COI tracking software: what it does and how to choose

If you collect certificates of insurance from vendors or subcontractors, tracking software takes over the chasing, reading and checking. Here's what it does, the kinds of options out there, and what to ask before you pick one.

What COI tracking software does

Collects certificates. Vendors upload them through a link, or you forward the emails they already send.
Reads them. Pulls out each policy, its limits, its expiration date, and whether the additional insured and waiver of subrogation boxes are marked.
Checks them against the requirements you set, such as $1M per occurrence general liability or workers' comp on file.
Chases vendors before coverage expires, and when a certificate falls short.
Reports who is in order and who isn't, so you don't have to open a spreadsheet to find out.

The three kinds of options

A spreadsheet and a calendar. Free and fine for a handful of vendors. It tells you who is expiring, but every email, follow-up and limit check is still yours. Our free spreadsheet template is a good start.

Enterprise compliance platforms. Built for large portfolios and thousands of vendors. They usually price by quote after a demo, and often include onboarding, integrations with property or project management systems, and sometimes a team that contacts vendors for you. Worth it if you need that depth.

Self-serve tools. Published prices, a trial you start yourself, and automation in place of a service team. Made for teams with tens or a few hundred vendors who want it running the same day. COI Relay is one of these.

Nine questions to ask before you choose

How do certificates get in? Upload links, email forwarding, or both?
Does it read limits and the additional insured box, or only expiration dates?
Can you set different requirements for different kinds of vendors?
What happens when a certificate is hard to read? Is it flagged for you, or silently guessed?
Who chases vendors, how often, and can you see what was sent?
Do vendors have to create an account to send a certificate?
Can you import the vendor list you already have?
Is the price published, and what does it scale with?
Can you cancel monthly, or is it an annual contract?

What no tracking software does

A certificate summarizes coverage; it doesn't change the policy. Whether someone is actually an additional insured comes from an endorsement on their policy, and what you should require comes from your contracts, lender or insurance broker. Software makes sure every certificate gets checked against the rules you set. Choosing those rules is still up to you and your advisors.

See it on your own certificate

Drop any certificate into the free certificate checker to see what COI Relay reads from it. No signup needed. Comparing options? See how it stacks up against myCOI and TrustLayer.

Let the reminders run themselves

COI Relay reads every vendor's certificate, checks it against the requirements you set, and emails vendors before their coverage expires. Built for property managers and contractors with 20 to 500 vendors.

See plans

This guide explains what certificates show. It isn't insurance or legal advice; ask your broker or attorney what to require.