Definitions
What the words on a certificate actually mean — the terms that decide whether you are covered.
What is a certificate of insurance (ACORD 25)?
A certificate of insurance is a one-page summary of a vendor's coverage. What ACORD 25 proves, what it does not, and how to read every box on it.
Read· 6 minAdditional insured vs certificate holder
Certificate holder means you received a document. Additional insured means you are covered. How to tell which one you actually have on a COI.
Read· 6 minCG 20 10 vs CG 20 37: why you need both
CG 20 10 covers you while the work happens. CG 20 37 covers you after it is finished. Requiring only one leaves the longer exposure uninsured.
Read· 5 minWaiver of subrogation: what it means and why you require it
A waiver of subrogation stops your vendor's insurer from suing you after it pays a claim. What the endorsement does and how to verify it on a certificate.
Read· 5 minPrimary and non-contributory, explained
Primary and non-contributory decides whose insurance pays first. What the CG 20 01 endorsement does and how to verify it on a vendor's certificate.
Read· 5 minACORD 25 vs ACORD 27 vs ACORD 28
ACORD 25 evidences liability coverage, 27 and 28 evidence property coverage. Which form to request from a vendor, and what each one proves.
Read· 5 min
Guides
How to run the process end to end, from collection to renewal.
What to check on a certificate of insurance
A 12-point checklist for reviewing a vendor COI: entity names, limits, dates, endorsements, carrier rating, and the traps on page two.
Read· 8 minHow to track vendor insurance certificates
A working system for collecting, verifying, renewing and evidencing vendor COIs — from a spreadsheet that survives to when to automate it.
Read· 8 minCOI tracking software: what to actually compare
How to evaluate certificate of insurance tracking software — the eight questions that separate tools, and who each category is really built for.
Read· 8 minA vendor's certificate of insurance expired. What now?
The first 48 hours when a vendor's insurance lapses: who to contact, whether to stop work, what to document, and how to prevent the repeat.
Read· 6 min
Benchmarks
What other people require, so you can sanity-check your own list.
Templates
Things to download and use today.
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