What counts as accidental damage?

The Service Box terms cover eligible damage caused by accident, subject to their exclusions. Before you buy, it’s worth checking where your equipment sits, what equipment is included and whether an existing guarantee or insurance policy affects your eligibility. The terms don’t give a list of approved accident examples, so it pays to check rather than assume.

Start with the equipment and its location

The accident clause requires the heat pump, thermal store and associated equipment to be within your property, behind locked gates or doors. Don’t just check the outdoor unit - ask Service Box how the rule applies to every part of your installation. A unit open to the street may not qualify; a locked gate alone doesn’t settle every other condition.

The terms include a thermal store but also exclude central-heating equipment under a definition that names cylinders and immersion heaters. If you’ve got your own hot-water cylinder, ask for written confirmation rather than assuming - this guide can’t promise whole-system cover.

What kind of damage are you concerned about?

Ask Service Box to assess the type of accident you want protection against before buying. Describe the equipment, where it’s installed, and how damage might occur. Don’t assume that a knock, impact or other everyday mishap is an approved claim example - the published terms don’t confirm those scenarios.

• Malicious or wilful damage, negligence, misuse and third-party interference are excluded.
• Equipment that’s been flooded or submerged is excluded.
• Existing faults and previously identified faults that haven’t been fixed are excluded.

Check the cover you already have

The plan excludes damage covered by another insurance policy. It’s worth checking your home-insurance schedule and any accidental-damage extension, including limits and excesses - don't assume it includes or excludes the heat pump.

The plan also excludes warranty-covered faults. A separate general exclusion names parts or equipment still under manufacturer warranty, and those statements have different breadth. Ask Service Box to confirm which benefits, if any, apply while your equipment is still under warranty, before you buy. An accident exclusion in a manufacturer's guarantee doesn’t, by itself, establish eligibility under this plan.

Know the cost and the waiting period

Repair callouts start after the first 30 days. Approved repairs draw on the £1,500 parts-and-labour allowance across the plan year. £25.99 a month pairs with £0 per repair callout (£311.88 over 12 months); £23.99 with £60 (£287.88); £21.99 with £95 (£263.88). The plan is discretionary, and Service Box decides each claim, acting reasonably - it’s not a promise that every accident will be repaired.

Damage that has already happened

A new plan won’t cover an existing fault. Worth noting down the model, any fault message, when the problem started, and what you can safely observe. Contact your existing provider, installer, manufacturer or a repair provider as appropriate. Don’t open up electrical or refrigerant parts yourself. It’s best to deal with the current damage first, before thinking about future protection.