Maintenance
Certificate of insurance (COI)
A dated summary of insurance information issued for a policy; it is evidence to review, not the policy or a guarantee of future coverage.
Glossary
Maintenance
A certificate of insurance, often called a COI, summarizes named policies, limits, effective dates, insurers, and certificate holders at the time it is issued. Property operators commonly request one before a contractor begins work.
A COI does not replace the policy, endorsements, exclusions, or insurer confirmation. Being listed as a certificate holder does not by itself make the property owner an additional insured. If that status is required, request and review the actual endorsement.
For a work order, match the insured legal name to the contracting party, verify dates cover the work, compare required limits and policy types, retain the certificate and endorsements, and route gaps for review before dispatch.
What to check
Review general liability, workers’ compensation where applicable, automobile coverage when vehicles matter, policy dates, limits, operations description, certificate holder, and requested endorsements. Confirm requirements with the contract and qualified insurance adviser.
Common mistake
A PDF in a vendor profile can be expired, altered, or unrelated to the entity performing the work. Keep the source, received date, verification contact, and the work orders to which the review applied.