Cost comparison
COI tracking cost: what you will actually pay
COI tracking cost depends on who does the work. A spreadsheet costs nothing in license fees but the most in staff hours. Software charges per vendor or per seat and still needs someone to chase. Done-for-you services charge a service fee but remove the chasing. Compare total cost, including your team’s time, using the calculator.
What are the options and how do they charge?
| Option | How it is charged | Who does the chasing | Hidden cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spreadsheet | Free | You | Staff hours, missed expirations |
| COI software | Typically per vendor, per seat or in tiers; some offer a free tier | You (reminders are automated, follow-up is not) | Setup, vendor pushback, staff time |
| Done-for-you service | Per active subcontractor or per project | The service | Minimum commitments at enterprise-focused providers |
Check each vendor’s current pricing page. Prices change and we do not quote competitors’ rates here.
What does manual tracking really cost?
Use the calculator above: enter how many subs you have, how many hours you spend per vendor per year, and your loaded hourly cost. The result is your own number, not an industry average.
What is the cost of getting it wrong?
It depends on your contract, state and insurer, so any single figure would be a guess. The pattern is consistent: an uncovered sub can turn a routine injury or damage claim into a dispute about who is responsible. Ask your broker what an uninsured sub would mean for your policy and your premium audit.
The cost of manual COI tracking
Doing it by hand is not free. The cost is time. To estimate it:
Subs × 4 policies = end dates a year. Then add minutes per date for the reminder, follow-up and check of the new certificate. Multiply by your hourly cost.
Example: 50 subs × 4 = 200 end dates. At 20 minutes each, that is about 67 hours a year, before anyone chases a sub who ignores the request. Compare that to the price on our pricing page, where up to 12 subs is free.
What drives the cost of tracking
- How many subs you have. More subs, more end dates.
- How many policies you require from each. Four policies means four dates.
- How much chasing is needed. Slow subs cost more time.
- Who does the work. Your own staff time is a cost, even if no one sends an invoice.
Add up your real cost today
Hours per week on certificates × hourly cost of the person doing it × 52 = what you spend now.
Then add the cost of one claim without coverage. See our pricing, where up to 12 subs is free.
Frequently asked questions
Is free COI software good enough?
Free tiers suit small vendor lists. The limit is usually vendor count, and the work of chasing and reading remains yours.
What is typical pricing for done-for-you COI management?
It varies widely, and some enterprise providers set high minimums. Get a quote based on your real vendor count and ask what the minimum commitment is.
How much does COI tracking cost?
It ranges from free for a spreadsheet to a per-sub monthly fee for software or a service. The real cost includes staff time, so add up the hours you spend chasing certificates.
Is it cheaper to track certificates myself?
Not always. The software or sheet may be free, but your staff time is not. Add up the weekly hours.
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