How do I claim on my CIGA cavity wall insulation guarantee?

The CIGA process is designed to be used directly by the homeowner. Knowing the order of the steps helps it run smoothly.

Before you contact CIGA

It helps to gather a few things first. Find your guarantee number if you have the paperwork, or note the property address and approximate installation date if you do not. Take clear photographs of the problem — damp patches, mould, staining or cold spots — and keep a simple note of when each appeared. If you have had any survey or damp report done, have it ready. This is not about building a legal case; it gives CIGA enough to identify your installation and understand the symptoms. If you bought the house with the insulation already in, you can still claim, because the guarantee follows the property.

A little preparation tends to shorten the whole process. A claim that opens with a clear description, dated photographs and the installation details can move straight to inspection, whereas one that arrives with vague information often stalls while the basics are established. If you can, note where in the house the problem appears, whether it is worse on a particular wall, and whether it coincides with wet or windy weather — all of which help an inspector form an early view of the cause. None of this is mandatory, but it makes the difference between a claim that progresses smoothly and one that drags.

The claim process step by step

The process usually runs in this order:

• Contact CIGA and register the complaint with your guarantee number or address.
• Approach the installer if they are still trading — they are responsible for remedying their own defective work, and CIGA will normally expect this first.
• CIGA inspection — if the installer cannot or will not resolve it, or has ceased trading, CIGA arranges an inspection to assess whether there is a defect.
• Findings — the inspection produces a view on the cause and whether it falls within the guarantee.
• Remedial work — where a defect is confirmed, CIGA arranges or funds the repair.

Indicative process for guidance. Source: CIGA claims guidance.

What the inspection looks for

CIGA's inspection aims to establish whether the insulation itself is at fault. An inspector typically checks for damp readings on internal walls, looks for evidence that fill is bridging the cavity or has slumped, and may use a borescope to view inside the cavity through small drilled holes. They will also consider whether the damp could be coming from an unrelated source such as a leaking gutter, defective pointing or a roof problem, because those fall outside the guarantee. The result is a judgement on cause. If the fault lies with the insulation, the claim proceeds; if it lies elsewhere, CIGA explains why and points to the real cause.

It helps to understand why the inspection is so focused on cause rather than symptom. Damp from a defective installation and damp from a leaking gutter can look almost identical on the inside of a wall, yet only one falls within the guarantee. The inspector's job is to separate the two, which is why a borescope view of the actual fill — and a check of the external rainwater goods, pointing and roofline — carries more weight than the visible staining alone. Where access allows, the inspector may also look at how exposed the wall is to driving rain, since insulation fitted in an unsuitable, highly exposed wall is itself a recognised defect.

If the claim is accepted or refused

Where a defect is confirmed, CIGA arranges or funds the remedial work. For badly affected walls this can mean extracting the failed fill, drying the cavity and, where appropriate, reinstating insulation suited to the property. If the claim is refused because the cause is found to be unrelated, you can ask for the reasoning, provide further evidence such as an independent survey, and ask CIGA to reconsider. Where the dispute involves a regulated finance agreement used to pay for the work, the Financial Ombudsman Service may be able to consider a complaint separately. Keeping a written record of every contact and report helps if you need to escalate.

Most claims, though, do not reach that point. The common path is a homeowner who notices damp, contacts CIGA, has the wall inspected, and — where a defect is confirmed — has the failed fill put right under the guarantee at no cost. The steps that look formal on paper are, in practice, a fairly straightforward sequence of a phone call or online complaint, an inspection appointment, a decision, and then the remedial work. Treating it as a process to be worked through methodically, with your details and evidence ready, is usually all that is required for a genuine defect to be addressed.

Frequently asked questions

Sources & further reading

• CIGA — making a claim
• Financial Ombudsman Service

Figures on this page are typical UK ranges drawn from published sources and depend on your specific property. They are guidance, not a quotation.