How to verify subcontractor insurance
4 min read · Last updated
To verify subcontractor insurance, you request the current certificate and any endorsements the contract requires, compare them with the subcontract, and record the dates in one place. Then you repeat the check before each renewal. This guide sets out that process and explains what a certificate can and cannot prove. General information, not legal or insurance advice; check your contracts and your insurer.
On this page (7 sections)
Step 1: How do you request the current certificate?
Ask the subcontractor for a certificate that covers the current policy period, plus each endorsement the contract requires. Ask before the first day on site, and state the dates the work covers so the agent can check them.
- The current certificate for each coverage the contract lists.
- The additional insured or waiver endorsement, if the contract requires one.
- The name and contact details of the agent who issued the certificate.
Step 2: How do you check the certificate against the contract?
Compare the certificate with the subcontract line by line. The named insured, dates, limits, holder and wording should match what the contract says, not what you remember it saying.
- Named insured: the vendor's legal name matches the subcontract.
- Dates: the policy period covers the work from start to finish.
- Limits: each amount meets the minimum written in the contract.
- Holder: the name and address match the contract exactly.
- Wording: the description box points to the endorsement the contract requires.
Step 3: What should you do when something looks wrong?
Ask the issuing agent in writing before work starts. A specific question gets a faster answer, and the reply becomes part of your file. Do not accept a verbal assurance in place of a written document.
Hold the vendor's start only if the contract allows it, and record each request and reply with its date.
Step 4: Where should the dates be recorded?
Keep one record per vendor and per coverage. Include the insurer, policy number, policy dates, limits, holder, the name of the reviewer and the date of the review. A single place lets everyone on the team see the same expiry dates.
Set reminders 30, 14 and 7 days before each expiry date so the renewal request starts early.
Step 5: When do you repeat the check?
Policies renew on their own dates, so verification is not a one-time task. Request the renewed certificate before the current one expires, then repeat steps 2 to 4. Repeat the check as well when the vendor changes its insurer or the scope of its work.
Why is a certificate not the policy?
A certificate is a summary issued on a date. It does not change the policy and cannot prove that an endorsement exists. Where a contract depends on a specific term, read the endorsement or ask for the policy section that contains it.
A tracking tool records what a person confirms. ShowMeTheDocs stores the dates a person confirms, and it does not contact insurers or verify those dates with them. It can suggest dates from a certificate PDF, and a person confirms each suggested date before it is saved.
Questions
How often should I verify subcontractor insurance?
Check when a vendor starts, before each renewal, and whenever the vendor changes its insurer or the scope of its work. A contract may set a stricter schedule.
Can I accept a photo of a certificate?
You can use one to start, but ask the agent for the PDF for your file. A PDF is easier to check against the contract and to store.
Does verifying a certificate confirm that the policy is in force?
Not on its own. A certificate shows what the issuer reported on the date printed. Confirm the policy terms that matter most to the contract with the agent or insurer.
What if a subcontractor cannot provide a certificate?
Hold the start of work only if the contract allows it. Record each request, reminder and decision with its date, and follow your written policy.
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