What Is an Insurance-Backed Roofing Guarantee?

The basic idea

Every roofing guarantee is a promise that if the work fails because of the contractor's workmanship within a stated period, the contractor will put it right. The question is what happens if they cannot or will not. With a plain guarantee, you rely on the roofer still being in business, still contactable and still willing. With an insurance-backed roofing guarantee, an insurance policy sits behind that promise, which is intended to pay for the repair if the contractor has ceased trading. Some schemes arrange the cover per job and issue a certificate to the homeowner, often for a fee that is built into the price.

That is the theory. In practice what you get depends on the wording, so treat the phrase as a prompt to ask questions, not as a guarantee of anything in itself.

What to check in the small print

Ask what the policy actually covers. Some cover only defective workmanship and not materials. Some pay only when the contractor is insolvent, and not when they simply refuse to return. Some have an excess, an overall limit of cover, or a requirement that the roof is maintained and inspected at set intervals. Others exclude certain kinds of work, such as flat roofs, or certain causes, such as storm damage and moss. Ask who the insurer is, which of the parties pays, who pays the premium, how long the cover lasts, whether it transfers if you sell the house, and how a claim is made. Get the answers in writing, along with the certificate and the policy summary.

Look at the length too. A long headline term is only useful if the cover for the whole period is real and not reduced after the first few years. Our page on whether a roof guarantee is transferable says what to ask about passing it on to a buyer.

Other kinds of guarantee

An insurance-backed roofing guarantee is only one of several. A manufacturer may guarantee the product, such as a membrane or a tile, against defects, which does not cover how it was fitted. A contractor may give their own written workmanship guarantee, which we describe on our guarantee page. Some trade schemes provide their own protection. These layers are separate, so check which is which, and who is responsible when something goes wrong. A good certificate names the job, the address, the date, the work, the guarantor and the term.

None of them replaces a sound job. The best protection is a roof built correctly by someone who can show their workmanship, with a clear written scope. The wording of a sound one is set out in the guarantee checklist, and the signs of a good roofer look at the person behind it.

When a claim is made

Think about what a claim involves. Typically you notify the guarantor in writing, give details and photographs of the fault, and allow an inspection. An assessor decides whether the fault is a workmanship defect, whether it falls inside the term, and whether you have kept to any conditions such as maintenance. Repairs may be limited to putting the defect right, not paying for consequential damage inside the house. Keep records of any work done on the roof since, because later alterations by someone else can void a claim. If the roofer is still trading, many schemes expect you to go to them first.

Is the extra cover worth paying for?

It depends on the job and your appetite for risk. On a large job, such as a full re-roof or a flat roof renewal, a policy that pays out if the firm fails can be a real safeguard, provided its terms are sound. On a small repair the cost may not be worth it. Be wary of anyone who sells the phrase without the paperwork, or who suggests the cover is the main reason to choose them. Pay attention to whether the roofer can explain, in plain words, what the policy covers and how a claim works.

It is also fair to ask the roofer what they would do if a fault arose. A firm that answers clearly, in writing, is easier to rely on than one that points to a logo. Our guarantee at Beacon is a written 10-year workmanship guarantee from us, and we explain exactly what it covers before you agree to the job. You can read more on the homepage, or ring 01256 213956 to ask about it.