After you bind
A certificate of insurance is proof your coverage is in force. Here’s what it includes, how fast it’s issued, and how additional insured requests work.
A certificate of insurance (COI) is a short document your insurer or agent issues that summarizes your active coverage — the policy types, limits, effective dates, and named insured — without disclosing the full policy contract. Clients typically request one before an engagement begins as proof that your Professional Liability / E&O and General Liability coverage is actually in force, not just quoted or applied for.
Most requests come from a client’s procurement, legal, or vendor-management team as a condition of signing a statement of work. Occasionally a client will send their own COI request form, or ask that the certificate holder field list their exact legal entity name — getting that name exactly right avoids delays.
If a contract asks that the client be added as an “additional insured,” that’s a separate but related request from the COI itself — it’s an endorsement on your policy, and the resulting COI will reflect it. Most carriers can add this quickly at no or low additional cost.
Once your policy is bound, we can typically issue a certificate of insurance the same business day. If a client needs it sent directly to a specific email or portal, let your agent know and we can usually accommodate that.
A certificate of insurance reflects your coverage as of the date it’s issued, so if a client contract runs multi-year or your engagement extends past your policy’s renewal date, you may need an updated certificate reflecting your renewed term. Some clients require this automatically and will follow up; others assume coverage continues unless told otherwise, so it’s worth proactively sending an updated COI at renewal for any client who received the original.
If you work with several clients simultaneously, each may have their own certificate holder requirements and preferred delivery method. Keeping a simple running list of who holds a COI from you, and when it was issued, makes renewal season considerably smoother.
Some larger clients use third-party vendor-compliance platforms that require certificates to be uploaded in a specific format or submitted through a portal rather than emailed directly. If a client directs you to one of these systems, let your agent know — most can accommodate standard portal submissions, and it’s far easier to flag this requirement before your first deadline than to scramble once it’s due. Some platforms also auto-verify certificates directly with the carrier, which can add a short extra step the first time you work with a new client on one of these systems.
To issue a certificate quickly, we generally need the exact legal name of the certificate holder, their mailing address, and any specific language they’ve requested — for example, additional insured status or a waiver of subrogation. Having this information ready when you contact your agent, rather than tracking it down afterward, is the single biggest factor in same-day turnaround. See our Insurance Requirements page for how to read a client’s specific request, and our cost guide for how endorsements like additional insured status typically affect pricing.
A short document confirming your active coverage — policy types, limits, and effective dates — issued by your insurer or agent, typically requested by clients before an engagement begins.
Typically the same business day once your policy is bound. If you don’t yet have coverage, you’ll need to complete the quote and enrollment process first.
A COI is proof of coverage. Additional insured status is a policy endorsement that extends certain protections to the named party. A client can ask for both, and the COI will reflect the endorsement once it’s added.
Most clients want the COI in hand before the engagement starts, sometimes before the contract is even fully signed — not tied to payment timing.
Yes, tell your agent the certificate holder’s name and where it should be sent and we can typically handle that directly.
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