What is 'Bank Guarantee'
We Uplaxya Consultants Pvt. Ltd. have a dedicated expertise Team that help arrangement of Bank Guarantee. A bank guarantee is a type of guarantee from a lending institution. The bank guarantee means a lending institution ensures that the liabilities of a debtor will be met. In other words, if the debtor fails to settle a debt, the bank will cover it. A bank guarantee enables the customer, or debtor, to acquire goods, buy equipment or draw down a loan.
A bank guarantee is a contract between 3 different parties and they include:
- The applicant (the party that requests a bank guarantee from the bank and borrows from a creditor)
- The beneficiary (the party that receives a partial guarantee)
- The bank (the party that agrees to sign and assures payment in case the applicant fails to repay the loan)
Bank guarantees are very commonly utilised among business entities. With the help of a bank guarantee, the debtor or borrower or customer will be able to purchase equipment, machinery, raw materials, acquire additional funds, etc. for commercial purposes. Bank guarantees help businesses as creditors will get a proper reassurance that the loan amount will be repaid by the bank if the business is unable to repay the loan entirely on time.
When a bank signs a bank guarantee, it promises to pay any amount according to the request made by the borrower. Hence, signing a bank guarantee implies a high risk for banks.
Understand the Process of Bank Guarantee
- First, an applicant will ask for a loan from a beneficiary or creditor.
- While applying for the loan, these 2 parties will agree that a bank guarantee is necessary.
- Then, the applicant will request a bank to provide a bank guarantee for the loan taken from the creditor. The bank guarantee will be taken on behalf of the creditor.
- The bank will now offer the bank guarantee to the applicant and send a financial instruction to an advising bank.
How to Obtain Bank Guarantee
Bank guarantees are not limited to business customers; individuals can apply for them as well. However, businesses do receive the vast majority of guarantees. In most cases, bank guarantees are not particularly difficult to obtain.
To request a guarantee, the account holder contacts the bank and fills out an application that identifies the amount of and reasons for the guarantee. Typical applications stipulate a specific period of time for which the guarantee should be valid, any special conditions for payment and details about the beneficiary.
- Deferred payment guarantee: This refers to a bank guarantee or a payment guarantee that is offered to the exporter for a deferred period or for a certain time period. When a buyer purchases capital goods or machinery, the seller will give credit to the buyer when the buyer’s bank gives a guarantee that it will pay the unsettled dues of the buyer to the seller. Under this type of guarantee, payment will be made in installments by the bank for failure in supplying raw materials, machinery or equipment.
- Financial guarantee: A financial bank guarantee assures that money will be repaid if the party does not complete a particular project or operation entirely. According to the financial guarantee agreement, when there is a delay in the completion of the project, the bank will make the payment.
- Advance payment guarantee: Under this kind of guarantee, an advance payment will be made to the seller. There will also be a guarantee that if the seller fails to deliver the service or product accurately or promptly, the buyer will receive a refund of the payment.
- Foreign bank guarantee: A foreign bank guarantee is provided by a bank on behalf of a borrower. This will be offered on behalf of the foreign beneficiary or creditor.
- Performance guarantee: Under a performance guarantee, compensation of money will be made by the bank when there is any delay in delivering the performance or operation. Payment will have to be made even if the service is delivered inadequately.
- Bid bond guarantee: Under this type of guarantee, there will be a supply bidding procedure. This will be conducted by the contractor for the owner of an infrastructure or industrial project or any kind of operation. The contractor of the project will guarantee that the best bidder or the highest bidder will have the capability and authority to implement a project as per his or her preferences. The bid bond will be given to the owner of the project as a proof of guarantee and the bond will imply that the project will have to be devised according to the bid contract.
Bank Guarantee Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
A bank guarantee is a commercial instrument in the nature of a contract, intended between two parties, to secure compliance with the contract. It is an off-shoot of the main contract between two parties. A bank guarantee is a guarantee made by a bank on behalf of a customer (usually an established corporate customer) should it fail to deliver the payment, essentially making the bank a co-signer for one of its customer’s purchases.
Guarantees are important instruments used to minimize the risks that are involved in commercial contracts. For the enforcement of ordinary guarantees, as construed dependence of the guarantee on the main contract may lead to unnecessary disputes and litigation, arising from the main contract. These disputes may have a material effect on the guarantee, thereby blocking funds in litigation. Hence, there was a need for an innovative instrument which would enable the guarantee to serve its original purpose; namely, providing a form of security. The bank guarantee is one such innovative financial instrument whereby, if the beneficiary perceives that there has been a breach of contract by the other party, he can encash the guarantee and avail of the amount immediately, without having to undergo the hassles of litigation. Thus, the relevance of a bank guarantee achieves relevance.
The invocation of a bank guarantee by the beneficiary can be restrained by an injunction under the Civil Procedure Code, 1908, or the Specific Relief Act, 1963. However, the normal considerations, which apply in granting an injunction, will not apply in cases of a bank guarantee. Courts are usually reluctant to grant an injunction against a bank guarantee. If a bank guarantee has to be restrained, it has to satisfy the following conditions: Fraud; Irretrievable injustice or injury.
