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Boiler cover


cabby
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Any products worth considering other than British Gas' homecare range? Our boiler is getting on now and has had a few 'issues' costing a few bob. It will be replaced in a year or two but until then very keen for peace of mind. £15/month seems reasonable for this.

In a similar vein I'm looking at extending cover to include the system. We have mirco-bore (save the gags) and I couldn't see anything in the T&C's that excluded this. Anyone have experience/knowledge to the contrary?

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I've just binned Homecare200 with BG.

First year was £17 a month, this years renewal - 30%+ increase to £23 a month - thats with no claims and after their engineer 'condemned' a boiler less than 5 years old on its primary inspection - touting for business for the boiler side - it was blatant, and we were not alone on this tactic, loads of neighbours had the same rigmarole - picking up on things that weren't 'up to standard', yet didn't affect the safety or workings of the boiler!

Self insurance is the way forward - if the bugger lasts for 2 years with gentle use and fettling, you have enough saved for a cheap B&Q boiler based on BG and their horrific increases!

BG are utter grab-alling barstewards. Avoid.

Edited by pontyslapper
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I too had BG boiler cover - I used to have an old bolier that I could look after myself + a Corgi plumber 3 doors up but when I moved had a combi (so no immersion heater back up) & no plumber next door.

They took the payments for a year or so before finally coming round to have a look at the boiler for its annual service at which point they decided it was not "up to standard" because the cupboard had boxed it in so the cover couldn't be removed & the engineer eas not prepared to remove the cupboard carcass (kitchen chipboard job) as he was "too busy".

Got a plumber round who removed the cupboard (10 minutes) & serviced the boiler & got my money back from BG so I did OK & I would say BG offers good peace of mind but unless you are very unlucky & boiler goes out over Xmas you would be better off self-insuring especially if you are "handy" so can undertake some basic stuff yourself (not recommending any Corgi work !).

The attitude of BG was very much they are salaried rather than need to do work to get paid - I would hate to think how many things they would find wrong/not up to standard if they ever had to replace a boiler & would make a fairly straight forward job very hard (I know standards on pressure drop etc will have changed but if has worked fine for x years does it really need to meet new standards for a replacement ?)

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I looked into boiler cover for my 7 year old combi earlier this year as I thought it was on it's way out. Going via Quidco for some cashback, BG was the most reasonable cover I could find. However, reading your posts has got me thinking...

I started paying my premium about 4 months ago and they haven't been around to inspect it. I thought there was supposed to be a first inspection, but they haven't contacted me at all regarding it.

I vaguely remember reading something about them offering a full refund if, after first inspection, they regard the boiler as u/s.

My boiler is also boxed off, but easily accessible with just a few seconds of screwdriver work (to remove MDF panel). I'm now wondering if I ever do call them out if they'll write the policy off. I then wonder if it'll be a battle to get all my premiums back.

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My boiler is also boxed off, but easily accessible with just a few seconds of screwdriver work (to remove MDF panel). I'm now wondering if I ever do call them out if they'll write the policy off. I then wonder if it'll be a battle to get all my premiums back.

Whip the panel off before they arrive and they'll be none the wiser.:secret:

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I have the BG cover and to be fair it has been fine.

I got them to discount me for the 2 years it was under warranty from Bosch and then a year later ALL my TRV inexplicably failed [not fitted by them] and they replaced them all under the terms of the warranty - okay I agree it would have been cheaper to get replaced myself but having the cover anyway it was useful.

This week they came round for annual inspection and I said I was not happy with my thermostat as it is already too loose with the temps [1C drift in it IMO] and he has put in a request for a replacement.

My experience with the "not to current spec" with my old old boiler were very different too - they noted it, told me they had to do that but reassured me it was safe to use ["I have young kids, does this compromise their safety" conversation].

I recall 2 complaints with engineers - one who repeated failed to show and would drop a card then leggit and another who was a lazyarse at inspection and both were sorted fine with a friendly senior bod who came to do the inspections on both occasions

Edited by Waylander
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I looked into boiler cover for my 7 year old combi earlier this year as I thought it was on it's way out. Going via Quidco for some cashback, BG was the most reasonable cover I could find. However, reading your posts has got me thinking...

I started paying my premium about 4 months ago and they haven't been around to inspect it. I thought there was supposed to be a first inspection, but they haven't contacted me at all regarding it.

I vaguely remember reading something about them offering a full refund if, after first inspection, they regard the boiler as u/s.

My boiler is also boxed off, but easily accessible with just a few seconds of screwdriver work (to remove MDF panel). I'm now wondering if I ever do call them out if they'll write the policy off. I then wonder if it'll be a battle to get all my premiums back.

This is just about what happened to me. My advice would be to keep paying the premiums for a couple of years (They aren't that insistent on the annual inspections either if you don't bother) then get all your money back if you don't need them but enjoy peace of mind incase you do. They only took a phone call to get all my money back (2 years premiums) so I wouldn't worry too much.

If it is easy to get the boxing off then I would just take off quickly prior to service or the engineer will do it mine had been squeezed into a kitchen cupboard carcass so was a bit more involved.

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