What is a certificate of insurance?

A certificate of insurance, or COI, is a one-page summary of someone's insurance. It shows which policies they had, with which insurers, for how much, and until when, as of the day it was issued.

Why you're being asked for one, or asking for one

When a business hires a vendor or subcontractor, the contract often requires the vendor to carry insurance. The certificate is how the vendor proves it. Property managers collect them from landscapers and plumbers, general contractors collect them from every subcontractor, and event venues collect them from caterers.

Who issues it

The vendor's insurance agent or broker issues the certificate, not the vendor. The agent is listed in the PRODUCER box at the top left. That's why the fastest way to get one is usually for the vendor to ask their agent to send it straight to you.

What's on it

Most certificates for business liability use the ACORD 25 form, so they look nearly identical whoever issued them. The main parts:

Insured: the vendor whose insurance this is.
Insurers: the insurance companies, labeled A, B, C and so on.
Coverage table: one row per policy (general liability, auto, umbrella, workers' comp) with the policy number, start and end dates, and limits.
Description of operations: free text, often naming a project or noting special terms.
Certificate holder: who the certificate was issued to, usually the company that asked for it.

Our guide to reading a certificate of insurance walks through each box.

What it doesn't do

A certificate is for information only. The ACORD form itself says it doesn't amend, extend or alter the coverage of the policies listed. Two things follow from that:

Being the certificate holder doesn't make you covered. Additional insured status comes from an endorsement to the policy, not from the certificate.
It's a snapshot. If the vendor cancels a policy next week, the certificate in your files won't change.

Why certificates go out of date

Business policies usually run for a year. Each one on the certificate has its own end date, so a certificate stops proving anything as soon as its earliest policy expires, even if the vendor renewed. The renewed certificate often goes only to the vendor, or nowhere. That's why companies that collect certificates also have to keep asking for new ones. See what to do when a vendor's certificate expires.

How to check one quickly

Make sure the insured name matches the vendor you hired.
Check that every policy you require is listed and none of the end dates have passed.
Compare the limits with what your contract requires.
If the certificate looks off, call the agent in the PRODUCER box to confirm it.

Or drop the PDF into the free certificate checker. It reads every policy, date and limit in a few seconds, with no signup.

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.