Request a Certificate of Insurance
Need proof of commercial insurance for a broker, shipper, contractor, customer, landlord, lender, or business partner? Submit your Certificate of Insurance request to North Star Commercial Insurance LLC through our organized COI Request Center.
Provide the insured business information, certificate holder details, delivery email, requested deadline, and any contract wording or endorsement requirements. Our team will review your request and coordinate with the applicable insurance carrier when carrier approval or a policy endorsement is required.
What Is a Certificate of Insurance?
A Certificate of Insurance, commonly called a COI, is a document that summarizes certain insurance information in effect on the date the certificate is issued. It may display the insured business name, insurance carrier, policy numbers, policy dates, types of coverage, limits, and the certificate holder requesting proof of insurance.
Businesses often request a COI before allowing a contractor, trucking company, vendor, tenant, delivery provider, or commercial partner to begin work. A certificate can help demonstrate that specified insurance policies were reported as active when the certificate was prepared.
A Certificate of Insurance does not independently modify an insurance policy. It does not automatically create additional insured status, waive subrogation, increase coverage limits, remove exclusions, guarantee future coverage, or provide rights beyond the actual insurance policy and applicable endorsements.
A Certificate Is Evidence of Insurance, Not the Insurance Policy
Summarizes reported policy information
Identifies the certificate holder
May display policy dates and limits
Does not replace policy endorsements
Does not independently extend coverage
Who May Ask Your Business for a COI?
Certificate requests may come from many organizations that need evidence of commercial insurance before entering into a business relationship.
Freight Brokers
Brokers may request liability and cargo insurance evidence before assigning freight or activating a carrier agreement.
Shippers and Customers
Customers may need proof of coverage before allowing your company to transport, handle, or deliver their property.
Property Owners
Landlords or facility owners may request commercial liability or property-related evidence from tenants and contractors.
General Contractors
Contractors may require subcontractors to provide liability, auto, or workers’ compensation certificates before starting work.
Lenders and Finance Companies
Finance companies may request evidence of physical damage, property, or other insurance protecting financed assets.
Business Partners
Vendors, clients, event organizers, and contractual partners may request evidence of required insurance limits.
What Kind of COI Request Do You Need?
Select an option below to review the information typically associated with that request.
Evidence of Current Commercial Insurance
A standard COI commonly displays policy information, dates, coverage types, limits, insurance carriers, and the certificate-holder details.
- Insured business name
- Certificate-holder name and address
- Delivery email address
- Applicable coverage information
- Requested completion date
Requesting Additional Insured Status
Additional insured status generally requires the applicable policy endorsement. Listing wording on a certificate alone does not create policy rights.
- Legal name of requested party
- Written contract or agreement
- Coverage to which request applies
- Required endorsement wording
- Carrier eligibility and approval
A Policy Endorsement May Be Necessary
A waiver request may require written contractual support, carrier approval, an eligible policy, and an endorsement. Additional premium may apply.
- Exact legal name of requesting party
- Signed contract or insurance requirement
- Applicable policy and coverage
- Required effective period
- Carrier review and endorsement
Contract Language Must Match Actual Coverage
Requested wording must be supported by the policy. A certificate cannot be used to create terms that are absent from the actual insurance contract.
- Attach or paste exact requested wording
- Provide the related contract section
- Identify the required coverage
- Allow time for carrier review
- Confirm endorsement availability
Certificate of Insurance Request Form
Complete the form with accurate information. When submitted, the form prepares a detailed email in your device’s default email application.
Requests involving additional insured status, waiver of subrogation, primary and noncontributory wording, special notice requirements, or other policy changes may require underwriting review, carrier approval, supporting documentation, and additional premium.
Submitting this form does not automatically issue a certificate or modify an insurance policy. Your request must be reviewed and completed by an authorized party.
What Happens After You Submit a Request?
Standard requests may be straightforward, while requests involving policy changes or endorsements can require additional review.
Your Information Is Reviewed
The insured name, certificate holder, recipient email, policy information, and requested wording are checked for completeness.
Current Coverage Is Confirmed
Policy status, carrier information, dates, coverage types, limits, and applicable endorsements may be reviewed.
Special Wording Is Evaluated
Requested language must be consistent with the policy. Additional insured or waiver requests may require carrier approval.
The COI Is Prepared When Authorized
An authorized certificate may be generated after all required information and approvals are available.
The Certificate Is Sent to the Recipient
The completed COI may be emailed to the certificate holder, insured, broker, or additional recipient listed in the request.
Common Reasons a COI Request May Take Longer
Submitting complete and accurate information can reduce unnecessary back-and-forth. Some requests naturally require additional time because they involve policy changes or insurance-carrier approval.
Incomplete Certificate-Holder Information
Missing legal names, addresses, delivery emails, or deadlines can delay preparation.
Special Wording Without a Contract
A contract or written insurance requirement may be needed to review special wording.
Endorsement Not Currently on the Policy
Additional insured, waiver, or other status may require an endorsement and carrier approval.
Policy or Billing Issue
Cancellation, nonpayment, reinstatement, renewal, or unresolved policy issues may require review.
Requested Limits Exceed Current Coverage
A certificate cannot show limits or coverage that the issued policy does not provide.
Very Short or Same-Day Deadline
Urgent requests may not allow enough time for underwriting, carrier, or endorsement review.
What to Include
- Complete legal certificate-holder name.
- Full mailing address and delivery email.
- Accurate insured business information.
- Requested completion date.
- Exact written insurance requirements.
- Contract pages supporting special wording.
- Reference, load, project, or lease number.
What a COI Cannot Do
- Create insurance coverage that does not exist.
- Increase policy limits automatically.
- Remove policy exclusions.
- Create additional insured status by itself.
- Guarantee future policy renewal.
- Replace an endorsement or insurance contract.
- Override carrier underwriting requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Review common questions about certificate holders, additional insured status, special wording, endorsements, and delivery.
Ask a COI QuestionA Certificate of Insurance is a document that summarizes certain insurance information in effect on the date it is issued. It may show the insured, insurance carriers, policy numbers, coverage types, limits, policy dates, and the certificate holder.
No. A certificate does not independently amend, extend, or alter the insurance policy. Actual coverage is determined by the policy, declarations, endorsements, exclusions, limits, and conditions.
No. A certificate holder is not automatically an additional insured. Additional insured status generally requires an applicable policy endorsement and must comply with policy and carrier requirements.
Special wording may only be included when it accurately reflects the policy and applicable endorsements. Wording that creates unsupported coverage cannot properly be added to a COI.
Timing depends on whether the request is complete and whether endorsements, policy changes, underwriting approval, or carrier review are required. Standard requests may be simpler than requests involving special wording.
No. A certificate should reflect actual policy information. Increasing limits requires a separate policy-change request, carrier approval, and potentially additional premium.
Each certificate holder should generally be clearly identified. Multiple organizations may require separate certificates, especially when wording, addresses, or endorsement requirements differ.
A Certificate of Insurance is issued as a matter of information and does not independently amend, extend, or alter coverage. Additional insured status, waiver of subrogation, primary and noncontributory wording, notice requirements, and other rights must be supported by the applicable insurance policy and endorsements.
Need Proof of Insurance for a Customer or Contract?
Submit accurate certificate-holder information and insurance requirements through our COI Request Center.