Certificate of insurance (COI): what it is and how to get one
A certificate of insurance (COI) is a one-page summary that proves your business carries the insurance a client, landlord, general contractor or venue asked for. It lists your insurers, policy types, policy numbers, limits and dates, and names the person who asked for it. You get it from your insurer or agent, it costs nothing, and many insurers issue a basic one online in minutes. What it can't do is change your coverage: ACORD, which publishes the standard forms, says only an endorsement or amendment to the policy can do that.
No policy yet? A COI comes with a policy, so you need cover first. Get the requester's insurance list in writing (limits, additional insured wording, deadline) and quote against it. Insureon's small-business customers pay a median of $45 a month for general liability, which Insureon calls the first policy most small businesses need (Insureon). You can compare business insurance quotes with the requester's limits in hand.
What does a certificate of insurance show?
A COI shows who is insured, by whom, for what, how much and for how long. Insurers describe the same core fields:
| On the certificate | What to check before you send it |
|---|---|
| Named insured (your business name and address) | It matches the name on your contract or lease |
| Insurer for each policy | The requester may set a minimum rating. Tampa's parks department, for example, wants A.M. Best B+ or better |
| Policy type, policy number, effective and expiration dates | Dates cover the whole job or event, including set-up and tear-down days |
| Limits (per occurrence and aggregate) | They meet the contract's numbers |
| Additional insureds and special wording (waiver of subrogation, primary and non-contributory) | Each one is backed by an endorsement on your policy |
| Description of operations | The job, location or event the certificate is for |
| Certificate holder | The requester's exact legal name and address |
Sources: Insureon, ERGO NEXT, Travelers, City of Tampa. Checked 10 October 2026.
What a COI leaves out matters as much. It is not the policy and gives the holder no rights under it; Travelers says it doesn't guarantee that coverage applies to any particular claim. Writing a contract reference on the certificate doesn't add coverage either. And a liability insurer usually has to tell only the first named insured if the policy is canceled, unless an endorsement says otherwise, so a certificate holder won't automatically hear about a cancellation (ACORD).
Which ACORD form do you need?
For liability cover, the ACORD 25. Property cover goes on a separate form, because property and liability policies treat cancellation notice differently.
| Form | Title | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| ACORD 25 | Certificate of Liability Insurance | General liability, commercial auto, umbrella or excess, workers' comp and employer's liability, and professional or cyber liability. One form can list several policies |
| ACORD 24 | Certificate of Property Insurance | Property cover |
| ACORD 27 | Evidence of Property Insurance | Property cover, for a party with a financial interest in it, usually a lender |
| ACORD 28 | Evidence of Commercial Property Insurance | Commercial property, for a party with a financial interest in it, usually a lender |
Source: ACORD Certificates of Insurance FAQ for form numbers and titles; Insureon for the lines an ACORD 25 can list. ACORD also publishes certificates for aviation, garage, marine and vehicle or equipment cover.
If your policies come from different insurers or agencies, expect one certificate from each. A request for proof of liability cover means the ACORD 25 (Tampa's permit rules name it outright), while a lender wants evidence of property insurance. If the request just says "COI", ask which form they want. Learn more about ACORD forms.
How do you get a COI, and how fast?
Ask your insurer or agent. ACORD doesn't issue certificates itself. Basic certificates are usually self-service and free. Custom ones, which name an additional insured or add contract wording, take longer at some insurers.
| Insurer or broker | What it says about COIs | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| The Hartford | Request online in under five minutes; usually issued instantly | Free |
| ERGO NEXT | About 10 minutes online; unlimited custom certificates, including additional insureds, through the app | No additional cost |
| biBERK | Basic certificate instantly online; custom certificate (for example, naming an additional insured) within three business days | Free, unlimited |
| Progressive Commercial | Usually within a day or two; some policies online | Free |
| Insureon (broker) | Most businesses get their ACORD certificate within a couple of hours of starting a quote; higher-risk businesses usually within 48 hours | Free |
Sources: The Hartford (updated 26 February 2026), ERGO NEXT, biBERK, Progressive Commercial, Insureon (updated 13 July 2026). Checked 10 October 2026.
Send your insurer everything at once, so the certificate is right the first time:
- The requester's exact legal name and mailing address (they become the certificate holder)
- The insurance section of the contract, lease or permit, with the limits it asks for
- Whether they want to be an additional insured, and on which policies
- Any waiver of subrogation or primary and non-contributory wording
- The job, address or event dates for the description of operations
- Your deadline
If you have a custom request and a deadline, ask before you buy how long custom certificates take. Three business days is fine for a lease and a problem for a job that starts tomorrow.
Certificate holder vs additional insured
A certificate holder is whoever receives the certificate. An additional insured is someone your policy actually covers, for claims arising from your work. Progressive Commercial puts it plainly: the holder has no right to claim under your policy, while an additional insured has been added to it and is covered for certain liabilities.
The difference shows up the moment a requester asks to be "named as additional insured". Typing their name in the additional insured box doesn't do it; your policy needs an additional insured endorsement that covers them. Some requesters check. Seattle's special events office asks for a copy of the endorsement itself (ISO form CG 20 12 or CG 20 26) alongside the certificate (City of Seattle).
