sink, as it may cause drainage issues and blockages that lead to plumbing problems
• Clear your gutters annually
• Get any electrical issues checked out by a qualified electrician, including a noisy fuse box, switches that keep tripping, flickering lights, worn cables and cords, and discolouration of sockets

Commonly asked questions about home emergency cover

Do I need home emergency cover?

Everyone’s circumstances are different, so whether you need home emergency cover can depend on a lot of factors. Essentially, home emergency cover can be worth it, but you have to weigh up the pros and cons to make the right decision for you.

For example, if a pipe were to burst in your home, it could cost an average of £222 to fix* without cover, but with Plumbing and Drainage Plus for up to £1 a month in the first year, you’d be covered with a £30 excess up to a claim limit of £8000.

Does home insurance cover home emergencies?

Home emergency cover is different from a standard home insurance policy because it’s a type of insurance that covers the cost of calling out an engineer when you experience an emergency. Whether it’s a boiler breakdown or a problem with your electrics, you’re covered if something goes wrong.

A standard home insurance policy covers the cost of repairing the damage caused by the incident or replacing belongings. However, your home insurance policy wouldn’t generally cover the call-out of a qualified engineer in an emergency. Normally, this would be something you would have to find and pay for in this situation, which can be costly.

I rent my home, do I need home emergency cover?

You’re only eligible for home emergency cover if you’re the homeowner. If you rent your property, then your landlord may have home emergency cover for landlords, which will make sure your home is covered if a problem arises.

Can I get home emergency cover for a second home?

Yes, you can get home emergency cover for a second home with HomeServe, but only if you use the home for yourself and providing you permanently reside in the UK. If you rent out your second home, for instance, you’ll need landlord cover instead.

Home Emergency Cover you can rely on

If home emergency cover sounds like something you’d like to explore further, then you’ve come to the right place.

Our range of cover options means you can choose the level of protection that works best for you, from individual policies for specific emergencies to combined cover for all-round peace of mind. And when something goes wrong, one quick call or online claim to HomeServe is all it takes to get expert help on the way.

Whether it’s protecting your heating, plumbing, electrics, or all of the above, we’ve got you covered with our Home Emergency Cover options. Don’t wait for a burst pipe or a faulty boiler to catch you off guard. Get peace of mind with HomeServe cover.

*BCIS© Research, September 2025 (prices include labour, parts, call-out charges and VAT)