Free template
Free Certificate of Liability Insurance (COI) Request Form
A certificate of insurance request form is a written request to an insurance agent or broker to issue a certificate of liability insurance (COI) for a specific client and project. It is usually needed when a business is about to start work for a client that requires proof of insurance first. The request names:
The business whose insurance is shown;
The party that will receive the certificate;
The work it covers;
The coverage and limits required;
Any endorsements;
The deadline.
The request can be prepared by either side. Most often, the insured business, such as a contractor or vendor, sends it to its own agent. Sometimes the client, or someone acting for it, sends it to the vendor’s agent directly. The request is not the certificate: only the insurer or the insured’s authorized agent (the “producer”) issues the certificate and confirms what the policy covers.
Is a Certificate of Insurance Request the Right Document for You?
Copy section linkA COI request form fits whenever a contract or onboarding process asks for proof of insurance. Here are a few common situations when one may need a COI:
| Situation | Document to use |
|---|---|
| A cleaning company signs a vendor agreement with an office building, and the building manager asks for a COI before the first visit. | COI request to the cleaning company’s agent |
| A roofing subcontractor’s agreement with a general contractor requires the GC to be added as an additional insured. | COI request with the endorsement requirements listed |
| An event venue’s rental contract asks a caterer for proof of liability coverage. | COI request naming the venue as certificate holder |
| A small business has no liability policy yet. | A conversation with an insurance agent about buying coverage |
| A client asks for a full copy of the policy, not a certificate. | A separate request to the producer for the policy documents |
A common mistake is to type up a certificate or edit one received earlier. A business cannot make its own certificate of insurance. Several states regulate certificates directly. In New York, a certificate cannot change or extend the coverage, and no one may require it to show terms the policy does not include. Texas has similar rules and requires approved certificate forms. If the contract asks for more than the policy provides, the solution is a change to the policy or an endorsement, not a different certificate.
What Goes Into a COI Request
Copy section linkA standard COI request contains information about:
| Requester | The business sending the request, the contact person, email, and phone |
| Insured | The legal name and address of the business whose insurance is shown, exactly as on the policy |
| Producer | The insurance agency or broker and its contact email |
| Certificate holder | The client’s exact legal name and mailing address, taken from the contract |
| Project | The location and operations the certificate covers, the activity start and end dates, and the contract reference |
| Coverage | Each required coverage type, limit, and policy period |
| Endorsements | Additional insureds and any endorsements the contract requires |
| Delivery | The date the certificate is needed and where to send it |
| Signature | The name of the person who prepared the request, signature, and date |
Start With the Contract
Copy section linkBefore filling in the request, the requester gets the contract or the client’s written insurance requirements. These show which insurance the client needs and the minimum coverage amount for each type, for example, $1,000,000 per incident. The request names the contract, and the insurance clauses are attached. The agent then knows exactly what the client asked for and doesn’t have to guess from a vague note like “the usual coverage.”
The contract matters for another reason: it often decides how far the coverage goes. For example, when a client is added to the vendor’s policy as an additional insured, the policy usually protects the client only as much as the signed contract requires. If the contract asks for $500,000 and the policy limit is $1,000,000, the client is covered up to $500,000. Other terms work the same way. “Primary and noncontributory” means the vendor’s insurance pays first, and the vendor’s insurer can’t ask the client’s insurer to share the cost, and it may apply only if a written contract requires it.
A requirement that was only discussed by email or phone may not protect the client at all. It’s safer to write all insurance requirements into the signed contract first.
Pay attention to such details as well:
The insured legal name is the business that signs the contract, matching the named insured on the policy.
Certificate holder is the client’s exact legal entity from the contract, not a brand name or the name of the contact person.
The deadline is set by working back from the start date, so the work is not delayed by a missing certificate.
A landscaping company is hired by “Green Hill Property Management LLC,” but the onboarding email comes from “Green Hill Apartments.” If the certificate names the brand, the client’s compliance team rejects it, and the crew cannot start on Monday. With the legal name copied from the contract, the certificate is accepted the first time.
Coverage, Limits, and Dates
Copy section linkEach line of the coverage table comes from the contract: the coverage type, the required limit, and the policy period. Common coverage types include:
General liability;
Auto liability;
Workers’ compensation;
Umbrella;
Professional liability.
The producer confirms what the policy actually carries.
The contract requires general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate. The request lists the line exactly that way, and the producer confirms the policy limits on the certificate.
