What is the difference between a COI and an insurance policy?
A COI summarizes selected insurance information. The policy contains the actual terms, conditions, exclusions, and endorsements. A certificate does not replace or amend the policy. Use it as evidence to review, not as the complete contract of insurance.
Does a COI prove additional insured status?
Not necessarily. A certificate notation can indicate that additional-insured treatment may apply, but the relevant endorsement and policy terms are the stronger evidence. Obtain the supporting endorsement when the contract requires it.
How long is a certificate of insurance valid?
A certificate shows policy effective and expiration dates, but it has no universal independent validity period. Treat it as a point-in-time summary and monitor each policy date. Coverage may also change after issuance, so resolve current-coverage questions through authorized insurance channels.
When should updated contractor insurance be requested?
Request updated evidence before recorded expiration, when a project or contractual requirement changes, when a replacement policy is issued, or when a discrepancy requires corrected evidence. Early outreach at 90, 30, and 7 days provides time for review.
Certificate holder vs additional insured: what is the difference?
A certificate holder receives the certificate and may receive notices only as provided by the document or policy. An additional insured may receive certain coverage under an endorsement and subject to its terms. Listing an organization as certificate holder does not automatically make it an additional insured.
Who should be listed as certificate holder?
Use the exact entity and address required by the governing contract or approved project process. Do not guess or copy an unrelated prior certificate.
What happens if a contractor has no insurance?
Do not infer the operational or legal outcome from a generic article. Flag the missing evidence, follow the contract and your organization's escalation process, and involve qualified risk, insurance, or legal professionals before allowing applicable work to proceed.
Can a COI prove that a contractor is legitimate?
No. Insurance evidence is one component of contractor due diligence. Identity, licenses, references, safety history, qualifications, and contractual capacity may require separate verification.
How should an ACORD 25 certificate be reviewed?
Confirm the named insured, producer, insurers, policy numbers, dates, coverage rows, limits, certificate holder, description of operations, and referenced endorsements. Compare each item with the applicable requirements and keep the source document. ACORD is a form publisher, not the insurer providing coverage.
Can a certificate be fake or altered?
Any document can raise authenticity concerns. Treat inconsistent fonts, missing information, unexplained entities, altered-looking fields, or contact discrepancies as reasons for closer review, not automatic proof of fraud. Use authorized contacts and qualified professionals to resolve concerns.
What is contractor insurance risk management?
It is the broader process of identifying applicable requirements, collecting evidence, reviewing exceptions, documenting decisions, monitoring changes and expirations, and escalating uncertainty. Insurance tracking supports risk management but does not replace contracts, safety programs, prequalification, or professional advice.
What documents may accompany a contractor COI?
Depending on the requirements, reviewers may need additional-insured endorsements, waiver endorsements, schedules, policy excerpts, or other evidence. Ask only for documents supported by the governing requirements and have qualified reviewers interpret them.
USEFUL TOOLS
Download the free COI templates
Start with a tracking spreadsheet, request email, and printable checklist.