How to Request a Certificate of Insurance (Email Template)
Karla, Founder · · 8 min read
Here is how to request a certificate of insurance: email the vendor a request they can forward unchanged to their insurance agent, who issues the certificate. Include your exact legal name and address as certificate holder, each coverage type and limit from your contract, any additional insured or other endorsements you need, and where and by when to send it. A specific, complete request usually gets a usable certificate back on the first try.
Asking a vendor for a certificate of insurance sounds simple, until the certificate comes back with your company’s name misspelled, last year’s dates, or half the coverage your contract requires. Most of those problems start with a vague request, and the templates below are written to avoid them.
This article is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Check your contracts and talk to your insurance broker or attorney about your situation.
Why do most certificate requests go wrong?
“Please send us your COI” is the request most companies send, and it is why so many certificates need a second round. The vendor forwards it to their agent, the agent sends a generic certificate, and you find out it’s wrong only when you review it.
A good request answers every question the agent would otherwise guess at: who the certificate is for, what coverage and limits you need, whether you must be added as additional insured, and where to send it. If you give the agent that in one message, you usually get a usable certificate back in one try.
For where this fits in the bigger picture (setting requirements, reviewing, tracking renewals), see the guide to certificate of insurance tracking.
Who actually issues a certificate of insurance?
Your vendor’s insurance agent or broker issues the certificate; the vendor doesn’t usually produce it themselves. On an ACORD 25, the standard US certificate of liability insurance form, the agent appears in the producer section at the top.
That matters for two reasons:
- Your request will be forwarded. Write it so the vendor can pass it on as is, without retyping anything.
- The agent is the fastest contact. If the vendor gives you their agent’s email, copy the agent on the request, or ask the vendor’s permission to contact the agent directly for renewals.
Agents issue certificates all the time and usually don’t charge for them. Adding endorsements is different: if you need something new added to the policy, such as an additional insured endorsement, the insurer has to issue it, which can take longer.
How to request a certificate of insurance: what to include
Before you write the email, gather these details. Most of them come from your contract with the vendor.
1. Certificate holder name and address, exactly
Give your exact legal entity name and mailing address, written the way you want it to appear. If you have several entities (for example, a separate LLC per property or project), say which one. Agents copy what you send, so a typo in your request becomes a typo on the certificate.
2. Coverage types and limits
List each type of insurance the contract requires and the limits, for example:
- Commercial general liability, each occurrence and general aggregate
- Automobile liability
- Workers’ compensation (statutory) and employers’ liability
- Umbrella or excess liability
- Professional liability, if relevant
Copy the numbers from your contract. Don’t round them or use different wording, because the agent will check what you send against the policy.
3. Additional insured, if required
If your contract requires additional insured status, say so and spell out:
- The exact names of every party to be added
- Which policies (often general liability, sometimes auto and umbrella)
- Whether you need ongoing operations, completed operations, or both
- That you need a copy of the endorsement pages, not only the certificate
The certificate on its own doesn’t make you an additional insured; the endorsement does. If that distinction is new to you, read additional insured vs. certificate holder before you send the request.
4. Other endorsements
If the contract requires waiver of subrogation or primary and non-contributory wording, list those too, and ask for the endorsement pages.
5. Project or location, if relevant
For construction or site work, give the project name and address so the agent can note it in the description of operations box. For a property manager, give the property address.
6. Where and when to send it
Say where the certificate should go (an email address or an upload link) and by when. A specific date gets better results than “as soon as possible.”
Email template: first request
Copy this and fill in the brackets. It’s written so the vendor can forward it to their agent unchanged.
Subject: Certificate of insurance needed for [Your Company] by [date]
Hi [Vendor contact name],
Before you start work with us on [project, property, or service], we need a
current certificate of insurance. Could you please forward this email to your
insurance agent? Everything they need is below.
Certificate holder (please use exactly):
[Your Company Legal Name]
[Street address]
[City, State ZIP]
Coverage required (per our agreement dated [date]):
- Commercial general liability: [each occurrence limit] each occurrence,
[aggregate limit] general aggregate
- Automobile liability: [limit] combined single limit
- Workers' compensation: statutory limits; employers' liability [limits]
- Umbrella or excess liability: [limit]
[Delete any lines that do not apply.]
