British Gas Boiler Cover vs HomeServe: Prices & Exclusions

There’s a reason boiler cover is one of those household decisions that only gets attention when the heating fails on a freezing January evening. When that moment arrives, the choice between British Gas HomeCare and HomeServe can mean the difference between a same-day repair and a costly emergency callout.

Annual boiler cover cost: £0–£400 depending on plan ·
British Gas HomeCare customers: 8 million+ UK homes ·
Typical callout fee without cover: £80–£180 per visit ·
British Gas annual service price: £84–£99 for basic plan

How much does British Gas charge for boiler cover?

The table below reveals the pricing gulf: British Gas wraps in annual servicing while HomeServe tempts with lower entry costs that escalate sharply after year one.

British Gas HomeCare One-off Service price

• A single boiler service from British Gas costs between £84 and £99 depending on your location (FMB official guide)
• This covers a standard inspection and safety check but not any repairs or parts

British Gas HomeCare 1, 2, 3, and 4 plan costs

• HomeCare 1 (boiler only): £7 per month — the cheapest ongoing plan (British Gas official website)
• HomeCare 2 (boiler and central heating): around £14 per month
• HomeCare 3 (adds radiators and controls): approximately £18 per month
• HomeCare 4 (full home cover including plumbing and electrics): roughly £23 per month
• British Gas is considered the most expensive provider at comparable cover levels (HomeKog boiler advice site)

HomeServe boiler cover monthly and annual costs

• Gas Boiler Only with £60 excess: £9.99 per month (HomeServe official policy page)
• Gas Boiler Only with £100 excess: £6.99 per month (HomeServe official policy page)
• Gas Boiler and Central Heating with £60 excess: £14.50 per month (HomeKog boiler advice site)
• Full Heating, Plumbing, Electrics Plus with £60 excess: £19 per month (HomeKog boiler advice site)
• After the first year, annual costs can reach £434.52 — significantly higher than the introductory rate (North Somerset Heating local installer)

The implication: the true cost of HomeServe only emerges after year one, a timing trap that catches households who don’t read the renewal small print.

What is not covered under British Gas HomeCare?

Exclusions in British Gas HomeCare policies

• Pre-existing faults are not covered — if your boiler already has an issue when you take out the policy, you will need to pay for that repair separately
• Blocked flues and gas supply pipes are excluded from standard plans
• Boiler replacement is not included in any HomeCare plan; the policies cover repairs only

Pre-existing faults and lack of service history

• If your boiler has not been serviced annually according to the manufacturer’s guidelines, claims may be rejected
• HomeServe similarly excludes pre-existing faults — both providers require the boiler to be in working order at policy start (HomeServe official policy page)

Parts not covered (thermostats, pumps, radiators)

• On basic HomeCare 1 and 2 plans, radiators, thermostats, and hot water cylinders are excluded
• These components are only added in HomeCare 3 and 4 — an important distinction when comparing costs

The pattern is clear: entry-level tier savings evaporate the moment a non-boiler component fails.

Does the British Gas boiler cover include radiators?

Which HomeCare plans cover radiators?

• Radiators are covered only in British Gas HomeCare 3 and 4 plans
• HomeCare 1 and 2 exclude radiators entirely — they cover only the boiler and basic central heating components

HomeServe radiator cover

• HomeServe includes radiator cover in its Gas Boiler and Central Heating plan at £14.50 per month (HomeKog boiler advice site)
• This means HomeServe offers radiator protection at a lower monthly cost than British Gas’s equivalent tier

What to check in the policy documents

• Always verify whether “radiators and controls” are explicitly listed — some mid-tier plans from both providers cap the number of radiators covered
• Policy documents from both providers specify which components are included; do not rely on plan names alone

The takeaway: radiator cover is a tier gate, not a given — and HomeServe undercuts British Gas on that gate price.

Which is better, British Gas or HomeServe?

Cost comparison table

Three monthly price points, one pattern: British Gas charges a higher upfront cost but wraps in an annual service every year; HomeServe lures with low entry prices but the annual service drops after year one.

The pattern: over three years, the cumulative British Gas premium buys predictable service costs, while HomeServe’s post-discount jump can erase any initial savings.

What does boiler cover usually include?

Standard boiler cover components

• Most boiler cover plans include an annual safety service, unlimited callouts, and parts and labour for covered components
• Both British Gas and HomeServe offer 24/7 customer support — British Gas via phone, HomeServe via online booking as well (MoneySuperMarket price comparison service)

Annual service, unlimited callouts, parts and labour

• British Gas includes the annual service for the entire policy duration; HomeServe includes it only in the first year (MoneySuperMarket price comparison service)
• HomeServe offers unlimited claims on all boiler cover plans (HomeServe official policy page)

Common exclusions across all providers

• Pre-existing faults, lack of annual maintenance, and cosmetic damage are universally excluded
• HomeServe requires mains gas boilers only — LPG, solid fuel, electric, and oil boilers are not covered (HomeServe official policy page)
• British Gas does not explicitly restrict fuel type but oil boiler cover is typically a separate product

What this means: boiler cover is only as good as your maintenance record — skipped services void the protection you’re paying for.

What is the difference between British Gas HomeCare and HomeServe?

Coverage differences

• British Gas offers 4 HomeCare tiers; HomeServe offers 5 tiers including dedicated plumbing and drains plans (HomeKog boiler advice site)
• HomeServe includes plumbing and drains in some plans at a lower combined cost than British Gas’s equivalent
• HomeServe covers boiler replacement for boilers under 7 years old if unrepairable after 6 months of cover (HomeServe official policy page)

Price comparison

• British Gas HomeCare 1 at £7/month is cheaper than HomeServe Gas Boiler with £60 excess at £9.99/month
• But HomeServe’s £6.99/month option with £100 excess undercuts British Gas for budget-conscious households
• The annual cost gap widens after the first year when HomeServe introductory rates expire

Customer service and response time

• British Gas operates a 24/7 emergency helpline with a large national engineer network
• HomeServe offers 24/7 customer service and online account management for booking repairs (MoneySuperMarket price comparison service)

Five tiers, one key contrast: HomeServe includes boiler replacement for newer boilers — a feature British Gas does not offer on any standard plan. For a homeowner with a boiler under 7 years old, that single difference could justify switching providers if a full replacement becomes necessary.

“British Gas HomeCare covers your boiler, central heating, radiators, and home electrics depending on your plan level — but it does not cover pre-existing faults or lack of maintenance.”

— British Gas customer service representative, British Gas official website

“HomeServe boiler cover does not cover pre-existing faults, and is available for mains gas boilers only — LPG, solid fuel, electric and oil boilers are excluded.”

— HomeServe policy document, HomeServe official policy page

“For most UK households, a mid-range boiler cover plan from British Gas or HomeServe offers the best balance of cost and protection, but the key difference is whether you need annual service included long-term or just want the lowest possible monthly payment.”

— MoneySuperMarket editor, MoneySuperMarket price comparison service

For a homeowner with a boiler under 7 years old, HomeServe’s replacement guarantee changes the risk calculation entirely — paying £6.99–£9.99 per month means a capped exposure of roughly £84–£120 per year plus a £60–£100 excess, versus facing a £1,500–£3,000 replacement bill. For older boilers or households that prioritise annual service consistency, British Gas’s all-in pricing removes the surprise of mid-year renewal jumps.

Related reading: British Gas boiler cover vs HomeServe comparison

When comparing cover plans, it helps to know which brands are included, such as the popular Worcester Bosch combi boiler models that many UK households rely on.

Frequently asked questions