Boiler Already Broken? How to Get Cover (Repair & Care Plans Explained)

The short answer: can you get cover on a boiler that's already broken?

Yes, but you need to pick the right route. The thing that trips most people up is assuming they can sign up today and claim tomorrow for the fault they already have. Almost no policy allows that.

In practice there are two routes that work:

• Route 1 — Fix it first. Pay for a one-off repair now, get the boiler working, then take out standard cover for future breakdowns.
• Route 2 — A "repair & care" plan. A handful of providers will take on a non-working boiler, send an engineer to repair it as part of joining, then continue covering it. You usually pay an upfront repair fee or excess on top of the normal monthly premium.

This page is information, not financial or gas-safety advice. We can't tell you which route is right for your situation — but we can lay out exactly how each one works so you can decide.

Why standard boiler cover won't fix a pre-existing fault

Two pieces of small print sit behind almost every standard policy, whether it's FCA-regulated boiler insurance or an unregulated service/care plan.

The pre-existing fault exclusion

Cover is designed for future, unexpected breakdowns. If a fault already exists when you sign up — even one you don't know about yet — the provider can decline the claim under the "pre-existing fault" exclusion.

This is standard across big names like British Gas and HomeServe as well as smaller providers. It's also one of the most common items on the list of things boiler cover doesn't cover.

The no-claim / waiting period

Most policies also build in an initial period — typically 14 to 30 days — during which you can't make a claim at all. (British Gas, for example, has no claims in the first 14 days; some plans run to 30.) This stops people buying cover the moment something breaks, claiming, then cancelling.

So even if you slipped a pre-existing fault past the application, the waiting period usually catches it. Trying to "get one past" the insurer can also void the policy for non-disclosure, which is far more expensive than just being upfront.

Route 1 — Fix it first, then take out cover

This is the cleanest option and often the cheapest overall. Get the boiler repaired by a Gas Safe registered engineer, then take out standard cover for whatever breaks next.

Here's what a one-off repair tends to cost in 2026. (For a full breakdown by fault, see our guide to boiler repair costs in 2026.)

Cost element	Indicative 2026 range
Call-out / diagnostic fee	£60–£120 (independents often at the lower end; some big names £99+)
Labour	£60–£100 per hour (independents often less)
Common parts	£150–£400+
Typical total repair	£200–£500

Once it's fixed and working, you can take out cover with no awkward pre-existing-fault conversation. If your boiler is older or has no paperwork, read cover options for older boilers and getting cover with no service history first.

Prices vary by region — London and the South East typically run higher — and by the time of day, with out-of-hours emergency call-outs costing more (often £120–£180+).

Route 2 — "Repair & care" plans that accept a non-working boiler

Some providers will deliberately take on a boiler that isn't working. They send an engineer, repair it as part of getting you set up, then keep covering it going forward. This is the exception to the pre-existing-fault rule — because the repair is the entry ticket, not a claim.

How it usually works:

• You declare the boiler isn't working when you apply.
• An engineer attends and assesses it (sometimes called a health check).
• You pay an upfront repair fee / excess — the amount varies by provider and by the tier you choose (for example, some panels offer tiers around £0, £60 or £95) — and the repair goes ahead.
• The plan then runs on as normal cover, often £8–£25 per month depending on the tier and excess.

Lower upfront fee usually means a higher monthly premium, and vice versa. See how much boiler cover costs per month for how the tiers stack up.

The big catch: if the engineer attends and finds the boiler is beyond economical repair (BER), they won't fix it — and that's where the next section matters.

The "Beyond Economical Repair" (BER) trap

BER means the engineer judges the boiler isn't worth repairing — usually because parts are obsolete, the fault is severe, or the repair would cost more than the boiler is worth. At that point the plan stops being a repair plan and becomes a replacement conversation.

This is one of the biggest areas of complaints on forums like MoneySavingExpert, so go in with eyes open:

• Replacement contributions are capped, and often discretionary. For example, on a repair-and-care basis some providers cap a replacement contribution (one panel provider advertises a replacement up to a value of £2,500 if the boiler is under 7 years old; another contributes up to around £750). A brand-new boiler typically costs £2,000–£4,000 installed, so a cap rarely covers the whole job.
• Older boilers often get less. Over a certain age (commonly 7 years) you may be offered only a discounted fixed-price replacement on a new minimum-term agreement, not a like-for-like replacement or cash contribution.
• In-policy repair limits. Some plans cap what they'll spend on a single repair (for example, one provider will only repair where the cost is under £250) before declaring BER. Read this number carefully.
• The BER decision is the provider's. Whether a boiler is "beyond economical repair" is judged by their engineer.
• Call-out refund mechanics. If the engineer attends and declares BER rather than fixing it, check whether your upfront repair fee is refunded — some providers refund it, some don't. Get this in writing before you pay.

None of this makes repair-and-care plans a bad deal — for a fixable boiler they can be genuinely useful. But the marketing leads with "we'll fix your broken boiler" and buries the BER caps, so treat the points above as a buyer-beware checklist. If your boiler is on the edge, our guide on whether to repair or replace is worth a read first.

