Boiler cover vs British Gas

Smart Plan boiler cover vs British Gas, in short

Smart Plan and British Gas take different approaches to boiler cover. Smart Plan is a modular service plan from UK Boiler Company Ltd, not insurance - you build cover from seven modules and pay only for the ones you pick. British Gas sells fixed tiers of cover. This page describes how each one works and compares only the figures we can verify; it is not a claim that one is cheaper or better.

The right choice depends on your home, your boiler and how you like to buy. Some people prefer a ready-made tier and being done with it. Others would rather build their own cover and leave out the parts they will never use. Below we set out how Smart Plan works, the British Gas figures we can confirm, and where the two ideas differ, so you can weigh it up yourself.

Key facts

The short version, before you read on:

• Smart Plan is a modular, build-your-own service plan - pick only the modules you want.
• British Gas is sold as fixed tiers of cover.
• This is a descriptive comparison, not a price claim - build your plan to see your own price.
• Smart Plan is a service plan from UK Boiler Company Ltd, not insurance.
• A £95 call-out fee applies in defined cases, and cover limits apply per module - both explained below.
• Monthly rolling, but a 12-month agreement period begins once you use a service.

Two different approaches

The clearest difference is how the cover is put together. British Gas cover is offered as fixed tiers - you choose a level, and each level bundles a set list of things together. It is a familiar, one-package way to buy.

Smart Plan works the other way round. Instead of tiers, there are seven modules - boiler and central heating, plumbing, drainage, electrical, appliances, pest control and home security. You start with what matters most to you, usually the boiler, and add or leave out the rest. You only pay for the modules you pick, which is where the phrase "don't pay for what you don't use" comes from.

Fixed tiers vs build-your-own

Neither approach is automatically the better one. A fixed tier can be simpler if you want everything in a single bundle. A modular plan can suit you if you would rather cover just the boiler, or the boiler plus one or two other things, without paying for parts of a package you will never use. It comes down to how much you want to tailor your cover.

The British Gas figures we can verify

We only quote competitor figures we can confirm from British Gas directly. British Gas publishes an example monthly cover price of £22.00 paired with a £60 excess, and lets you choose an excess of £0, £60 or £99, with a higher excess lowering the monthly price. British Gas also states it may decline to cover or replace a boiler once it reaches a certain age, using a seven-year threshold in its published guidance. (Source: British Gas. Verified 24 July 2026.)

Other headline tier prices you may see quoted around the web come from third-party comparison sites, conflict with each other, and are not confirmed on the British Gas site, so we do not repeat them here as fact. British Gas prices change and depend on your home, your boiler and the excess you choose, so check the British Gas site for a current quote. Smart Plan, by contrast, is priced from the modules you pick when you build your plan.

What Smart Plan offers

With Smart Plan, parts and labour are included up to your cover limit for each module you choose, and repairs are carried out by a national network of vetted, Gas Safe registered engineers. Your cover limit is the most we will put towards covered repairs during each 12-month period, and it varies by module.

We are upfront about the costs, too. A £95 call-out fee, paid in advance before an engineer attends, applies in four situations: during the first 30 days of a new agreement; where the issue falls under an exclusion; where our engineer cannot get access to your property; and if you request your annual service within the first 30 days. Your price for the cover itself is quoted when you build your plan, so you only ever pay for the modules you choose.

When we'll come out

Call-outs under your cover plan are carried out Monday to Friday between 08:00 and 18:00, unless it is a genuine emergency breakdown. If you ever smell gas or suspect carbon monoxide, leave it to the experts: call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 straight away, and always use a Gas Safe registered engineer for any work on your boiler or gas appliances. Never attempt gas repairs yourself.

Smart Plan cover limits

Service plan vs insurance - what is the difference?

A service plan is a repair-and-maintenance membership: you pay to have covered problems put right, and the provider arranges the engineer and the work. It is not insurance, which is a different, regulated product. Smart Plan is a service plan, not insurance - the terms and conditions state plainly that it is not a contract of insurance.

When you are comparing, it is worth knowing which one you are looking at, because the language, the way you request help, and the way cover is described can differ. With a Smart Plan service plan you are a member with cover you have chosen, and when something covered goes wrong, we will come out to you and cover the repair up to your cover limit.

Contract terms, honestly

Smart Plan cover is monthly rolling, but it is not a case of leaving the moment you have had a repair. Once you use a service, a 12-month minimum agreement period begins, and a new 12-month period begins each time you use a service after that. If you leave during that period you will pay the remaining monthly payments, or 75% of the outstanding balance as a one-off payment.

You also have a 14-day cooling-off period when you first sign up, which ends if a service is carried out during that time. Our terms and conditions explain all of this in full, and we would rather set it out plainly here than describe the plan as contract-free, which would not be accurate.

Staying safe while you decide

Whichever plan you compare, never attempt gas repairs yourself. If you ever smell gas or suspect carbon monoxide, call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 straight away, and always use a Gas Safe registered engineer for any work on your boiler or gas appliances. Topping up your boiler's pressure once, following the maker's manual, is fine; anything beyond that is a job for a qualified engineer.

Boiler cover vs British Gas: your questions

See what a Smart Plan looks like for your home

Build your own cover in minutes - pick the boiler module, add anything else you want, and get your own price. Prefer to talk it through? Call us on 0333 772 6247.

Related pages and useful links

• Smart Plan vs British Gas HomeCare
• British Gas HomeCare alternative
• How to cancel British Gas HomeCare
• Compare boiler cover
• Boiler & central heating cover
• Smart Plan prices
• Build your plan
• Check the Gas Safe Register
• Domestic gas safety (HSE)