Vendor Insurance Requirements by Industry
Use these vendor insurance requirement guides as starting points for COI review, vendor onboarding, and correction requests.
The right requirements depend on the contract, location, work type, and risk level. This hub focuses on document-level COI checks: what should appear on the certificate, what commonly goes missing, and what to ask the vendor or broker to correct.
Start with the vendor's trade
Different vendors create different insurance questions:
- a landscaping vendor may need auto coverage if crews drive vehicles on site,
- a security vendor may need stronger General Liability and Workers' Compensation checks,
- a roofing contractor may require higher limits and closer review,
- a janitorial vendor may need clear Certificate Holder and Additional Insured wording,
- a snow removal vendor may create both premises and vehicle-related risk.
Choose the closest guide, then adjust the requirements to your contract and risk tolerance.
Common vendor requirement guides
| Vendor type | What to review first |
|---|---|
| Landscaping contractors | General Liability, Auto Liability, Workers' Compensation, Additional Insured |
| HVAC contractors | GL limits, Workers' Compensation, Auto, operations description |
| Janitorial cleaning | GL, Workers' Compensation, Certificate Holder, Additional Insured |
| Security guards | GL limits, Workers' Compensation, professional/special risk review |
| Roofing contractors | higher-risk work, GL, WC, Additional Insured, Waiver of Subrogation |
| Electrical contractors | GL, WC, Auto, project-specific wording |
| Plumbing contractors | GL, WC, Auto, property damage risk |
| Pest control | GL, Auto, Workers' Compensation, operations description |
| Window washing | high-risk site work, WC, GL, Additional Insured |
| Snow removal | Auto Liability, GL, WC, seasonal expiration risk |
Baseline requirement checklist
Most vendor COI reviews should start with these questions:
- Is the insured name the same legal entity you hired?
- Is the Certificate Holder correct?
- Are the policy dates active and not close to expiration?
- Are General Liability limits at or above the required minimum?
- Is Workers' Compensation shown when the vendor has employees or when it is required?
- Is Commercial Auto shown when vehicles are used for the work?
- Does the certificate mention Additional Insured when the contract requires it?
- Is Waiver of Subrogation indicated when the contract requires it?
- Are any fields blank, inconsistent, or unclear?
For a broader process view, use the COI checklists and the COI Compliance Checker.
Common vendor COI deficiencies
Vendor certificates often fail for the same reasons:
- expired COI,
- General Liability limit too low,
- insured name mismatch,
- missing Additional Insured,
- missing Workers' Compensation,
- missing Waiver of Subrogation,
- wrong Certificate Holder.
Use the Common COI Deficiencies hub when you already know what is wrong and need the correction path.
Sample request email
Subject: Certificate of Insurance needed before work begins
Hello [Vendor Name],
Please send a current Certificate of Insurance before work begins. The certificate should list [Company Name] as Certificate Holder and should show the insurance requirements in our agreement, including General Liability, Workers' Compensation if applicable, Commercial Auto if vehicles are used, and any required Additional Insured or Waiver of Subrogation wording.
If your broker has questions about the wording, please have them contact us before issuing the certificate.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
More templates are available in the COI request templates section.
FAQ
Are vendor insurance requirements the same for every trade?
No. Requirements should match the work being performed. A low-risk office vendor and a roofing contractor should not be reviewed with the same assumptions.
Can I copy these requirements into a contract?
Use them as review starting points, not legal language. Contract wording should be reviewed by legal counsel, insurance advisors, or risk professionals.
What if a vendor cannot meet a requirement?
Document the gap, decide whether the work can proceed, and involve the broker, carrier, legal team, or risk advisor when the issue affects actual coverage or contract obligations.
Disclaimer
These resources provide practical document-review information for vendor COI workflows. They do not provide legal advice, insurance advice, or confirmation that coverage is active.