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British Gas vs Hometree Boiler Cover: Which Is Better in 2026?
British Gas is the UK's biggest name in boiler cover, with its own engineer network nationwide. Hometree is the cheaper digital challenger that covers any boiler and caps renewal price rises at inflation. Here's how they compare in 2026 — on price, eligibility, replacement cover and the small print that decides which one suits you. We compare a selected panel of providers, not the whole market, and may earn a commission if you buy through our links.
Quick answer
For most owners on a budget — especially with an older boiler — Hometree usually wins: cover from £12.95/mo (about 42p/day), all makes and models at any age, and a renewal rise capped at inflation (UK CPI was around 2.8% in mid-2026) if you buy direct and stay claim-free. British Gas wins if you value the biggest in-house engineer network and the broad HomeCare 4 top tier, and your boiler is on its approved list.
Both are sound choices. This is a comparison of selected providers, not the whole market, and prices below are indicative "from" figures last checked in 2026 — always confirm the exact price on the provider's own page, as British Gas quotes vary by postcode and boiler age. Hometree's boiler cover is an FCA-regulated insurance product; we may earn a commission if you buy through our links. This is information, not financial or gas-safety advice.
British Gas vs Hometree: Quick Verdict
British Gas is the household name. It runs the UK's largest in-house engineer workforce and bundles cover into four HomeCare tiers, but its quotes vary by postcode and boiler age, and it is widely reported for steep renewal hikes.
Hometree is the digital challenger. It is markedly cheaper for boiler-only cover, takes any boiler regardless of age or make, and promises no unfair price hikes at renewal.
The single biggest difference: British Gas uses an approved-boiler list plus an initial inspection and can refuse older or non-standard boilers. Hometree covers all makes and models at any age with no health check. If your boiler is 10, 15 or 20+ years old, that one fact often decides it.
| At a glance | British Gas | Hometree |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest plan (from) | ~£24/mo (HomeCare 1) | from £12.95/mo (Your Boiler) |
| Excess options | £0 or £60 | £0 / £60 / £95 |
| Number of tiers | 4 (HomeCare 1–4) | 3 (Boiler / Heating / Home) |
| Boiler age limit | Approved list + inspection | Any age, any make/model |
| Replacement cover | Subject to approved list & terms | Free if boiler under 7 yrs & beyond economic repair |
| Annual service | Every tier | Every core plan |
| Renewal price | Varies by risk; hikes reported | Capped at inflation if claim-free* |
| Trustpilot | ~4.3–4.4 / 5 | ~4.6–4.7 / 5 |
| Pricing model | Postcode + boiler age | Flat, same for new customers |
| Regulation | FCA-regulated insurance | FCA-regulated insurance |
*If bought direct and claim-free, Hometree promises your renewal price won't rise above inflation. Both cover unlimited callouts, parts, labour, a 24/7 line and an annual service in their boiler plans. Figures are indicative "from" prices last checked in 2026 — confirm the current price and terms on each provider's own page.
Plans Compared Side by Side
British Gas has four HomeCare tiers; Hometree has three. They line up roughly like this.
| What you get | British Gas | Hometree |
|---|---|---|
| Boiler & controls only | HomeCare 1 | Your Boiler |
| + Central heating | HomeCare 2 | Your Heating |
| + Plumbing & drains | HomeCare 3 | Your Home |
| + Home electrics (and extras) | HomeCare 4 | — |
The top British Gas tier, HomeCare 4, adds home electrical wiring cover and has historically bundled extras. Hometree's broadest plan, Your Home, covers boiler, heating, plumbing, drains and electrics, but there is no direct equivalent of HomeCare 4's full breadth. Check each provider's current plan pages for exactly what is included, as tier contents change.
For a deeper breakdown of each British Gas tier, see our full British Gas HomeCare plans and pricing guide.
Price Comparison (2026)
British Gas prices are personalised — they move with your postcode, boiler age and chosen excess. As a guide, these are typical "from" monthly figures with a £60 excess, last checked in 2026.
| British Gas plan | From (with £60 excess) |
|---|---|
| HomeCare 1 (boiler) | ~£24/mo |
| HomeCare 2 (+ heating) | ~£30/mo |
| HomeCare 3 (+ plumbing & drains) | ~£38/mo |
| HomeCare 4 (+ electrics) | ~£45/mo |
Choosing zero excess typically adds a few pounds a month (often around £4–£7). These are indicative — confirm your exact quote on the British Gas site.
