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How To Check The Certificate Holder on a COI?
Finding the certificate holder section on a COI shouldn't feel like a scavenger hunt, but if you've ever scrolled up and down the page looking for your company name, you know it can be. Here's what helps: the certificate holder has a dedicated spot on every standard insurance certificate, and once you've seen it, you'll never lose track of it again.
This matters because data shows that businesses without proper insurance coverage face a 70% chance of financial loss during unforeseen incidents, and verifying the certificate holder is your first line of defense.
Where Is the Certificate Holder Listed on a Certificate of Insurance?
The standard ACORD 25 form shows the certificate holder information in a clearly labeled box in the bottom left section. This box should list your complete legal name and address exactly as they appear in your contract.
Common errors include listing the wrong entity name, abbreviating your business name incorrectly, or using a site address instead of your corporate headquarters. Be sure to check the additional remarks page as well, as it sometimes includes extra details about policy limits or coverage specifications that apply to your project.
Who Is the Certificate Holder on a COI?
The certificate holder is you or your organization when you request proof of insurance from a contractor, vendor, or third party. Knowing how to check the certificate holder on a COI is essential, because your business name should appear in the designated certificate holder box on the certificate of insurance issued by the insurance company.
This section acts as a notification point. If the vendor’s insurance policy is canceled or changed before the expiration date, you’ll be notified. However, being listed as the certificate holder does not mean you’re covered under the policy. Coverage only applies if you’re added through an endorsement, which may involve an additional insured endorsement cost and specific coverage limits.
On a standard ACORD COI, the certificate holder box appears in the bottom left corner and lists your business name, address, and contact information. If your company is missing or incorrect, the COI must be updated before work begins—especially when general liability insurance is required to manage risk.
What to Verify on a Certificate of Insurance Before Accepting It
- Certificate holder information: Confirm your legal business name and address are listed correctly in the certificate holder section.
- Policy status and dates: Check that the insurance policy is active and that the effective and expiration dates cover the full project or contract period.
- Coverage types: Verify the required policies are listed, such as general liability insurance, workers’ compensation, or auto liability, based on the scope of work.
- Coverage limits: Ensure the policy limits meet or exceed the amounts required in your contract or vendor agreement.
- Insurance company details: Confirm the insurance company issuing the policy is legitimate and authorized to provide coverage in your state.
- Additional insured status: If your contract requires it, verify that an additional insured endorsement has been issued separately, as this is not guaranteed by being listed as the certificate holder.
- Consistency with contracts: Cross-check the COI details against your agreement to ensure names, limits, and coverage align.
- Expiration monitoring: Note upcoming expiration dates and request updated certificates before coverage lapses.
Does Being a Certificate Holder Give You Insurance Coverage?
No, and this confusion leads to real problems. The certificate holder only receives proof that the insured entity has active coverage. You can't file claims or receive protection under their policy.
If you need actual coverage protection, you must be listed as an additional insured on the insurance certificate. That requires a separate additional insured endorsement to the policy. Many contract disputes stem from this misunderstanding.
How Do I Know Who the Policy Holder Is on My Insurance?
The policyholder owns the insurance policy and pays the premiums. On a COI, they're listed in the "Insured" section at the top left. When you request a COI, the policyholder has their insurer or authorized agent issue the certificate and list you as the certificate holder.
When the policy coverage begins, verify that the policy's effective date aligns with your project timeline. Some vendors submit COIs before coverage starts or after it expires, leaving you exposed.
What's the Difference Between Certificate Holder and Additional Insured?
Here's the critical distinction: the certificate holder receives notification about insurance status, while an additional insured can file claims and receives coverage under the policy.
In 2023, there was a 15% increase in lawsuits related to liability claims in the construction industry due to inadequate insurance coverage, many stemming from certificate holder vs additional insured confusion.
If your contract requires additional insured status, simply being the certificate holder won't protect you. You need a separate endorsement that extends liability insurance coverage to your organization. Check the description box to confirm that this endorsement exists. To read more about How to add additional insured on a COI, read our blog.
Many organizations also require vendors to waive subrogation rights, which prevents the insurance company from suing you to recover claim payments. This requires specific subrogation language in the policy.
What Should You Do If Your Name Isn't Listed as the Certificate Holder?
Request a corrected certificate immediately. Your vendor should contact their insurance agent to issue a new certificate with your correct information in the certificate holder section.
Don't accept verbal assurances that coverage exists even though your name is missing. Without your name on the certificate, you won't get critical alerts about coverage changes.
For organizations managing multiple parties and dozens of vendor relationships, manually tracking insurance status creates gaps that allow coverage lapses to go unnoticed. illumend empowers you to track, verify, and manage insurance compliance in real-time, so you can focus on your projects rather than chasing paperwork.
How Do You Verify a COI?
Verifying COIs means checking that the certificate matches your insurance requirements and that coverage is real. Start by confirming that your name appears correctly as the certificate holder.
Next, verify that policy limits meet your contract requirements and check that expiration dates haven't passed. Contact the insurance company directly if something seems off. Fake certificates exist, and vendors sometimes submit issues certificates before coverage is actually bound.
illumend, powered by myCOI, streamlines this entire compliance process by automatically tracking policy expiration date information and verifying that all certificate holder requirements are met. The platform's built-in AI guide, Lumie™, explains exactly what's missing on non-compliant certificates, so you don't need an insurance degree to become confident in COI management. Schedule your demo today!
