CIGA Guarantee Claims: How the 25-Year Cavity Wall Insulation Guarantee Works
If cavity wall insulation fitted by a registered installer turns out to be defective, an independent 25-year guarantee from the Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA) — or, for newer installations, The IAA — should pay for putting it right. This guide explains what the guarantee covers, how to check you have one or replace a lost certificate, how to raise a concern, and what to do if you disagree with the outcome.
What is CIGA?
The Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA) was set up in 1995. It provides independent 25-year guarantees for cavity wall insulation fitted by CIGA-registered installers in the UK and the Channel Islands. The guarantee covers defects in the materials or workmanship of the insulation.
In April 2020 the organisation behind CIGA launched The IAA (Installation Assurance Authority). The IAA says: “All CWISC installations are covered by an independent guarantee currently issued and administrated by The IAA or previously issued by CIGA.” In practice, newer cavity wall guarantees come from The IAA and older ones from CIGA. Your certificate names the provider.
Key facts
- Founded: 1995
- Length: 25 years; claims must be notified within 25 years of the installation date
- Cost to you: remedial work is free of charge where a defect is confirmed, up to £20,000 of rectification work. It does not pay compensation
- Condition: the guarantee is not valid if the insulation has been altered or disturbed
- Moving home: the guarantee is transferable on sale of the property
- Where: cavity wall insulation by registered installers in the UK and the Channel Islands
What Does CIGA Cover?
What the guarantee is for
Defects in materials or workmanship
Faults in the insulation itself, or in the way it was installed.
Gaps and voids in the fill
CIGA gives refilling voids as an example of a simple case.
Problems that need the insulation taken out
CIGA gives full extraction and drying out as an example of a complex case.
Water getting across the cavity
Water penetration is the most common issue raised: about a third of the claims CIGA handled in April to June 2026. It is covered where the inspection finds a defect in the insulation or its installation.
What it will not cover
Compensation
CIGA says its guarantees cover remediation of defects, not compensation. Other losses, such as damaged belongings or ill health, are not paid for.
Insulation that has been altered or disturbed
The guarantee is not valid if the insulation has been altered or disturbed, so do not have it removed privately while your concern is open.
Work by installers who were not registered
Only work by CIGA-registered installers is covered, and CIGA no longer issues retrospective guarantees for 1995 to 2012 installations where none was applied for.
Damp caused by poor maintenance
The Energy Saving Trust notes that damp caused by poor maintenance is not covered.
Other types of insulation
CIGA guarantees are for cavity wall insulation. External or internal wall insulation and spray foam are not covered.
Late claims
Claims must be notified within 25 years of the installation date.
Check You Have a Guarantee or Replace a Lost CIGA Certificate
There is no online CIGA guarantee lookup. Start with your own paperwork:
- the guarantee certificate or installation paperwork
- documents from when you bought the home, such as the conveyancing pack
- the original installer, if you know who it was
If you cannot find it, ask CIGA
Email guarantees@ciga.co.uk or call 01525 853300 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).
Send two documents proving you own the property. One of them must be a current utility bill.
A fee applies for a duplicate guarantee. CIGA's own pages have quoted different amounts, so ask CIGA for the current fee.
If your certificate names The IAA, contact The IAA instead: 03333 239045, enquiries@theiaa.co.uk. If it names another provider, contact that provider.
How to Make a CIGA Claim: Step-by-Step
Report the problem to your installer first
CIGA's process starts with the installer. Put the problem in writing. CIGA says the installer will contact you within 24 hours to arrange to investigate. If you contact CIGA first, it will refer you to the installer and check back after two months.
Evidence to collect:
- Dated photos of damp patches, mould or staining
- Notes of when the problems started and what you reported
- All correspondence with the installer
- The installer's name and CIGA registration number, if you have them
- Your guarantee number, if you have it, and proof you own the home
Escalate to CIGA if it is not resolved within 41 working days
Send CIGA your photos, correspondence and the installer's details. The guarantee number is optional on the online form, but you will need proof of ownership.
