Contract Glossary
Certificate of Insurance
Definition
A document from an insurance company that proves a person or business has active insurance coverage. It shows the type of coverage, policy limits, and effective dates, but it's not the actual policy.
In Practice
Before you hire a contractor to work on your property, you should ask for a certificate of insurance (COI). It proves they have liability coverage if something goes wrong on the job. Landlords, clients, and event venues routinely require COIs before letting you start work. Getting one from your insurer usually takes 24-48 hours and costs nothing.
Common in these contract types
Related terms
Related contract clauses
Frequently asked questions
Create a contract with proper certificate of insurance clauses
Generate a professional contract in minutes with all the essential clauses -- no legal expertise needed.
Create your contractThis content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.