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Certificate of insurance sample, explained box by box

Click any part of this annotated sample certificate to see what it means and exactly what a general contractor or property manager should check before a sub starts work.

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CERTIFICATE OF LIABILITY INSURANCE
TYPE OF INSURANCEPOLICY #LIMITS

What a certificate of insurance is for

A certificate of insurance (COI) is how a subcontractor or vendor shows you they’re insured before they work on your site. The most common one in the US is the ACORD 25, the certificate of liability insurance. It summarizes general liability, auto, umbrella and workers’ compensation coverage on one page.

The five checks that matter most

  1. Right company. The insured name matches the legal name on your subcontract.
  2. Right coverage. Every policy your contract requires is listed.
  3. Right limits. Each limit meets or beats your requirement.
  4. In force. No required policy has expired — and you know when the earliest one will.
  5. Right endorsements. ADDL INSD and SUBR WVD are marked where your contract requires them.

Want to run those checks on a real certificate? Use the free certificate of insurance checker. Not sure what limits to require? Generate them with the subcontractor insurance requirements tool.

Where certificates go wrong

  • The insured is a different entity from the one you contracted with.
  • Workers’ comp is missing and there’s no exemption on file.
  • One policy expired months ago while the others still look current.
  • “Additional insured” appears in the description but not on the policy itself.

For a deeper walk-through, read our guide on how to read an ACORD 25.

FAQ

Common questions.

  1. 01

    What is a certificate of insurance?

    A one-page summary that proves a business carried certain insurance on the date it was issued: the policies, carriers, policy numbers, limits and dates. In the US the standard form for liability coverage is the ACORD 25.

  2. 02

    Who issues a certificate of insurance?

    The insured business’s insurance agent or broker (the “producer”). Ask your sub to have their agent send it — certificates filled in by the insured themselves are a red flag.

  3. 03

    Is this sample a real ACORD 25 form?

    No. It’s a simplified illustration laid out like an ACORD 25, with fictional companies, so you can learn what each section means. Real certificates come from the insured’s agent on the official form.

  4. 04

    What should I check first on a certificate of insurance?

    The insured name, that each required policy is present with high enough limits, that every policy is in force today, and that the ADDL INSD and SUBR WVD boxes match your contract.

  5. 05

    Does a certificate of insurance guarantee coverage?

    No. The ACORD 25 says it’s issued as a matter of information only and doesn’t amend, extend or alter the policies. For important contracts, also collect the endorsements that grant additional insured status and waivers of subrogation.

More free tools

Free ACORD 25 checker

Upload a COI — AI reads it and tells you if it meets your requirements.

Waiver of subrogation explainer

Toggle the waiver on and off and watch who pays when a sub’s worker gets hurt.

Additional insured vs certificate holder

Four questions to identify documents and coverage terms to confirm with your broker.

Stop checking certificates by hand.

Certy reads every COI your subs send, checks it against your requirements and chases renewals. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Try Certy

These free tools are general information, not legal or insurance advice. Requirements and rules vary by contract, carrier and state — confirm with your broker or attorney.