Boiler cover for older boilers
Cover that carries on once your boiler is 7 years or older, with the limit stated plainly rather than a refusal. Build only the cover you need and see the price in the online builder. A service plan, not insurance. Prefer to talk it through? Call 0333 772 6247.
Can you get boiler cover for an older boiler?
Yes, you can get boiler cover for an older boiler, including 10 and 15 year old models. There is no maximum boiler age to join with Smart Plan: what changes is the cover limit, not your eligibility. Boilers under 7 years old are covered up to £500 in each 12-month period, and boilers 7 years or older up to £200, with parts and labour included.
If you have been turned away elsewhere because your boiler is 10 or 15 years old, Smart Plan works differently: you build your own plan from 7 modules, starting with boiler and central heating, and the age of your boiler sets the cover limit rather than whether you can join. When something covered goes wrong, we arrange a Gas Safe registered engineer to attend and carry out any covered repairs.
Last updated: 9 July 2026.
Cover limits by boiler age
| Boiler age | Cover limit per 12-month period (parts and labour included) |
|---|---|
| Boiler under 7 years old | Up to £500 |
| Boiler 7 years or older | Up to £200 |
Why do many providers refuse older boilers?
Older boilers break down more often and parts can be harder to source, so many providers manage that risk by setting a maximum boiler age and turning away anything above it. The ones that do cover older boilers often ask for an inspection first, and a limit you can see before you join is often a better deal than a headline promise that only pays out after an inspection you might fail. In its review of boiler breakdown cover, Defaqto (2023) found that 46% of the policies it reviewed will not cover a boiler above a set maximum age. The most common maximum was 15 years, which applied to 25% of the policies reviewed.
Smart Plan manages the same risk in the open instead. Rather than refusing your boiler, the cover limit steps down from £500 to £200 per 12-month period once your boiler reaches 7 years old. You can see exactly what you would get before you join, and the exclusions are set out in our terms and conditions.
What does the £200 limit mean in practice?
The £200 limit is the most we'll put towards covered repairs or replacement in each 12-month period where your boiler is 7 years or older, with parts and labour included. Smaller, common repairs will often sit within it: a replacement fan, pump or gas valve, say. Bigger jobs can cost more than the limit, and you would pay the difference; a full boiler swap, for instance, runs well beyond £200.
Be honest with yourself about the maths. If your boiler is very old and faults keep coming, the limit may not stretch to every repair in a bad year. We would rather state that plainly than hide it, and our guide to whether boiler cover is worth it walks through the same thinking.
A £95 call-out fee applies in defined cases, including any call-out in the first 30 days of a new agreement. Call-outs under your plan run Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00.
When is replacing an older boiler the smarter call?
If an engineer tells you a boiler is beyond economical repair, or the same fault keeps returning, replacement can be a better use of your money than patching it again. Cover puts up to your cover limit towards covered repairs or replacement, but it won't stretch to the full cost of a new boiler.
Our repair-or-replace guide sets out how to make that decision, and if you do need a replacement, our new boiler service can help. If you smell gas or suspect carbon monoxide at any point, call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 straight away, and never attempt gas repairs yourself.
Build cover around the boiler you already have
Pick the modules your boiler and home actually need, whatever the boiler's age, and see your price in the builder before you commit. Call-outs run Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00, a £95 call-out fee applies in defined cases including the first 30 days, and a 12-month agreement period begins once you use a service. Talk it through on 0333 772 6247.
Older boiler cover questions, answered
Can I get boiler cover on a 10 or 15 year old boiler?
Yes. Smart Plan covers 10 and 15 year old boilers, with no maximum age to join. A boiler 7 years or older is covered up to £200 in each 12-month period, parts and labour included, rather than being refused. Younger boilers under 7 years are covered up to £500.
Is there a maximum boiler age for Smart Plan cover?
No, Smart Plan does not set a maximum boiler age. Instead, the cover limit on the boiler and central heating module depends on age: up to £500 in each 12-month period for boilers under 7 years old, and up to £200 for boilers 7 years or older, with parts and labour included. There is no upper cut-off, so a 20-year-old or older boiler can still be covered on the same terms.
What does the £200 cover limit mean in practice?
It is the most we will put towards covered repairs or replacement in each 12-month period for a boiler 7 years or older, with parts and labour included. If a repair costs more than the limit, you pay the difference. Exclusions apply and are listed in our terms and conditions.
What happens if my old boiler cannot be repaired?
If an engineer finds your boiler is beyond economical repair, we will put up to your cover limit towards covered repairs or replacement, but the plan does not pay the full cost of a new boiler. If it comes to that, our new boiler service can help you arrange a replacement.
Does an older boiler still get an annual service?
An annual service is included when your product includes one, whatever the boiler's age, so the age of your boiler is never the barrier. Bear in mind that a £95 fee applies if you request your annual service within the first 30 days of a new agreement.
Can I switch to Smart Plan if another provider refused my boiler?
Yes. Being refused elsewhere does not stop you joining Smart Plan, because we set cover limits by boiler age rather than a maximum age. Build your plan online or call 0333 772 6247. A £95 call-out fee applies in the first 30 days, and once you use a service a 12-month agreement period begins.
Is there a call-out fee, and when do engineers come out?
A £95 call-out fee applies in defined cases: during the first 30 days of a new agreement, where the issue falls under an exclusion, or where our engineer cannot get access. Call-outs run Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00.
Call us today
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2nd Floor, Melrose House
42 Dingwall Road
Croydon
CR0 2NE