Insurance cover and very intermittent no hot water

I have a boilermate 2000 which is just over 10 years old. Over the past few years I have had a few problems with the boiler, luckily I know a very good plumber who has fixed both at a reasonable cost.
The first problem was when the radiators upstairs came on but none downstairs and I could not turn off the upstairs rads even on the main consol, as far as I can remember the plumber put a new pipe in and said he thought a valve had 'clogged shut' maybe lime scale? Problem solved.

The second which is still ongoing is no hot water (which has happened 3 times now, all intermittent and months apart). The boiler won't light unless I turned on the heating at maximum and then the hot water is ok?
I am now wondering if it is worth me buying insurance cover for breakdown for water and heating?

So my questions are.............get to the point Kay!

1. Any ideas what my intermittent problem is?

2 One of the insurance questions is which type of boiler is it? So is a boilermate 2000 a condensing combi boiler or a condensing conventional boiler or altogether a different boiler? Help needed please..........pretty please?

3 Lastly I am in a hardwater area so is it worth me skipping the insurance altogether and getting a water softner thingy fitted?

Thanks in advance.

Kay

Boilermate 2000 is a thermal store.
3 pumps;
1 is boiler pump
1 is heating pump.
1 is domestic hot water pump (heat exchanger)
Depending on your are Gledhill do offer a Breakdown cover.
Hot water can be sensors.
Pump.
Sometimes PCB
Have you the book?
Try google to find a Gledhill repairer in your area.
Look on the home page on this site.
There are people advertising for different areas.
I assume you have a boiler located elsewhere in your dwelling?
Mike
MGC/H2O
Norfolk.

Thanks Mike, I will take your advice and look on this site.
My boiler is a Potterton.

Kay