Our catering guide has a worked example of additional insured vs certificate holder for venues. For how endorsements change a policy, see insurance endorsement.
Waiver of subrogation and primary and non-contributory: what to ask your insurer
These two requests often arrive together. Insureon sees them in construction contracts and leases, and permit offices use them too: Tampa asks event organizers for a waiver of subrogation, Seattle for primary and non-contributory cover. Both are endorsements, not certificate wording. Neither one makes the requester an additional insured.
| Request | What it does | What to ask your insurer |
|---|---|---|
| Waiver of subrogation | Your insurer gives up its right to recover what it paid on a claim from the other party, even if they caused the loss | Can you add it? Is it blanket (anyone your contract requires) or scheduled (named parties)? What does it cost? |
| Primary and non-contributory | Your policy pays first for the additional insured, and your insurer won't ask the other party's insurer to share the claim | Does my policy include it, or do I need an endorsement (ISO CG 20 01 or the insurer's own form)? Does it need a written contract to apply? |
Sources: Insureon on waivers of subrogation and on primary and non-contributory. Checked 10 October 2026.
Insureon notes that insurers usually charge extra for a waiver of subrogation, and that primary and non-contributory wording normally applies only where you agreed to it in writing. Read the contract's insurance section with your insurer before you sign. These requests are easier to arrange before you commit than after the client is waiting for the certificate.
What if the client asks for limits you don't have?
Fix the coverage, then get a new certificate. A certificate that shows $1 million when the contract says $2 million will be rejected, and you can't fix that on the paperwork.
- Compare line by line. Put the contract's limits next to your declarations page: per occurrence, aggregate, products and completed operations, auto, employer's liability.
- Ask your insurer to raise the limit. Insureon says to increase the policy limit and have the certificate reissued.
- Ask whether an umbrella counts. A commercial umbrella adds limits on top of your liability policies, and some requesters build their totals that way. The City of Miami, for example, asks caterers at events of 3,000 to 7,500 people for a $1 million umbrella over their general liability and liquor policies (miami.gov). Ask the requester whether an umbrella on top of your primary limits will do before you buy.
- Ask the requester. If the job is small, ask in writing whether a lower limit is acceptable. The worst answer is no.
If you are shopping for higher limits, compare business insurance quotes with the contract's numbers.
Common mistakes that get a COI rejected
Each of these comes from a real requester's rules or an insurer's own guidance, and each is easy to fix before you send the certificate:
- A binder instead of a policy number: Tampa's parks department requires a policy number and says no binders. A binder is temporary proof issued before the policy.
- Dates that miss set-up or tear-down: Tampa wants coverage dates that include them.
- Wording the requester won't accept: Seattle rejects special event certificates worded "IS required by" or "AS PER written agreement or contract", because a permit is not a contract. "IF required by" or "WHEN required by" wording is fine.
- Additional insured on the certificate but not on the policy: Seattle asks for the endorsement itself. ACORD says the certificate alone changes nothing.
- A certificate that didn't come from your insurer or agent: The Hartford calls accepting one of these among the biggest mistakes a business can make when hiring.
- An old certificate after renewal or a change: Progressive Commercial says to request new certificates when you change coverage, limits or endorsements, and at renewal.
- Assuming the holder hears about a cancellation: Under a typical liability policy, only the first named insured gets notice unless the policy is endorsed (ACORD).
Requirements change by requester, so check each contract's insurance section against your policy rather than reusing last month's certificate. If you are pulling a quote together, our business insurance quote checklist lists what insurers ask for. If the request is for a one-off event, see special event insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a certificate of insurance? A certificate of insurance (COI) is a short document, usually the ACORD 25 for liability cover, that proves your business has the policies, limits and dates a client, landlord or contractor asked for. It summarizes the policy but is not the policy, and it can't add or change coverage.
How much does a certificate of insurance cost? Nothing. The Hartford, Progressive Commercial, Travelers, biBERK, ERGO NEXT and Insureon all issue certificates free to policyholders. What costs money is the policy behind it, and any endorsement the requester wants, such as a waiver of subrogation.
How long does it take to get a COI? From minutes to a few days. The Hartford says under five minutes online and ERGO NEXT about 10 minutes, while biBERK takes up to three business days for a custom certificate and Progressive says usually a day or two. Custom requests that name an additional insured take longest.
Can I make my own certificate of insurance? No. Certificates come from your insurer or agent, and The Hartford warns businesses not to accept certificates that didn't come from one. ACORD licenses its forms to agents and brokers rather than issuing certificates itself.
What is the difference between a certificate holder and an additional insured? A certificate holder only receives the certificate and has no right to claim under your policy. An additional insured is covered by your policy for claims arising from your work, which takes an endorsement on the policy, not just a name on the certificate.
What should I do if my COI doesn't meet the contract's requirements? Raise your limits or add the missing endorsement with your insurer, then ask for a reissued certificate. If the gap is in the total limit, ask the requester whether a commercial umbrella on top of your general liability is acceptable.
Related Terms
- Additional Insured: a third party added to your policy by endorsement and covered for claims arising from your work
- Insurance Binder: temporary proof of coverage before the policy is issued; some requesters won't accept one in place of a policy number
- Insurance Endorsement: a change to the policy itself, which is what additional insured status, waivers of subrogation and primary and non-contributory wording require