Hometree advertises the same prices for all new customers, with a lower monthly cost for a higher excess. Its headline boiler cover starts from £12.95/mo, with excess options of £0, £60 or £95. The exact monthly figure at each excess level depends on the current offer, so check Hometree's quote page for today's prices.
| Hometree plan | Indicative monthly (from) |
|---|---|
| Your Boiler | from £12.95/mo |
| Your Heating | from ~£14.50/mo |
| Your Home | from ~£19.95/mo |
So Hometree's headline boiler cover starts from £12.95/mo — about 42p a day — against roughly £24/mo for the cheapest British Gas tier. For boiler-only cover, Hometree is clearly the cheaper option. Prices and offers change, so confirm the current figure on Hometree's own page before buying.
For how these stack up against the wider market, see our guide to how much boiler cover costs per month and our pick of the cheapest boiler cover deals.
Excess Explained
The excess (callout fee) is the contribution you pay each time you make a claim. With both providers, a lower excess always means a higher monthly premium, and vice versa.
- British Gas: £0 or £60 per claim.
- Hometree: £0, £60 or £95 per claim.
If you rarely expect to claim, a higher excess keeps your monthly cost down. If you want certainty that a callout costs nothing extra, pick the £0 option and accept the higher premium. Excess options can change, so confirm the choices on your own quote.
What's Covered vs Excluded
Both providers include the essentials in their boiler plans: unlimited callouts, parts, labour, a 24/7 helpline and an annual service. The difference is in the exclusions.
British Gas exclusions to watch:
- A 14-day initial waiting period before you can claim.
- Permanent exclusion of any fault found at the first inspection.
- Your boiler must be on the British Gas approved list.
- Homes left empty for 30+ days are typically excluded.
- Limescale, sludge, pre-existing faults and design/manufacturer faults are typically not covered.
Hometree: covers all makes, models and ages of natural-gas boiler with no health check, which can suit landlords and second-home owners. As with any cover, pre-existing faults and wear-related issues can still be excluded, so read the policy wording and confirm any unoccupied-property terms before you rely on them.
For how cover compares with other products, read boiler cover vs home emergency insurance vs warranty.
Boiler Age & Eligibility (the biggest difference)
This is the dividing line. British Gas uses an approved-boiler list and an initial inspection, so it can decline cover on older, rarer or non-standard boilers, or permanently exclude any fault spotted on day one.
Hometree covers any natural-gas boiler — any age, any make, any model — with no inspection. For a boiler that's 10, 15 or 20+ years old, that often makes Hometree the more realistic choice.
If your boiler is ageing, start with our hub on the best boiler cover for older boilers.
Boiler Replacement Cover
Hometree offers free like-for-like replacement if your boiler is under 7 years old and deemed beyond economic repair. British Gas may also arrange replacement, subject to its approved list and policy terms.
Neither provider replaces a genuinely old boiler for free — once a boiler is past that age threshold, replacement falls back to you. Treat replacement cover as a safety net for newer boilers, not a free upgrade for old ones. Always check the current replacement terms on the provider's own page.
Annual Service
Both include an annual boiler service in their boiler plans — a genuine running cost they absorb, and one of the better reasons to hold cover at all.
One caveat reported by customers: British Gas can see missed or delayed services during the busy winter months, when engineer demand peaks. Hometree, with a smaller, newer book, is often praised for prompt scheduling. Service experiences vary by area and year.
Price Rises at Renewal
This is Hometree's standout. Its No Unfair Price-Hike promise states that if you have no claims, your renewal price won't rise above inflation (UK CPI was around 2.8% in mid-2026), provided you bought direct. Hometree also advertises no cancellation fee if you haven't claimed or had a service. Terms apply, so check the current promise on Hometree's page.
British Gas renews on individual risk factors and is widely reported for sharp renewal increases — some customers describe rises of £100 or more in a single year. We can't verify any one figure for your circumstances.
That matters over time. A plan that looks competitive in year one can become expensive by year two or three once hikes stack up. Model the total cost of ownership, not just the joining price.
| Illustrative 3-year cost (boiler-only) | Hometree (~2.8% inflation cap) | British Gas (hike scenario) |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 monthly | £12.95 | £24.00 |
| Year 2 monthly | ~£13.31 | ~£30.00 |
| Year 3 monthly | ~£13.68 | ~£36.00 |
Both columns above are illustrative, not quotes — actual renewals vary and depend on inflation at the time and your own circumstances. The point is that the headline price isn't the whole story; the renewal trajectory often matters more.
Customer Reviews & Reliability
On Trustpilot, Hometree sits at roughly 4.6–4.7 out of 5, rated "Excellent" across tens of thousands of reviews. British Gas is also rated "Excellent", at around 4.3–4.4 out of 5 from several hundred thousand reviews — a polarising profile, with a large share of both five-star and one-star ratings. Ratings move over time, so check the latest scores yourself.
Hometree reviewers praise tidy work and fast response. British Gas reviews are more mixed, with recurring complaints about renewal pricing and engineer availability at peak times.
