Home Emergency Assist Boiler Cover Review
Home Emergency Assist (HEA) is an FCA-regulated home-emergency and boiler-cover provider that stands out for covering gas, oil and LPG boilers under flat-rate pricing that doesn't change with your boiler's age, make or location.
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Overview
Home Emergency Assist (trading as HEA) sells home-emergency and boiler/central-heating cover to UK households. Unusually for the sector, it covers gas, oil and LPG boilers, and it prices plans on a flat-rate basis - the published monthly cost doesn't change with your boiler's age, make, model, location or number of radiators. Plans range from boiler-and-heating-only cover up to a 'Complete' home-emergency package adding plumbing, electrics, drains, roofing and pest cover, with a 'Supercharged' add-on that raises claim limits.
Importantly, HEA is set up as FCA-regulated insurance rather than an unregulated maintenance/service plan. That means policies are underwritten and carry the consumer protections that come with regulated general insurance, rather than being a discretionary repair contract. Gas work is carried out by Gas Safe registered engineers via HEA's UK-wide network, with 24/7 emergency support.
Independent ratings
The two platforms diverge sharply, mostly because of sample size and self-selection. Trustpilot shows a large sample (12,000+ reviews) rated around 3.8 / 5, whereas Reviews.io shows a very small sample (31 reviews) at 1.0 / 5 with 0% recommending. Treat the tiny Reviews.io score with caution and check the live figures on Trustpilot and Google before relying on them. Ratings change over time — check the latest on each platform.
What customers say
Customer sentiment is genuinely mixed: a large Trustpilot sample (12,000+ reviews) skews positive at around 3.8 / 5, praising engineer professionalism and quick fixes, but a recurring minority - and a tiny, very negative Reviews.io sample - report claim disputes, missed appointments, hard-sell renewals and price hikes.
What customers like
- Engineers and staff often described as professional, polite and helpful
- Some plumbing and heating call-outs resolved quickly and efficiently
- Flat-rate pricing that doesn't penalise older boilers or larger homes is seen as fair
- Cover for oil and LPG boilers (not just mains gas) valued by rural and off-grid customers
- Nil-excess option and 24/7 emergency line with a nationwide engineer network
Common complaints
- Claims disputes - reports that cover is declined on small-print exclusions customers felt contradicted the marketing
- Service reliability - missed or rescheduled appointments and slow response on urgent call-outs
- Long hold times and difficulty getting through on the phone
- Hard-sell and frequent renewal calls, plus auto-renewal and renewal price increases
- Cancellation difficulties and fees, and unexpected call-out/service charges
Plans & prices
| Plan | What it covers | From |
|---|---|---|
| Boiler & Heating | Boiler and central-heating breakdown and repair; covers gas, oil and LPG boilers | from approx. £6/month (indicative; depends on chosen excess) |
| Boiler, Heating & Electrics+ | Adds home electrics/wiring cover to the boiler and heating protection | from approx. £7/month (indicative) |
| Complete | Boiler & heating plus plumbing, drains, home electrics, roofing, security and pest cover; cover limit up to ~£3,000, up to ~£1,000 per claim (most popular tier) | around £12/month (Complete shown at £12.23/month on HEA's site, June 2026) |
| Supercharged add-on | Optional upgrade raising claim limits (e.g. unlimited annual and a higher per-claim cap) | around £2/month extra (indicative) |
Prices are indicative and last checked June 2026; only the Complete tier (£12.23/month) was confirmed on HEA's own site, the other figures are indicative. You choose an excess (£0, £60 or £95) which changes the monthly cost, and an additional excess (around £60) can apply for claims in the first ~90 days or for boilers over ~10 years old. Confirm current prices, excesses and limits on the provider's own site before buying.
Pros & watch-outs
Pros
- FCA-regulated insurance (AR of Insure Group Limited, FRN 584710), so likely Financial Ombudsman and FSCS protection - verify on policy docs
- Covers gas, oil and LPG boilers - useful for off-grid and rural homes
- Flat-rate pricing not affected by boiler age, make, location or radiator count
- Tiered plans from boiler-only up to full home-emergency Complete cover
- Optional Supercharged upgrade for higher claim limits
- 24/7 support and a UK-wide Gas Safe engineer network
Watch-outs
- Excess structure: an additional excess (~£60) can apply in the first ~90 days or for boilers over ~10 years old
- Standard-tier claim limits are modest (e.g. ~£1,000 per claim, ~£3,000 overall) unless you add Supercharged
- Reports of auto-renewal and renewal price increases - diarise your renewal date
- Reports of cancellation difficulties/fees and unexpected charges
- Reviews mention small-print exclusions causing claim disputes - read the policy wording carefully
- Independent ratings vary widely by platform; check current scores yourself
Who is it for?
A good fit for off-grid or rural households with oil or LPG boilers, who are often excluded by mains-gas-focused rivals, and for anyone with an older or unusual boiler who benefits from flat-rate pricing that ignores age, make and location.
Worth a look if you want FCA-regulated insurance (with the associated complaint and compensation routes) rather than an unregulated maintenance plan, and you want the option to scale up claim limits via the Supercharged add-on.
Less ideal if you want generous standard claim limits without paying extra, dislike auto-renewal and renewal sales calls, or prefer a provider with a single, consistently strong independent rating. Always compare against alternatives and read the policy wording first.
For how to weigh insurance vs a service plan, excess levels and what to check before buying, see our boiler cover guides. Oil, LPG or electric boiler, or letting property? Compare options in our landlord and provider sections.
Is Home Emergency Assist regulated insurance or a service plan?
It is FCA-regulated home-emergency insurance, operating as an Appointed Representative of Insure Group Limited (FCA FRN 584710), rather than an unregulated maintenance/service plan. That should bring Financial Ombudsman access and FSCS protection - confirm the current underwriter and protections on HEA's own policy documents.
Does it cover oil and LPG boilers as well as gas?
Yes. HEA covers gas, oil and LPG boilers, which is relatively uncommon and makes it of particular interest to off-grid and rural homes.
How much does cover cost?
HEA's Complete home-emergency plan was shown at £12.23/month in June 2026, with boiler-and-heating cover indicatively from around £6/month and a Supercharged upgrade for roughly £2/month more. Your chosen excess (£0, £60 or £95) changes the price. Confirm current prices on the provider's site.
Does the price depend on my boiler's age or where I live?
No. HEA prices on a flat-rate basis, so the published monthly cost doesn't change with boiler age, make, model, location or number of radiators. However, an additional excess can apply for older boilers (over ~10 years) or for claims made in the first ~90 days.
What do customers complain about?
The main recurring themes are claim disputes over small-print exclusions, missed or delayed appointments, long phone hold times, and hard-sell renewal calls with auto-renewal and price increases, plus reports of cancellation difficulties and fees.
Compare Home Emergency Assist against the panel
See how Home Emergency Assist's price and cover stack up against other providers on our panel, then buy direct on the provider's own site. Information, not advice — a selected panel, not the whole market.
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