What is a certificate of insurance?
A certificate of insurance is a standard one-page summary of the policies a business carries: who is insured, the insurance company, the policy numbers, the types of coverage, the limits and the policy dates. The person who asks for it is the certificate holder.
It shows that the policies exist. It is not the policy itself, and it does not change or add coverage. Contractors, vendors and tenants commonly need one before a job starts or a lease is signed.
What do additional insured and waiver of subrogation mean?
Additional insured means a person or company, such as a landlord or a client, that is added to your policy so it has certain protection under it for the work or lease you share.
Waiver of subrogation means your insurance company agrees not to try to recover from that person or company what it paid on a claim.
Contracts often ask for one or both. Whether either can be added depends on your policy and your insurance company, and some insurance companies charge for it. A licensed agent checks your policy before anything is promised on a certificate.
How do I get a certificate faster?
Send everything the holder asked for in your first message, so nobody has to ask twice.
- Copy the holder’s exact name and mailing address from your contract or lease.
- Attach their insurance requirements in the WhatsApp chat, usually a page of the contract or an email.
- Say which coverages must show and whether additional insured or a waiver of subrogation is required. If you are not sure, choose “Not sure” and send the requirements.
- Add the project name or address and the date you need the certificate.
- Send the request during office hours (Mon–Fri 9:00am – 5:30pm ET) so an agent can start on it right away.
This page is general information, not a coverage recommendation. A licensed agent prepares and reviews every certificate, and a certificate does not change or add to the coverage in your policy.