That said, British Gas's scale is a real strength: a nationwide network of its own employed engineers means broad coverage and capacity that a challenger can't fully match.
Who Should Choose British Gas?
- You value the biggest in-house engineer network in the UK.
- You want HomeCare 4's breadth, including home electrics.
- Your boiler is newer and on the approved list.
- You prefer the reassurance of a long-established household brand.
Who Should Choose Hometree?
- You have an old or non-standard boiler that British Gas might refuse.
- You want the cheapest boiler-only cover.
- You dislike surprise renewal hikes and want a predictable, inflation-capped price.
- You're a landlord or own a property that may sit unoccupied — see our boiler cover options for landlords (and confirm unoccupied-property terms directly).
Verdict: Which Is Better in 2026?
There's no single winner — it depends on your boiler and your priorities. Hometree wins on price, old-boiler eligibility and renewal transparency. British Gas wins on engineer-network scale and the breadth of its top tier.
For many cost-conscious owners, and anyone with an older boiler, Hometree is the stronger pick in 2026. If you want the established name and the widest coverage and your boiler qualifies, British Gas earns its premium.
To see where each sits against rivals, read our pick of the best boiler cover for 2026, our explainer on how gas boiler insurance works, and whether boiler cover is actually worth it. For wider protection, compare full boiler and central heating cover.
A note on the small print: Both British Gas HomeCare and Hometree boiler cover are FCA-regulated insurance products. Some other plans on the market — and some "care plans" — are unregulated service plans rather than insurance, so always check what you're buying; a service plan is not insurance. We compare a selected panel of providers, not the whole market, and may earn a commission if you buy through our links. Prices are indicative "from" figures last checked in 2026 — confirm the current price and terms on the provider's own page. This is information, not financial or gas-safety advice. Never attempt DIY work on the gas supply, burner, flue, sealed combustion circuit, gas valve, PCB or pressure-relief valve — by law this work must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and doing it yourself is dangerous and illegal. If you smell gas or suspect carbon monoxide, leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency line on 0800 111 999.
What is the main difference between Hometree and British Gas?
British Gas uses an approved-boiler list plus an initial inspection and can refuse older or non-standard boilers, while Hometree covers all makes and models at any age with no health check. Hometree is also cheaper for boiler-only cover and caps renewal price rises at inflation if you stay claim-free; British Gas has the larger in-house engineer network. Both are FCA-regulated insurance products. Confirm current details on each provider's own page.
Is Hometree cheaper than British Gas?
For boiler-only cover, generally yes. Hometree's Your Boiler plan starts from £12.95/mo (about 42p a day), against roughly £24/mo for British Gas HomeCare 1. Hometree advertises the same price for all new customers, whereas British Gas varies by postcode and boiler age. These are indicative figures last checked in 2026 — always confirm your exact quote on each provider's own page.
Can I get cover for an old boiler with British Gas?
Not always. British Gas uses an approved-boiler list and an initial inspection, and can decline older or non-standard boilers or permanently exclude any fault found at that inspection. If your boiler is 10–20+ years old, a provider that covers all ages, such as Hometree, may be a better fit. See our guide to boiler cover for older boilers.
Does British Gas cover all boilers?
No. Your boiler must be on the British Gas approved list, and homes left empty for 30+ days are typically excluded. There's also a 14-day initial waiting period and a permanent exclusion of faults found at the first inspection. Hometree, by contrast, covers all makes, models and ages of natural-gas boiler. Check the latest terms with each provider.
Is Hometree as good as British Gas?
On Trustpilot Hometree scores higher (around 4.6–4.7 vs roughly 4.3–4.4 for British Gas), with praise for tidy work and fast response. British Gas's advantage is scale — the UK's largest network of its own employed engineers. Which is "better" depends on whether you prioritise price and eligibility (Hometree) or network size and brand (British Gas). Ratings change, so check the latest yourself.
Do they cover LPG or oil boilers?
Coverage for LPG and oil-fired systems varies by plan and isn't guaranteed under standard gas-boiler cover. Hometree's headline cover is for natural-gas boilers, so confirm LPG/oil eligibility directly. British Gas focuses on mains-gas boilers on its approved list. Always check the policy wording for your fuel type before buying.
Can I switch from British Gas to Hometree?
Yes. There's no obligation to stay with one provider — many owners switch at renewal, especially after a British Gas price rise or if their boiler is no longer on the approved list. Check any notice period or cancellation terms on your current policy first. Hometree advertises no cancellation fee if you haven't claimed or had a service; confirm the current terms before switching.
Compare boiler cover the easy way
Compare boiler & central heating cover from a selected panel of UK providers and find a plan that fits your boiler and budget. Information, not advice — we show a chosen panel, not the whole market.
Compare boiler coverThis 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.