The coverage limits in a contract are usually stated in one of these ways:
Per occurrence: the maximum amount the policy pays for a single incident.
Aggregate: the maximum amount the policy pays for all claims during the policy period, usually one year. Some contracts ask for a per-project aggregate instead, which sets a separate maximum for each project.
The policy period has to cover the work from the activity start date to the end date. If the policy renews in the middle of the project, a new certificate is needed after renewal.
For consultants and other service providers, professional liability is often “claims-made”: it covers claims made while the policy is active. The client may also ask about the retroactive date (the earliest date of work the policy covers) and how long coverage continues after the work ends. The client and the producer should discuss and agree on it before the request is sent.
Some lines in an insurance certificate request form may not apply to every business. For example, a business with no employees may not have workers' compensation insurance. In some states, such a business can get an official exemption instead. In Florida, for example, certain company officers, including those in construction, can apply for one. An exemption is not an insurance policy, so the agent can't show it as coverage on the certificate. The requester should first ask the client whether it will accept the exemption.
Additional Insured and Other Endorsements
Copy section linkA client named as the certificate holder is not automatically an additional insured. The certificate holder only receives a copy of the certificate. An additional insured is actually protected by the vendor's insurance, which is possible only if the policy includes this or an endorsement (a written change to the policy) adds it. When the client asks to be "named as an additional insured," the request should say that an endorsement is needed. It should also list the names of the additional insureds and the type of coverage.
Several other common contract requirements also depend on the policy, not the certificate:
Coverage during and after the work. Subcontractors often need two separate endorsements: one that covers the client while the work is in progress and one that covers it after the work is finished. If a construction subcontractor agreement requires both, the request should list both.
Waiver of subrogation (the insurer gives up the right to recover its costs from the client) and primary and noncontributory coverage (the insured’s policy pays first) are policy terms too. A certificate can show them only if the policy or an endorsement provides them.
Cancellation notice. When a client asks to be told 30 days before the policy is canceled, it's asking for a policy term. A certificate can't promise a notice the policy doesn't provide.
Checking the Certificate That Comes Back
Copy section linkThe request for certificate of insurance form names who receives the certificate: the requester, the client’s compliance contact, or both. The name of the person who prepared and signed it helps the producer know whom to ask if something is unclear.
When the certificate arrives, the requester checks that:
The insured and certificate holder names match the contract.
The limits match the coverage table.
The policy dates run through the end of the work.
The endorsements are attached, not just mentioned.
A certificate shows the policy as it was on the day it was issued. It does not cover the whole job automatically. A new request is needed when the policy renews before the work ends, the work moves to a new location, the scope grows, the contract raises the limits, or a new client entity is involved.
How Loio Helps With COI Requests
Copy section linkThe hardest part of a certificate of insurance request is often finding the insurance requirements buried in a long contract. Loio helps read those requirements correctly, prepare a signed request, and reuse it later:
Check.
Before filling in the coverage table, the client’s contract can be run through Loio’s AI contract review. The summary of key clauses and identified red flags brings the insurance requirements to the surface, so the request matches what the producer will read in the contract.
Complete.
Fill in the certificate of insurance request form in Loio Templates: provide information about the parties, project, coverage, and endorsements, and sign the request electronically. The signed request is saved in the account with a time-stamped record of when it was signed.
Share.
Share the final copy with the producer or download it and send it to the agent together with the contract excerpt.
Reuse.
When the policy renews, or the same client starts a new project, there’s no need to create a new draft. Use the saved certificate of insurance request template as the starting point – only change the dates and project details.
What information do I need for a COI?
The insured’s legal name and address, the producer’s contact, the certificate holder’s legal name and address, the project and dates, the required coverage types and limits, and any endorsements the contract requires. The contract’s insurance clauses are usually attached.
Who can provide a COI?
Only the insurer or the insured’s authorized agent or broker (the producer) can issue a certificate of insurance. The insured business or its client can request it, but cannot issue it.
Can I make my own certificate of insurance?
No. A business cannot create or edit its own certificate. The certificate must come from the insurer or authorized producer, and in several states, including New York and Texas, the law regulates what certificates may contain.
What is a COI endorsement?
An endorsement is a change to the insurance policy itself, for example, adding a client as an additional insured. A certificate can show an endorsement only if the policy actually includes it, and the endorsement document is often attached to the certificate.
How do we get a certificate of insurance?
The insured sends a request to its insurance agent or broker with the certificate holder’s details, the project, the required coverage, and the contract language. The producer then issues the certificate and any endorsements, usually by email.