coi (1)-min

Certificate of Insurance (COI)

A Certificate of Insurance (COI) also known as proof of insurance is a document from an insurance company to prove you have Commercial Insurance. A COI can give your clients or another business the confidence that you have the proper level of coverage before they start working with you.

Need a Certificate of Insurance? Contact us to get started with a Commercial Insurance quote today.

Providing a COI is usually required if your business has a high risk of loss or damage. Commercial insurance protects your business and your clients from different risks.

For example, let’s say you’re submitting a bid to construct a new building. To have the winning bid, there’s likely a condition to provide a general liability insurance certificate that proves you have an active policy to protect against bodily injury and property damage claims.

Information included on a COI about the policyholder, the insured includes:

  • Mailing address
  • Contact information for the insurance company
  • Type of policy
  • Policy effective dates
  • Coverage limits
  • An additional insured on professional liability, or other people and companies on the policy

Conversely, before you choose to work with another company, you should request a COI from them to ensure they have the right insurance.  If not, a person can file a claim against your business for damage you or your employees did not cause.

When reviewing a COI, make sure it has:

  • Is issued by a legitimate insurance company
  • Matches the name of the person or company you’re hiring
  • Has the right coverages
  • Lists each coverage amount
  • Has a policy period that won’t expire until after completing your project

Once you have requested a COI, you become a certificate holder and your name and contact information will be on the document and you will be notified of any policy cancelations.