How to request a certificate of insurance from a subcontractor

Before you ask: write down what the job requires

Pull the insurance section from your subcontract and, if there is one, the owner’s contract that flows down to subs. You need these details in front of you, because the agent can only issue what you ask for.

• Coverage types: general liability, auto liability, workers’ compensation and employer’s liability, umbrella or excess if required.
• Minimum limits for each, such as each occurrence and aggregate for general liability.
• Who must be listed as additional insured (usually you, and often the owner and others named in the contract).
• Endorsements the contract calls for, such as waiver of subrogation or primary and noncontributory wording.
• Your exact legal name and mailing address for the certificate holder box.
• The project name and address, if the contract wants the certificate to reference the job.

Send the request to the right person

The certificate is issued by the sub’s insurance agent or broker, not the sub. Ask the sub for the agent’s name and email and copy the agent on the request. Give a reply-by date tied to your start date or first payment.

What to check when the certificate arrives

A certificate is evidence that coverage was purchased. It summarizes policies; it does not change them. When the contract requires additional insured status or a waiver, ask for the endorsement forms too.

1. The named insured matches the company on your subcontract, including LLC or Inc.
2. Each required coverage is listed with a policy number and dates that cover the work period.
3. Limits meet or exceed the contract minimums.
4. The certificate holder box shows your legal name and address.
5. The additional insured and waiver boxes are marked where the contract requires them, and the description area references the project or contract if you asked for it.
6. If the contract requires endorsements, you have the endorsement pages themselves, not only boxes ticked on the certificate.

Common reasons a COI gets sent back

• Certificate holder is blank or shows a different company.
• Workers’ compensation missing with no explanation. In some states employers can legally go without it (Texas lets private employers opt out), so ask what applies and what your contract requires.
• Policy expires before or during the job.
• Additional insured box marked, but no endorsement attached when the contract asks for one.
• Limits shown per project or per location differ from what the contract asks for.