What to do right now, before you buy anything

Don't rush into a plan while the house is cold and you're stressed. A few safe checks first can save you money — or tell you it's an emergency.

If you can smell gas, hear hissing, or feel unwell: this is an emergency. Don't touch electrical switches, open the doors and windows, and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 immediately (free, 24/7).

If there's no gas smell, these are safe things a homeowner can normally check (no tools, no panels removed):

• Check the pressure gauge. Most boilers sit around 1–1.5 bar when cold. Very low pressure is a common, fixable cause of a no-heat fault.
• Look for a fault/lockout code on the display and note it down — it'll help any engineer.
• Try a reset once, following the manufacturer's instructions. If it locks out again, stop and call an engineer.
• Check the basics: power on, gas supply on, thermostat calling for heat, no tripped fuse.

For a full step-by-step, see what to do right now if your boiler has broken down. If you're without heat or hot water and it's cold, your energy supplier may also have a Priority Services Register duty if you're in a vulnerable situation.

Repair vs cover vs replace — which makes financial sense?

Here's the honest maths nobody else seems to lay out. The question isn't just "can I get cover" — it's "what's the cheapest sensible way out of this?"

Break-even on a one-off repair vs a year of cover. A typical repair is £200–£500. A year of basic cover is roughly £120–£300 (£8–£25/month). On a repair-and-care plan you'd pay both the upfront repair fee and the year of premiums — so it tends to beat Route 1 only if your boiler then breaks again within that year, or you value the ongoing service and peace of mind.

Your situation	Often the sensible route
Boiler is fixable, fairly modern, no cover yet	Fix it first (Route 1), then take out standard cover
Boiler is fixable but you want the repair handled + ongoing peace of mind	Repair-and-care plan (Route 2) — check the BER cap and refund terms
Boiler is old, unreliable or likely BER	Get a replacement quote; cover may not pay out usefully
You rarely claim and have savings to cover a repair	Self-insure: pay as you go, skip cover

For older boilers, the maths shifts. A boiler that's already 12–15 years old may be approaching replacement anyway, and a new boiler runs roughly £2,000–£4,000 installed (see full boiler replacement costs). Pouring money into repeated repairs — or into a plan whose BER cap won't cover a new unit — can be false economy. If you're unsure whether cover pays off for you at all, read is boiler cover actually worth it.

Providers on our panel that may accept already-broken boilers

These are providers from our selected panel — this is not the whole market, and we may earn a commission if you buy through us. Figures below are indicative and last checked in 2026; always confirm current prices, terms and whether your specific boiler qualifies on the provider's own page.

Provider	Type	What it does for a broken boiler (indicative, 2026)
247 Home Rescue	Service/care plan (check status)	Offers a choice of excess per claim (commonly £0 / £45 / £75 / £95) and repair-focused plans; will repair where a single repair costs under around £250 and parts are available, otherwise offers replacement terms. Monthly cover roughly from £12/month, more with no excess; frequent discounts.
YourRepair	Service & support agreement	Repair-and-care style cover; if a covered boiler is BER and under 7 years old, advertises a replacement up to a value of £2,500 (at their discretion); older boilers may be offered a discounted replacement on a new 12-month minimum term instead.
Hometree	FCA-regulated insurance	Engineer assesses and repairs where possible; states no cap on repair cost unless the boiler is deemed BER. Under-7-year-old BER boilers may be replaced like-for-like; older ones offered a discount on a new A-rated boiler. Annual service included on core plans.
PlusHeat	Service/care plan (check status)	Covers repairs, parts and labour with a chosen call-out fee/excess (e.g. £0 / £59 / £99) that may be payable upfront; unlimited call-outs and an annual service on its plans.
Service Box	Service/care plan	Service/care-plan cover with a choice of contribution per repair (e.g. £0 / £60 / £95); plans include an annual service and repairs up to a per-claim limit. BER replacement contribution is capped (around £750 on some plans). Confirm whether a non-working boiler is accepted, and on what terms, before joining.

Provider type (FCA-regulated insurance vs unregulated service/care plan) can change between products and over time — check the provider's own page and the FCA register before you buy. To weigh these side by side on price and features, see our comparison of the best boiler cover plans for 2026.

What you'll need to qualify

Whichever route you pick, expect providers to ask about:

• Boiler age. Many cap acceptance or the best terms around 7 years; older boilers can often still be covered but with reduced replacement help. See cover for older boilers.
• Service history. Some want proof the boiler has been serviced; many don't, but a missing history can affect a future BER or replacement decision. More in cover with no service history.
• Gas-only caveat. Most plans cover mains-gas boilers. Oil, LPG, electric and back-boilers are often excluded or need a specialist plan — check before you pay.
• Current condition. For repair-and-care, you'll declare the boiler isn't working; an engineer assessment usually follows.

This article is general information, not financial or gas-safety advice. We compare a selected panel of providers, not the whole market, and may earn a commission if you buy through our links. Always have gas appliances checked and repaired by a Gas Safe registered engineer; in a gas emergency call 0800 111 999. Prices are indicative UK guides for 2026 — confirm current prices on the provider's own site.