Home Emergency Cover: What It Is, What It Covers, and Whether You Need It
Home emergency cover provides 24/7 call-out for urgent domestic failures — boiler breakdowns, burst pipes, power failures, and security emergencies. This guide explains what it covers, what it excludes, and how it differs from buildings insurance.
What home emergency cover typically includes
Typically covered
- Boiler and central heating failure
- Burst or leaking pipes (internal plumbing)
- Loss of electrical power (internal failure)
- Roof damage causing water ingress (emergency make-safe)
- Blocked drains or toilets (primary only)
- Failed locks or windows (security emergencies)
- Vermin infestation (some policies)
Typically excluded
- Pre-existing faults known at policy start
- Boilers over a certain age (typically 15 years)
- Gradual deterioration or wear and tear
- Cosmetic repairs after the emergency is resolved
- External drainage or drains shared with neighbours
- Appliances other than heating and plumbing
- Damage caused by the emergency (covered by buildings insurance)
How it differs from buildings insurance
Buildings insurance and home emergency cover address different parts of a home problem:
Home emergency cover handles
The emergency call-out and immediate repair to restore the property to a safe, habitable state. Covers the fixing of the problem.
Buildings insurance handles
The consequential damage to the structure caused by the emergency. Covers the damage the problem caused — flooring, ceilings, walls.
You need both to be fully covered. A burst pipe claim might involve the emergency cover for the plumber and the buildings insurance for the damaged floor. For full details on what buildings insurance covers, see our home insurance buyer's guide and our article on accidental damage cover.
Is home emergency cover worth buying?
Home emergency cover is typically worth holding if your property has older plumbing or heating systems, you do not have a preferred trusted tradesperson who would respond quickly in an emergency, or you would struggle to fund an emergency call-out (which can cost £200–£500 out of hours). For newer properties under NHBC or builder warranty, some of these risks are partially covered already. For leasehold flats, the freeholder may provide emergency services through the building's service charge — check before buying duplicate cover.
Home emergency FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- Boiler cover (often called boiler insurance or boiler service plans) specifically covers the boiler — breakdown, repair, annual service, and sometimes parts. Home emergency cover is broader, covering a range of urgent household emergencies beyond just the boiler (plumbing, electrics, security). The two products overlap for boiler emergencies but home emergency cover does not typically include planned annual servicing or parts replacement for general boiler maintenance — those are features of dedicated boiler cover plans.
- Home emergency cover typically pays for the emergency call-out and the work needed to make the property safe and habitable — not a full reinstatement or a complete replacement. A burst pipe: they will stop the leak and make it safe, but may not redecorate the damaged ceiling. A boiler breakdown: they will get the heating working, but may not replace the boiler if repair is not feasible. Most policies cap the call-out value (typically £250–£750) and the number of call-outs per year. Check these limits carefully.
- Standard buildings insurance covers damage caused by emergencies (e.g. a burst pipe causes a flood that damages the floors and walls). But it does not cover the emergency call-out itself — the plumber's bill to find and fix the burst pipe. Home emergency cover fills that gap. The two products work together: emergency cover handles the acute response and immediate repair; buildings insurance handles the consequential damage. See our home insurance buyer's guide for what standard buildings cover includes.
- Renters are generally not responsible for structural or mechanical failures in the property — those are the landlord's responsibility. However, some emergencies may affect a renter's possessions or leave the property uninhabitable. Renters who want emergency response without relying on a landlord's responsiveness sometimes hold their own policy. More commonly, renters rely on the landlord and focus on contents insurance for their own possessions. For what renters should cover, see our renters insurance guide.