Additional insured (required on general liability [and auto/umbrella]):
[Your Company Legal Name] [and Owner or Property Entity Name]
Ongoing and completed operations.
Please include a copy of the additional insured endorsement.
Also required: waiver of subrogation and primary and non-contributory
wording on [policies]. Please include the endorsement pages.
Project or location: [name and address]
Please send the certificate and endorsements to [email or upload link]
by [date]. If anything above doesn't match your current coverage, let me
know and we can talk it through.
Thank you,
[Your name]
[Title, Company]
[Phone]If your contract doesn’t require endorsements, delete those sections. A shorter, accurate request beats a long one with lines the vendor doesn’t need to meet.
Email template: follow-up
If nothing arrives by your date, follow up once, politely and specifically.
Subject: Following up: certificate of insurance for [Your Company]
Hi [Vendor contact name],
Following up on my note from [date]. We still need a current certificate of
insurance before [start date / next invoice / site access]. The requirements
are in the email below.
If it's easier, send me your insurance agent's name and email and I'll
contact them directly.
Thanks,
[Your name]If there’s still no response after a second follow-up, it’s a business decision, not an email problem. Talk to whoever owns the vendor relationship about holding the start date or the next payment, as your contract allows.
How long does it take to get a certificate of insurance?
Turnaround depends on the agent and on how much has to change: a certificate for existing coverage can be quick, while a new endorsement takes longer. Here is a reasonable plan:
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| At contract signing (or in the bid package) | Send the full request with requirements |
| A few business days later | Follow up if nothing has arrived |
| Before work starts | Review the certificate and endorsements; ask for corrections |
| Before each renewal | Request the renewed certificate, ideally weeks ahead |
A plain certificate for existing coverage can come back quickly. If the vendor has to add an endorsement or increase a limit, it can take noticeably longer, which is why the request belongs at contract signing, not the day before mobilization. For construction-specific requirements, see subcontractor insurance requirements.
What should you check when the certificate arrives?
Review it before you file it. Check the insured name matches the company you contracted with, the policy dates are current, each required coverage is listed with limits at or above your contract, the certificate holder is exact, and the ADDL INSD and SUBR WVD columns line up with what you asked for. Our walkthrough on how to read an ACORD 25 covers each section.
Then read the endorsement pages yourself. No certificate, and no software, can confirm what an endorsement actually covers. CertiTrack’s AI reads the dates, policy numbers, insurers, and coverage amounts so you don’t have to retype them, and you confirm what it read. It does not check endorsements or policy wording, so that review stays with you and, when needed, your broker.
How do you make the next request easier?
Every certificate you collect will expire, usually within a year, so you’ll send a version of this request again. Two habits help:
- Save your templates. Keep the first request and the follow-up somewhere your whole team can use them.
- Give vendors one place to upload. Attachments scattered across inboxes are how certificates get lost.
CertiTrack covers the second habit and most of the chasing. You can send each vendor a secure link to upload their certificate from any device, with no account needed. Before a document expires, CertiTrack emails the vendor at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days with a fresh upload link, and sends your team a copy. The Free plan covers up to 5 vendors; see pricing for more.
Frequently asked questions
Can I request a certificate of insurance directly from the vendor’s agent?
Yes, if the vendor gives you the agent’s contact. Many agents will issue a certificate to a certificate holder on the vendor’s behalf. Copying the vendor keeps everyone informed.
Does it cost anything to get a certificate of insurance?
Agents usually issue certificates without charge as part of servicing the policy. Adding an endorsement or raising a limit is a policy change and may cost the vendor more.
Is it okay to accept a certificate the vendor fills in themselves?
Be cautious. Certificates are normally issued by the agent or insurer, whose details appear in the producer section. If something looks off, contact the agent listed to confirm the coverage.
Should I ask for a new certificate every year?
Yes. Most policies run for a year, so a certificate is out of date once its policies expire. Request the renewed certificate before the expiration date.
CertiTrack keeps every vendor’s insurance, licenses, and renewal reminders in one place. Start free.
