What to send us for a certificate of insurance
A certificate of insurance (COI) is a one-page summary of your policy, usually on the ACORD 25 form: who is insured, which carrier, the policy numbers, the dates, and the limits. It is issued for information only and does not change your coverage. If a contract requires something the policy does not already provide, such as additional insured status or a waiver of subrogation, that has to be added to the policy by endorsement first. Only then can a certificate honestly report it.
Have these ready
- The certificate holder’s exact legal name and mailing address, and the email address it should go to.
- The insurance clause from the contract, or the holder’s requirements sheet. Upload it below if you have it.
- Whether the holder must be named as an additional insured, and whether it asks for a waiver of subrogation or primary and non-contributory wording.
- For a specific job: the project name, address, dates, and a short description of the work.
How long does a certificate take?
It depends on what the certificate has to show. Evidence of insurance on a policy as it stands is a quick request. Anything that needs an endorsement first goes to the carrier for processing, and some carriers take longer than others. Send the holder’s requirements with the request and we will tell you which kind it is and what, if anything, the policy needs before the certificate can be issued. Certificates are emailed to you and to the certificate holder.
Collecting certificates from your own subcontractors? Use the subcontractor certificate form. Not yet a client? A certificate has to come from the agency that holds the policy, so start with a business insurance quote.
