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What is British Gas HomeCare®?
British Gas HomeCare® is one of the most comprehensive maintenance and repair programmes available today, but just how useful is it for the average householder?
Lets face it, every central heating system will go wrong at some stage. Now, you’re either one of those people who prefer to save their money and take the risk that things won’t go drastically and expensively wrong, or one of those that only rest easy when they have protected themselves against every eventuality. Or, like most people, you occupy the middle ground. You would like peace of mind, but you don’t want to pay the earth for it.
The British Gas HomeCare® plan was created to cater for all those owning and running a boiler and central heating systems, and a number of other systems and appliances. For those that believe prevention is better than cure and those want some protection against often crippling repair bills.
You could argue that one downside of the programme is that it is complicated and does require a bit of effort to choose the best particular plan for your particular needs.
But lets see if we can explain it, without too much fuss.
Basically, for a set monthly fee, the British Gas HomeCare® plan will cover you against a graduated list of things that can go wrong with your boiler, central heating system, and other systems and appliances. The more you pay, the more things are covered. And within each level of the programme, you can opt to effectively pay an excess (as with a car insurance) and pay less per month.
Right, the first level of HomeCare® and one which covers the boiler and its controls, is Level 100, or to be precise, HomeCare® - £50 excess 100™. This starts from £10 a month and the Flexi in the title basically refers to the £50 excess, which represents a £50 fixed fee per repair. Therefore, no matter what your repair costs British Gas, it will only cost you £50 per repair. Now with boiler repairs averaging around £250, you’ll be £200 better off straightaway.
Of course, the observant amongst you will notice that the price is ‘from’ £10. To get an accurate quote, you have to give your postcode and like everything in the U.K., much will depend on where you live.
Still on Level 100, the next step up is to HomeCare® 100™. This is basically Level 100 without the excess; an all inclusive price.
Up one step further and you reach Level 200, and HomeCare® - £50 excess 200™, which from £12 per month and the £50 fixed fee per repair, has all the benefits of Level 100, but also, covers radiators, hot water and pipework. And yes, you’ve got it, if you want to remove the £50 fixed fee per repair charge, you have to pay from £17 a month to attain the HomeCare® 200™.
So, from £17 a month, or £240 a year, you get peace of mind cover on your complete central heating system. And, with the average cost of a central heating system repair of around £250 to £300, this has to be, in anyone’s book, good value.
But, Level 200 is not the top and you can go further, into the heights of Levels 300 and 400.
The HomeCare® - £50 excess 300™ has the benefits of 200, but from £15 a month and the £50 fixed fee per repair clause, extends cover to your plumbing and drains. Take out the repair clause excess, and you get the HomeCare® 300™ which from £22.50 is an exclusive price for the Level 300 coverage.
When you reach the heights of Level 400, initially with the HomeCare® - £50 excess 400™, you can add, from £18 a month, home electrics to the benefits of Level 300 and if you don’t want the £50 fixed fee per repair clause, you can opt, from £27 a month, for HomeCare® - £50 excess 400™.
Okay, so it might be a wee bit complicated and it is slightly irritating that the prices are from, rather than set, but even so, even the gravest of cynics might see that the British Gas HomeCare® plan could save you a lot of money.
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