Google Guaranteed

Google guaranteed banner

How does Google Guaranteed Work?

Google Guaranteed works with Google Ads and Google Local Services to show consumers companies that have verified identity, insurance and licensing.  These are essentially businesses that Google vouches for as legitimate and reliable.  The Google Guarantee is available with a small number of service related categories.

The Google Guarantee badge is available for businesses that pass a Google screening and qualification process through Google Local Services.

If you’re backed by the Google Guarantee, and your customers (that came to your business through Google) aren’t satisfied with work quality, Google may refund the amount paid for the service. The following are the upper limits of lifetime coverage for claims:

United States: $2,000

Canada: CAD $2,000

To be eligible for coverage, just choose a product that has a cart icon and check out on Google.

Subject to the conditions of eligibility, Google will refund you if:

  • You don’t receive the item
  • You received the wrong item
  • The item you received isn’t in the condition you expected
  • The item you ordered is delivered late
  • You don’t get your refund after returning items to the merchant

Getting started with Google Guaranteed Local Services ads

With Local Services ads, you can advertise your business on Google and receive leads directly from potential customers. These leads come in as phone calls and messages sent through your Local Services ad. You can reply to messages, track bookings, and manage all your leads anytime online and through the app (Android, iOS).

Benefits of Google Guaranteed Local Services ads

  • Get seen at the top of Google.
  • Connect with potential customers who are searching for services you provide and are most likely to book.
  • Make use of simple tools to help you get started and create a personalized profile.
  • Use the mobile app to communicate with customers at any time.
  • Build trust with the Google Guarantee or Google Screened
  • Pay only for leads related to your business and the services you offer.
  • Customers choose you: You only hear from customers who have specifically selected your profile out of all the rest.
  • If you’re Google Guaranteed, you may also be listed as a local provider on the Assistant. You won’t pay for this service. 

Google Guaranteed Local Service Ads Categories

Google Guaranteed Badge

  • Appliance repair services
  • carpet leaning services
  • cleaning services
  • electricians
  • estate lawyer services
  • financial planning services
  • garage door services
  • HVAC (heating or air conditioning)
  • immigration lawyer services
  • lawn care services
  • locksmiths
  • movers
  • pest control services
  • plumbers
  • real estate services
  • roofers
  • water damage services
  • window cleaning services

How Google Guaranteed Local Services ads work

The Local Services unit is shown at the top of Google Search results when people search for the services you offer in your area. Potential customers can click or tap on your ad to either call you or send you a message request (US only). When they do, you’ll get an email and notification from the Local Services ads app. From this point on, the lead is yours to turn into a customer.

To ensure you continue to receive messages, respond to as many of them as you can (even if you decline to provide the requested service). If you regularly fail to answer calls or respond to messages, your ad ranking may be affected.

What Google Guarantee covers

  • The Google Guarantee covers claims up to the amount on the job invoice up to the lifetime cap for coverage.
  • Services must be booked through Google Local Services. The Google Guarantee doesn’t cover add-on or future projects, damages to property, dissatisfaction with price or provider responsiveness, or cancellations.

How Google Guarantee  works

If one of your customers submits a claim, we’ll contact you to learn more. You’ll have an opportunity to make things right with your customer. After investigating the claim, Google will decide on a resolution.

Businesses can apply to get the Google Guarantee by signing up for Local Services ads. Pros that appear on Local Services through partner affiliates are also Google Guaranteed. 

How Google Guaranteed works

If there’s a problem with your order or return, the Google support team is there to help.. We’re here 7 days a week through email, phone, and chat. A specialist will review the situation and help you determine next steps, including getting you a refund if you’re eligible.

To be eligible for this Google guarantee coverage:

(1) You must contact the support team to report:

  • Any items or orders not received: within 30 days of your estimated delivery date; or
  • Any issues with refund amount: 30 days after merchant receipt of return; or  
  • If you got the wrong item, if the item condition wasn’t as expected, or if the item was delivered late: within the item’s return policy eligibility duration or 14 days if the item was never returnable. The item may need to be returned to the merchant to be eligible for a full refund; and
  • Additionally, for any return refund related inquiries, the return must have been dropped off with the return carrier within 7 days of initiating the return; and

(2) You must comply with the merchant’s policies, terms, and conditions.

This guarantee is a service provided by Google, independent from and additional to any legal and commercial rights or guarantees offered to you by merchants.

Verification of insurance, license, and registration details for Google Guaranteed Local Services Ads

When you go through the setup process for Google Guaranteed, you may need to provide licensing, insurance and identity verification depending on business category.

The first step is creating a Local Services account.

Google Guarantee License verification

Google Guarantee Local Services setup

Once you start going thorough the workflow, you will verify

  • Social Security Number
  • US Identity document
  • Credit Reporting Discosures
  • Dispute Resolution Addendums

Google Guarantee Local Services setup

Google Guaranteed Insurance and Licenses verification

License checks for Google Guaranteed Local Services Ads

Depending on the country, Google verifies that advertisers hold applicable state, provincial and/or country-level licenses for businesses and owners/managers, to the extent practical. The licenses Google has verified for each advertiser are displayed on their provider profile. Advertisers must also confirm that they hold applicable county, city, and province-level licenses, and that all workers are appropriately licensed. Note that in some cases where a business is on the border of two states, the provider may not be authorized to work in both states. 

