Vendor COI Requirements Checklist (What to Verify Every Time)
The exact items to check on every vendor certificate of insurance — limits, coverage types, and the endorsements people forget.
The checklist
Run every incoming certificate through these checks before you mark a vendor compliant:
- Correct legal name of the insured vendor.
- General liability meets your minimum (e.g., $1M / $2M).
- Workers' compensation present where required.
- Auto liability, if the vendor drives for the work.
- You are listed as an additional insured.
- Waiver of subrogation in force, if your contract requires it.
- 'Primary and non-contributory' wording, if required.
- Policy effective and expiration dates — not expired, and covering the work period.
- Umbrella / excess limits, if needed to reach required totals.
Why the endorsements matter most
Limits are easy to read; endorsements are easy to miss. Additional insured, waiver of subrogation, and primary-and-non-contributory are the items that actually decide whether the vendor's policy protects you — and they're checkbox-level details that slip past a quick glance.
About the author
Rehan Shah — Founder, CoverSynx
I build CoverSynx, software that helps property managers and contractors keep track of their vendors' certificates of insurance. I'm not an insurance broker or a lawyer. These guides summarise published industry guidance and cite their sources — for advice on your own situation, speak to your broker.
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