New windows and doors are one of the bigger investments most people make in their home, and the guarantee behind them matters just as much as the products themselves.
If you are getting quotes at the moment, or looking through paperwork after a recent installation, you have probably come across the term “insurance-backed guarantee” (IBG) and wondered what it actually means for you. Here is a plain-English guide to what it covers, why FENSA and CERTASS registered installers must provide one, and what it means for your protection.
What is an insurance-backed guarantee?
An insurance-backed guarantee (IBG) is an insurance policy that sits behind the guarantee your installer gives you for your new windows or doors.
Normally, if something needed putting right, you would go back to the company that fitted the job. An IBG covers the situation where that is no longer possible, for example if the installer has stopped trading: the insurance policy steps in, so the promise behind your guarantee still stands even without the original company there to honour it.
It is a separate document from your FENSA or CERTASS certificate. An insurance provider usually issues it, not the installer, so it should be kept safe alongside your other paperwork.
How long does my guarantee last?
Our installation guarantee runs for ten years, backed by an insurance policy through QANW for the whole of that period. That way, your cover does not depend on any one company still being around. If you would like your certificate explained, we are happy to talk you through it.
Why FENSA and CERTASS installers must provide one
Since 2014, an insurance-backed guarantee has been a requirement for every domestic window and door installation self-certified through a government-approved competent person scheme, including FENSA and CERTASS (Ruislip Windows is registered with both).
Alongside the IBG, registered installers must also provide:
- Deposit protection. If a company takes a deposit before work begins, that money must be protected in some way, for example through a trade association scheme or credit card protection.
- A workmanship guarantee. Registered installers must cover the cost of putting right any installation defects, usually for a period of ten years.
These protections exist because replacement windows and doors are notifiable work under Building Regulations. FENSA and CERTASS are two of the main competent person schemes that let installers self-certify that work, instead of a council building inspector checking every job individually.
How long does the cover last, and what does it include?
Most insurance-backed guarantees run for ten years from the date of installation, matching the length of the underlying workmanship guarantee.
If your installer stops trading during that period, you can contact the insurance provider named on your certificate directly to find out about making a claim.
Keep your IBG certificate together with your FENSA or CERTASS certificate and your original paperwork, since you may need them if you ever come to make a claim or sell your home.
Deposit protection: the other half of the picture
An insurance-backed guarantee and deposit protection cover two different stages of the same job.
Deposit protection covers the money you pay upfront, before any work has started, if the installer cannot go on to complete it. The insurance-backed guarantee then covers the finished installation for years afterwards.
Ask your installer for written confirmation of both before you go ahead.
How Ruislip Windows protects you
As FENSA and CERTASS registered installers, we provide an insurance-backed guarantee on every eligible domestic installation, underwritten through Quality Assured National Warranties (QANW), giving you ten years of cover.
Together with our own in-house aftersales service, your protection carries on long after the fitters have left.
We have been using Quality Assured National Warranties (QANW) for many years now. Watch their short video below which explains the benefits of IBGs to consumers.
Any questions?
If you have any questions about your insurance-backed guarantee, deposit protection, or anything else about buying new windows or doors from us, call us on 020 8868 1133 or email office@ruislipwindows.co.uk. We are always happy to talk you through your paperwork, with no pressure to book anything on the spot.