How to verify a certificate of insurance (and spot a fake)

What to check in the first minute

1. The name. The “insured” on the certificate must match the company on your contract. “Smith Framing LLC” and “Smith Framing” can be two different companies.
2. The dates. Every policy needs to cover the whole job. Look at each one. They often renew on different days.
3. The coverage types. General liability, auto, umbrella, workers’ comp. Match them to what your contract asks for.
4. The limits. Compare the dollar amounts to your minimums.
5. The holder. Your company name, spelled the way your contract spells it.
6. The form. Most subs send an ACORD 25. Does it look clean? Same fonts, dates lined up, nothing pasted in or whited out?

The call that actually proves it

Call the agent or the insurance company. Ask four things:

• Is policy number ____ active today?
• What are the start and end dates?
• Has any cancellation or non-renewal notice gone out?
• Is my company covered as an additional insured, and what is the endorsement form number?

Ask them to email you the answer. Now you have it in writing. Our ACORD 25 walkthrough shows you where each of these sits on the form.

Red flags

• The policy starts the day before the job.
• The sub won’t give you the agent’s name or number.
• The agent never calls back.
• You can’t find the insurance company anywhere.
• The numbers and fonts don’t match from line to line.
• The sub says “my agent is slow, just take this one.” Every time.

Altered certificates are a known problem in construction. That’s the reason the phone call matters.

Workers’ comp is easier to check

Some states let anyone look up workers’ comp coverage online. Florida, for example, has a public Proof of Coverage database. See our state-by-state list. For general liability we know of no single public database, so the agent call is how you confirm.

What checking can’t tell you

A check today says nothing about next month. Policies end. Subs switch carriers. The certificate in your folder stays the same either way. That’s why you re-check before every renewal date. Here’s how to track them.

Not legal or insurance advice. This is general information. Your contract, your state and your policy decide what applies to you. Ask your broker or attorney.

How to verify additional insured status

The certificate cannot prove you are an additional insured. The endorsement does. To verify it:

1. Ask the sub’s agent for the additional insured endorsement form from the policy.
2. Check that your exact legal name is on it, or that it uses blanket wording that applies to your contract.
3. Check whether it covers ongoing work, completed work, or both.
4. Keep a copy with the subcontract.

See additional insured endorsements explained for the common form numbers.