Home emergency cover offers immediate professional help if something goes wrong in your home.
Your insurer will send a registered tradesperson to fix your problem as soon as possible.
It only covers your buildings and contents in an emergency, including:
If your home is unsafe or at risk from theft, e.g. from a smashed window
Damage to your home that impacts your health and wellbeing, e.g. broken heating
Damage that could become permanent if not fixed straight away, e.g. a burst pipe
How to find the best policy
Think about what you want it to cover:
Heating system: This covers your boiler if it breaks down and also protects things like your radiators. If you only want heating cover, consider a boiler insurance policy.
Plumbing and drainage: This covers things like burst pipes, and can protect your toilet, shower and stopcock.
Home security: This covers damage to your doors, locks or windows that leaves your home at risk from theft.
Electrics: This covers any electrical failures that mean your home cannot be lived in, for example if your mains electric fails.
Some policies also cover damage to your roof, and pest infestations if they pose a threat to your home or health.
Work out what cover you need for your home. This comparison shows what cover options each policy offers, and how much cover you can get for each claim.
Do you need it?
Check your home insurance policy to see if home emergency is included.
If you do have home emergency, check what cover you are getting because you may be able get a better standalone policy using this comparison.
Home emergency FAQs
What is an emergency?
Most insurers define an emergency as anything that affects your health and wellbeing, or leaves your home unsafe or prone to further damage.
Do I have to pay an excess when I make a home emergency claim?
No, most home emergency policies do not charge an excess if you claim.
Will home emergency cover all repairs?
Not always, because it is designed to make your home safe so only covers immediate repairs and labour costs.
Can I get home emergency with home insurance?
Yes, many insurers include it as standard or as an extra. A standalone policy may provide better cover so use this comparison to find the best protection.
Is there a limit to the number of claims I can make?
It depends on the policy, but most do not limit the number of call outs you make. Some may set a limit of five call outs a year for example.
Do I need home emergency for my tenants if I am a landlord?
It is not a legal requirement, but it will cover any emergencies they have. It will mean you do not have to sort or repair the issues yourself.
About our home insurance comparison
Who do we include in this comparison?
We include home emergency insurance policies and service plans available from our panel. Here is more information about how our website works.
How do we make money from our comparison?
We have commercial agreements with some of the companies in this comparison and get paid commission if we help you take out one of their products or services. Find out more here.
You do not pay any extra and the deal you get is not affected.