CIGA contact details:
Online form: ciga.co.uk/register-a-concern
Email: concerns@ciga.co.uk
Phone: 01525 853300
Address: Unit 3, Ouzel Industrial Estate, Grovebury Road, Leighton Buzzard LU7 4ER
For an IAA guarantee: concerns@theiaa.co.uk or 03333 239045.
CIGA inspection and report
Where the installer has not resolved the problem, a CIGA Technical Inspector inspects. Be at home if you can, show every affected area and hand over your evidence.
CIGA's published performance standards:
- Acknowledge your concern within 2 working days
- Contact you to arrange an inspection within 5 working days
- Send the inspection report and proposed scope of work within 27 working days
- Resolve simple cases (for example, refilling voids) within 50 working days of receipt
- Resolve complex cases (for example, full extraction and drying out) within 90 working days of receipt
Remedial work
If a defect is confirmed, CIGA says remedial works are arranged by the installer, the system supplier or CIGA, as appropriate. The work is free of charge to you, up to the £20,000 limit. Keep the report and any completion paperwork with your property documents.
CIGA Claim Figures: What Is Actually Published
CIGA's quarterly figures, April to June 2026:
CIGA reports that it resolved 297 claims in the same quarter, and that referrals to arbitration continue to be low. “Resolved” is not the same as “upheld”, so these figures do not tell you how many claims succeed. Source: CIGA Q2 2026 quarterly statistics.
What to Do If You Disagree With CIGA's Decision
CIGA's own disputes route is independent arbitration. There are also routes outside the guarantee.
Be Wary of Firms Offering to Make a CIGA Claim for You
You can raise a concern with CIGA yourself. CIGA says it does not cold call or make unannounced visits, and it has published a warning about claims firms.
Before signing anything, check what you would pay and whether the firm would do anything you could not do yourself. If someone phones or turns up saying they are from CIGA, do not engage; contact CIGA on 01525 853300.
CIGA Claim Quick Reference
Do:
- ▸Report the problem to your installer first, in writing
- ▸Take dated photos and keep notes of when problems started
- ▸Keep copies of all emails and letters
- ▸Be at home for the inspection and show every affected area
- ▸Read the inspection report and query anything that looks wrong
- ▸Keep the guarantee and any repair paperwork with your property documents
Don't:
- ▸Don't have the insulation removed or disturbed while your concern is open
- ▸Don't assume you have no guarantee until you have asked CIGA
- ▸Don't pay a firm to do what you can do yourself
- ▸Don't let in unannounced visitors who say they are from CIGA
- ▸Don't exaggerate or misrepresent problems
- ▸Don't ignore other defects such as gutters or pointing; fix them separately
No Guarantee, or It Does Not Cover the Problem?
If you have a guarantee, use CIGA's process first. If there is no guarantee behind your insulation, or the problem falls outside it, we can introduce you to a specialist through Better Home Hub.
Sending an enquiry is free. Any survey or work is agreed and paid between you and the specialist, who may pay Better Home Hub a fee. Phone 03330 505 281 or email hello@betterhomehub.co.uk.
CIGA Guarantee FAQs
Related Information
Sources
- CIGA — Home page
- CIGA — About CIGA
- CIGA — Guarantee holders
- CIGA — Frequently asked questions
- CIGA — Consumer concerns
- CIGA — Consumer complaints process
- CIGA — Independent arbitration dispute process
- CIGA — Consumer update (claims firms)
- CIGA — Q2 2026 quarterly statistics (July 2026)
- CIGA — Contact us
- The IAA — About
- The IAA — Reporting a concern
- Energy Saving Trust — Cavity wall insulation (updated May 2026)
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49
- Citizens Advice — If you need more help about a consumer issue
Last reviewed September 2026.