COMMERCIAL INSURANCE
Certificate of Insurance (COI)
A certificate of insurance is the one-page proof that your coverage exists. Clients, landlords and general contractors ask for one constantly, usually with a deadline. Here is what it shows, what it does not, and how to get one without the back and forth.
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- Certificate of Insurance
Quick Answer: A certificate of insurance, commonly called a COI or an ACORD 25, is a one-page summary proving a business carries specific insurance coverage. It lists the carrier, policy numbers, coverage types, limits and effective dates. It is evidence of coverage only. It does not itself provide coverage and it does not change what the policy says.
If you do commercial work, someone will ask you for a COI. A general contractor before you get on site. A landlord before you sign a lease. A client before they release a purchase order. Almost always with a deadline attached.
The document itself is simple. What causes trouble is the wording clients request on it, because some of those requests change your actual policy and some do not.
Need a certificate right now?
Tell us who needs it and what wording they are asking for. Existing clients usually have a COI back the same business day.
Request a CertificateWhat a COI actually shows
| Section | What it tells the reader |
|---|---|
| Producer | The agency that issued it, which is who to contact with questions |
| Insured | Your legal business name and address, and it must match the entity on the contract |
| Insurers | The carrier or carriers behind each policy, with their financial strength rating |
| Coverages | Which policies are in force: general liability, commercial auto, workers compensation, umbrella, professional liability |
| Limits | The per-occurrence and aggregate limits for each policy |
| Policy dates | Effective and expiration dates, which is why a COI goes stale at renewal |
| Description of operations | Free-text box where project details, additional insured status and special wording appear |
| Certificate holder | Whoever requested it. Being listed here alone gives them no coverage rights |
The part that trips people up: holder vs additional insured
These are not the same thing, and confusing them is the most common source of COI disputes.
Certificate holder
Simply the party who received the certificate. It is a mailing label. It confers no rights under your policy and no notice obligations beyond what the policy already says.
Additional insured
An actual endorsement added to your policy that extends coverage to that party for liability arising from your work. It changes the policy and often the premium. It has to be endorsed, not just typed onto the certificate.
If a contract requires additional insured status, waiver of subrogation or primary and non-contributory wording, those are policy endorsements. Writing them into the description box on a certificate without the endorsement behind them is worthless at claim time, and in some states it is misrepresentation. Send us the contract language and we will confirm what your policy actually supports before anything goes out.
What an ACORD 25 is
ACORD is the industry body that standardises insurance forms. The ACORD 25 is the standard certificate of liability insurance form, which is why nearly every COI you have ever seen looks the same. Other common ones include the ACORD 27 and 28 for property, and the ACORD 130 for workers compensation applications.
A COI issued on an ACORD form is universally recognised, which is why clients and general contractors ask for it by name.
Is a certificate of insurance legally binding in Illinois?
No. A certificate is evidence that coverage existed on the day it was issued. It is not a contract and it cannot give anyone rights your policy does not already provide. Illinois says so by statute, which is something most guides on this subject leave out entirely.
Under 215 ILCS 5/155.45, a certificate of insurance cannot amend, extend or alter the coverage provided under the policy, and cannot confer on any person rights beyond those the policy expressly provides. The statute then goes further than most people expect.
What the statute actually prohibits
No person may prepare, issue, request, or require the issuance of a certificate of insurance that contains false or misleading information concerning the policy, or that alters, amends or extends the coverage the policy actually provides. The Illinois Director of Insurance may investigate violations and impose penalties.
The word worth noticing there is require. If a general contractor, property manager or client demands certificate wording that your policy does not genuinely support, that is not a reasonable request your agent is being difficult about. Under Illinois law the request itself is improper, and an agent who complies would be producing a document that protects nobody.
The correct fix is always the same: change the policy so the coverage genuinely exists, rather than change the certificate so it appears to. If a contract requires additional insured status, the answer is an endorsement from the carrier. If it requires a waiver of subrogation, same. A certificate that overstates your coverage does not create coverage. It creates a paper trail that a plaintiff's attorney will read with interest after a claim.
This protects you as much as it constrains your agent. When we tell a client that we cannot put a particular sentence on a certificate, it is because putting it there would leave them exposed while feeling covered, which is the worst position in insurance. More on how Illinois regulates producers and policy documents is available from the Illinois Department of Insurance.
How to get a certificate from us
1. Tell us who needs it
The certificate holder's exact legal name and address, as they want it to appear.
2. Send the contract wording
If additional insured, waiver of subrogation or primary and non-contributory is required, we need to see the clause so the right endorsements are actually in place.
3. Note the deadline
Most standard certificates go out the same business day. Requests needing new endorsements take longer because the carrier has to issue them.
4. Keep it current
A COI expires with the policy. If you have recurring holders, we can set up automatic renewal certificates so nobody has to chase them.
Not a client yet, but stuck without a COI?
If your current agent is slow with certificates, that is usually a symptom rather than the problem. We will quote the whole program and tell you honestly if yours is already competitive.
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Certificate of Insurance FAQ
What is a certificate of insurance?
A certificate of insurance, or COI, is a one-page document proving a business carries specific insurance coverage. It lists the carrier, policy numbers, types of coverage, limits and effective dates. It is evidence that coverage exists, not coverage itself, and it does not alter the underlying policy.
What is an ACORD 25?
The ACORD 25 is the standard industry form for a certificate of liability insurance, published by ACORD, the body that standardises insurance documents. Because nearly all agencies issue certificates on it, the ACORD 25 is what most clients and general contractors mean when they ask for a COI.
What is the difference between a certificate holder and an additional insured?
A certificate holder is simply whoever received the certificate, and being listed gives them no rights under your policy. An additional insured is an actual endorsement on your policy that extends coverage to that party for liability arising from your work. Additional insured status must be endorsed by the carrier, not just typed onto a certificate.
How fast can I get a certificate of insurance?
For an existing client with the coverage already in place, usually the same business day. If the contract requires new endorsements such as additional insured, waiver of subrogation or primary and non-contributory wording, the carrier has to issue those first, which adds time.
Is a certificate of insurance legally binding?
No. A certificate is evidence that coverage was in force on the date it was issued, not a contract. In Illinois this is set out in 215 ILCS 5/155.45, which states that a certificate cannot amend, extend or alter the coverage provided under the policy and cannot confer rights beyond those the policy expressly provides. If a party needs actual rights under your policy, they have to be added by endorsement.
Can a general contractor require certificate wording my policy does not support?
Not in Illinois. Under 215 ILCS 5/155.45 no person may prepare, issue, request or require a certificate that contains false or misleading information about the policy or that alters, amends or extends the coverage the policy actually provides. If a contract demands coverage you do not carry, the fix is to add the endorsement to the policy rather than have the wording typed onto a certificate. The Illinois Director of Insurance can investigate and penalise violations.
Certificates Should Not Be the Hard Part
We issue standard certificates same business day and set up automatic renewal certificates for recurring holders. No agency fees, ever.
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Reviewed by Neal Fusco
VP, Commercial Lines · Pro Insurance Group. Neal places commercial programs and handles contract compliance and certificate requirements for businesses across 40-plus states.
General information, not advice. Certificate and endorsement requirements depend on your specific contract, policy forms and state. A licensed Pro Insurance Group advisor should review the contract language before any certificate or endorsement is issued.