Home emergency cover is a tempting add-on on many home insurance policies to give you a better level of protection against everyday occurrences. One of the top features is boiler breakdown cover so you are not left without heating in the winter months. DIY disasters are an unavoidable part of life but any you accidentally commit can also be attended by a trained professional to minimise damage both to your home and your mind.

According to research by home insurance comparison site Gocompare the cost of the additional emergency cover in 2015 ranged from £12 to £265, but most policies offered cover for around £35.

What Does Home Emergency Cover?

The most commonly covered home emergencies are plumbing and drainage problems, home security such as broken doors or windows, power supply failure, central heating failure, vermin infestation and removal of wasp and hornet nests.

The important thing about home emergency cover is in convenience. Of course most of these events you could handle yourself quite easily by ringing round various tradesmen.

In reality though, coming home to a break-in can be a shattering experience. The prospect of dealing with locksmiths and carpenters and their callout fees while you just want a safe home for you and your shaken family is one none of us look forward to.

Boiler breakdown may not be as traumatising, but most of us lead lives where we expect at least a moderate level of comfort rather than being catapulted into the dark ages after a long day at the office.

In the event that you are unable to stay in your home while it is fixed, a good home emergency policy will pay for alternative accommodation so that you can have a good night’s sleep and wake up to a revived home.

For many people the question of do I need home emergency cover can be a difficult balancing of risk and cost.