As temperatures drop below zero and the first snow of winter begins to fall, our boilers have to work harder. It's also one of the busiest times of the year for boiler breakdowns, burst pipes and householders needing to claim on home insurance and boiler cover, so it's worth checking policy exclusions.

It's an expensive time of year, but experts are warning homeowners that moves to make short-term savings on heating bills could prove costly in the long run.

From leaving heating off and failing to maintain a minimum temperature level to having an unserviced boiler, there are multiple ways that insurance could be unknowingly invalidated and leave homeowners at risk of hefty repair bills. 

Angela Pilley, Home Insurance Expert at Defaqto, says: "Winter fuel costs are forcing people to make difficult decisions when it comes to prioritising their household budgets. The danger is that a short-term saving, by turning your heating off, could be costly in the long run because of the risk of pipes bursting.

"Burst pipes can wreak havoc and cost thousands of pounds. Some insurance providers are now introducing additional terms for escape of water claims which apply during the winter months.

"This relates specifically to maintaining your heating above a minimum level. This could be if you are going to be away for a short period of time, for example three to seven days, but some are now even applying a minimum heating requirement when you are occupying the property.

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"If you have failed to maintain a temperature and the incoming bad weather causes a pipe to burst, you may not be covered."

New data from Defaqto also highlights an important term and condition that features in nearly all policies which homeowners need to be aware of for boiler breakdowns. 

Nine out of 10 boiler and/or home emergency insurance policies specify that a boiler service is required.

This can be a fixed period prior to the breakdown, ranging from 12 months to 36 months, or can be simply stated as ‘in line with the manufacturer’s instructions’.

More than a third of policies (37%) will also not cover a boiler over a certain age. According to the Defaqto data, the maximum age for a boiler is 15 years for 18% of policies, 14 years for 14% of policies, 10 years for 4% of policies and just nine years old for 1% of policies.

Angela Pilley said: "If you are thinking of taking out cover for your boiler to protect against unexpected costs this winter, then it is worth noting that nearly two thirds (62%) have an exclusion period, this means that if a problem occurs during that time you cannot make a claim. 

"This length of time varies from 24 hours to 90 days, with the 3 most common timeframes being 7 days (7%), 14 days (28%) and 28 days (9%). 

"One potential advantage of boiler cover though is that 65% provide a contribution towards a new boiler if yours breaks down and is beyond economical  repair. 

"This amount of the contribution can range from £250 to £2,500 or some even up to the boiler cost if the replacement is supplied by them.   Typically, your policy has to have been in place for a certain period of time but for 50% of these products it is 30 days or less.

"It’s important to check the terms and conditions of your insurance policy to avoid unwittingly invalidating your cover over the colder months."

Top tips on how to avoid costly call out and repair bills this winter

  1. Always check the terms and conditions of your insurance policies. For boiler and home emergency cover look out for boiler servicing requirements, age limits and upper limits on power output.
  2. If you plan to leave your home unoccupied then check if your home insurance requires you to maintain your heating at a minimum temperature during the time you are away and if this is required, then set your heating to this 24/7 whilst you are away.  Even if this is not required then taking the following steps can reduce the risk of pipes freezing and bursting. 
  3. If you have a smart thermostat, most will have an anti-frost setting to keep your home heated to a very minimal temperature that will stop pipes from freezing. 
  4. If you do not have a smart thermostat, most radiators will have a setting with a snowflake symbol – turn to this setting to allow minimal water flow between pipes and radiators to prevent freezing.  This should also be used if you only want to heat certain rooms.
  5. Consider setting the heating on a timer if you are going away.
  6. If the heating system is powered by an electric boiler, solar or solid fuel, check that your boiler or home emergency policy will cover this as many do not.
  7. When changing the boiler remember to check that your existing boiler or home emergency policy will cover it.
  8. If the boiler has been purchased within the last few years, it’s also worth checking what cover the manufacturer gives as standard under the warranty, but also check for any exclusions.