Does Home Insurance Provide Emergency Cover ?
Caeva O'Callaghan | July 10th, 2023
Emergency cover sounds like it’s good to have. But is it essential, or even a good idea? Do you really need it? And what’s covered – and what isn’t? Read on to find out more.
In home insurance, emergency cover is for things like electrical failure, your boiler breaking down, or blocked drains. A standard home insurance policy will cover damage to your home and possessions, but emergency cover will pay for emergency repair work.
Emergency cover is a great idea for extra peace of mind. In this article we’ll cover questions such as:
- What is emergency cover on my home insurance?
- Why do I need home insurance emergency cover?
- What will emergency cover pay for on my home insurance?
Emergency cover doesn’t always come as standard, so check your policy carefully. Your insurance provider will be able to tell you how much it will cost to add emergency cover to your policy.
What’s covered by emergency cover?
Emergency cover on your home insurance is for those out-of-the-blue occasions where something explodes, breaks, or otherwise goes wrong. Emergency cover may be able to help with some or all of the following, depending on your individual policy:
- Electrical wiring failure
- Broken windows and doors
- Lost keys
- Boiler breakdown
- Central heating failure
- Loss of hot water
- Burst pipes
- Blocked drains
- Pest infestations
There is a certain amount of overlap with a standard home insurance policy, however emergency cover is more for smaller-scale issues (as opposed to flooding or house fires) that nevertheless make it impossible to stay in your home safely.
What isn’t covered?
Every policy has exclusions, and emergency home insurance cover is no different. There’s also likely to be a limit on the cost of labour and repairs, or the number of claims or call-outs accepted per year.
Also, you may not be able to make a claim during the first 14 days (or more) of your policy. Your claim may also be rejected if your property has been left unoccupied for 30 days or more, if you fail to service your boiler and something goes wrong, or other issues related to wear and tear.
If you’re concerned about any particular issue, the best idea is always to contact your provider and get them to outline exactly what you’ll be able to claim for.
What happens if I need to claim on my emergency home cover?
As soon as you notice a minor emergency in your home, ring your provider and let them know about the problem. Depending on your provider, you may be able to call any time of the day or night, or on holidays or weekends.
They’ll send out a tradesman they know and trust to help fix your issue, and this is usually at no extra cost to you. However, there will be an upper limit to how much you can spend. For instance, Allianz will cover up to €300 per incident. If it turns out to be more costly than that, you may end up paying out of pocket.
Limits are usually in place when it comes to how many times you can call: for example, AXA gives you 4 emergency callouts a year.
And don’t forget to check your policy wording carefully, as some emergency home cover will affect your no claims bonus. Many insurance providers keep it separate from your NCB, however. For example, AXA Ireland offers emergency home assistance which won’t affect your no claims bonus.
Should I get emergency home cover?
Emergency home cover gives you peace of mind in the event that something goes wrong. If you’re not confident trying to fix an issue while it’s happening, leave it to the professionals.
Plumbing problems and broken doors and windows aren’t small jobs, but at the same time they’re above novice level. Some people are happy to jump on Google and try and sort it themselves. In our opinion, if you’re anything less than a handyman or electrician yourself, emergency cover is your best option.
Your broker can help you find a great deal on emergency home cover that comes with everything you need.
If you have any questions regarding Emergency Cover talk to us in QuoteMe.ie
If you are unsure of whether you are covered for Emergency Cover or if you have any questions on whether you should take it out as extra home cover, just pick up the phone and talk to our trained insurance experts. We have been providing advice in Ireland for over 30 years. We can guide you and answer all your queries. We are available for calls between 8.30am and 5.30pm each weekday on 0818 224433 or 042 9359051.
If you want to get an immediate home insurance quote online, you can use our online quote system. We compare home insurance in the Irish market from 12 insurers to get you the right cover for your situation.