Google encourages you to review each provider’s profile to learn more about the licenses it has reviewed.

Insurance checks for Google Guaranteed Local Services Ads

Whenever applicable, each provider’s business must carry general liability insurance coverage for work performed. 

Advanced verification for Google Guaranteed Local Services Ads

Advertisers in some business categories may need to undergo Google’s advanced verification screening. Advanced verification screening may include a review of the company’s Google Ads account, publicly available data and video interviews conducted by Google. The check may also include inquiries into business registration validity, and evidence of fraudulent or misleading behavior.

Other screening for Google Guarantee Local Services Ads

Google also continues to collect ratings and reviews from people who hired Local Services providers. As described in our policy, serious or repeatedly negative customer feedback may result in lower rankings (including not showing at all).

* = where applicable by state law. Google encourages you to review each provider’s profile to learn more about the licenses it has checked.

Upload your company certificate of liability insurance and be sure to include the amount of coverage and expiration date of your policy.

Google Guarantee License verification

Google Guarantee Coverage

Google guarantee coverage is limited to the lower of: (1) $2,500 per order, including tax and shipping, or (2) the amount you paid at checkout, equal to the original item price plus shipping and tax, minus any refunds you received from the merchant, manufacturer, or Google.

Google guarantee coverage doesn’t limit your rights with the merchant or the item manufacturer. This means that you can still present a claim directly against the merchant demanding compliance with any rights and any legally mandated guarantees (product conformity, hidden defects) or contractual warranties proposed by the merchant.

Google guarantee coverage is not:

  • A warranty against product defects. You should follow warranty instructions provided by the merchant or manufacturer or in other materials if the item is defective.
  • Any form of insurance protecting against product loss, theft of damage after you take possession of it. You are responsible if you lose your item, if your item is stolen from you, or you break or damage your item after taking possession of it.
  • A source of added compensation. If a merchant fails to meet its obligations, your maximum aggregate reimbursement from the merchant and Google is a full refund for the item.
  • An item endorsement. Google does not certify, evaluate, or endorse the quality, safety, performance, or appropriateness of items sold through Google Shopping.
  • ​A protection against identity theft or credit card theft. Your protection is limited to the item you purchased as described above.

In addition, you won’t be able to get Google guarantee coverage if:

  • You already received a replacement, reimbursement, or other satisfactory compensation from the merchant
  • You filed a chargeback that is still open or if you won a settlement of any amount through your credit card or other payment processing company
  • You lost the item you ordered or the item you ordered was stolen from you or was broken or damaged with use

Local Services Guarantee

  • Pay only for leads related to your business and the services you offer.
  • Customers choose you: You only hear from customers who have specifically selected your profile out of all the rest.
  • If you’re Google Guaranteed, you may also be listed as a local provider on the Assistant. You won’t pay for this service. 

Google Guarantee Account Verification

Each category will have different requirements to verify and get certified.  In this example we use a window replacement company.  The company owner needs to get a picture of an idea submitted through the Google Guarantee workflow.  The verification goes through a security technology called Evident.

Google Guarantee Mobile Verification

Accessing your Google Guaranteed Local Services ads account

You can access your Local Services ads account anytime online and through the app (Android, iOS). Using these tools, you can:

  • Manage and receive leads
  • Communicate with your customers about their requests and record notes
  • Track your leads and bookings
  • View reports about your ad’s performance
  • Pause your ad if you’re too busy to accept new leads (a free version of your listing may be displayed)
  • Adjust your budget
  • Dispute charges
  • Ask for reviews

Note:  If you are advertising through a partner affiliate, your profile information is provided to us by the affiliate directly. Learn more

How providers qualify for Google Guaranteed Local Services ads

To help you feel confident when booking a provider through Local Services, Google requires all businesses advertising on our platform to undergo various levels of screening procedures. The screening process varies by type of service, the country you’re in, and whether the service provider advertises directly with Google or through one of our partner affiliates. These screening processes may include background checks, verification of insurance or licenses to the extent permitted by applicable laws.

How Google screens Local Services businesses that advertise directly on our platform 

Local Services businesses that advertise directly with Google undergo the following screening procedures. You’ll be able to recognize these providers because their profiles will have a note that says they have passed Google’s screening and qualification process for the particular category in which they’re advertising. This process varies by category but may include license, insurance, and background checks. 

If you’re a business looking to advertise on Local Services, sign up here.

Google Guaranteed Background checks

Business owners–and in some cases, service professionals–at Local Services businesses that advertise directly with Google, may undergo background checks by third-party risk management companies with which Google has partnered.

Depending on the type of service and country in which the service is located, the business may undergo the following types of background checks:

  • Business entity background check — a civil litigation history check of the business for evidence of negligent or substandard performance of services, such as judgments and liens from federal and state courts in the US.
  • Business owner background check — a background check for all owners of the business. This may include identity and criminal history checks, such as cross-checks against national sex offender, terrorist, and sanctions registries in the US.
  • Service professional background check — in an applicable categories, every employee, independent contractor, temporary worker, contingent worker, vendor, or other worker who will perform core services for the customer (service professionals) must complete a background check. Office managers, clerical workers, customer support representatives (or others that don’t visit customers) don’t need to complete background checks. This may include identity and criminal history checks, such as cross-checks against national sex offender, terrorist, and sanctions registries in the US.

You can read more about the requirements in the Google policy for Local Service ads.

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