A sudden burst pipe or a broken boiler can quickly turn your safe haven into a stressful environment. Home Emergency cover by One Insurance Limited is designed to step in when you need an immediate, temporary repair to make your home safe, secure, and habitable again. It is important to remember that this cover provides a temporary fix for sudden emergencies, rather than replacing your standard buildings and contents insurance or covering general day-to-day maintenance.

Here is a clear breakdown of how the different tiers work, what is included, and the key details you need to keep in mind.

Choosing Your Level of Cover

The policy is split into three straightforward tiers to suit different needs:

• Basic Cover: This tier gives you up to three callouts per year, with a £250 cover limit per incident and a small £25 excess.
• Enhanced Cover: This tier gives you an unlimited number of callouts per year, with a £750 cover limit per incident and no excess for you to pay, however it does not cover your boiler or heating system.
• Ultimate Cover: This tier gives you an unlimited number of callouts per year, a £750 cover per incident, no excess and it also covers your boiler and heating system.

What is Included?

Depending on your chosen tier, the policy provides vital assistance across several key areas:

• Plumbing & Drainage (All Tiers): Protection against blocked drains, leaking waste pipes, and emergencies involving your internal hot and cold-water pipes or a completely broken toilet.
• Security (All Tiers): Emergency boarding or repairs if broken windows, doors, or locks leave your property unsecure or pose an immediate health and safety risk.
• Pests (All Tiers): The Basic tier covers the removal of wasps’ and hornets’ nests, while the Enhanced and Ultimate tiers also cover the extermination of rats, mice, and grey squirrels.
• Roofing (All Tiers): Temporary tarpaulin repairs for sudden roof damage caused by storms or fallen trees. The Enhanced and Ultimate tiers also cover damage to guttering and soffits.
• Internal Electrics (Enhanced & Ultimate Only): Assistance if a partial or complete electrical failure makes your home uninhabitable.
• Heating System (Ultimate Only): Cover for the breakdown of your primary heating system, ensuring you are not left without heating or hot water.

Important Details to Keep in Mind

• Strict Timeframes: You must report any emergency to One Call Claims within 48 hours of discovering it; otherwise, your claim will not be covered.
• Temporary Fixes Only: The policy strictly covers the cost of an emergency, temporary repair to stop further damage. You will still need to arrange and pay for a permanent repair afterwards.
• Maintenance Matters: Claims can be rejected if your home has not been well-maintained. For instance, your boiler must have been serviced within the past 36 months to be eligible for cover. Furthermore, drainage issues caused by flushing baby wipes or pouring cooking oil down the sink are strictly excluded.
• The 14-Day Rule: Pest control emergencies are not covered if they occur within the first 14 days of a new policy starting.

The Policy in Action

Imagine waking up on a freezing winter morning to discover your boiler has completely broken down, leaving you with no heating or hot water. Without cover, finding an emergency heating engineer and paying their call-out fee could be incredibly expensive and stressful. However, with the Ultimate Home Emergency policy, you simply make a call, and an authorised contractor is sent out to resolve the issue with a £750 cover limit and no excess to pay. If the boiler cannot be fixed immediately and the house becomes uninhabitable, the policy even provides up to £200 to cover alternative accommodation for you and your two dogs, plus £50 towards your travel costs, ensuring you all stay warm while the issue is sorted.

Making sure your home is prepared for the unexpected is always a smart move. If you would like to add Home Emergency cover to your existing policy, or simply want to review your current protection, feel free to get in touch with your insurance broker whenever you are ready.

What to Do in an Emergency

If you suspect a gas leak, you must call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately on 0800 111 999. For all other covered home emergencies, you can reach One Call Claims at 0203 738 7300.