How to request a certificate of insurance (with an email template)

The fastest way to get the right certificate is to send your vendor a short, exact list of what you need, and ask them to forward it to their insurance agent. The agent issues the certificate, usually within a day or two, and at no cost to the vendor.

Who actually makes the certificate

Vendors don't create certificates themselves. Their insurance agent or broker (the "producer" on the certificate) does, from the policy records. That is why a vague request like "send us your insurance" often comes back wrong: the vendor passes it on, and the agent sends a generic certificate with no certificate holder and none of the endorsements you need.

A precise request fixes that. If the vendor gives you the agent's email, you can also send it to the agent directly and copy the vendor.

What to ask for

• The form: an ACORD 25, the certificate of liability insurance. Not a property certificate. See which ACORD form you need.
• Certificate holder: your exact legal name and mailing address.
• Coverages and limits: each coverage your contract requires, with the minimum limit for each.
• Additional insured: who must be named, on which policies, and that it should be primary and non-contributory.
• Waiver of subrogation: on which policies.
• Endorsement pages: copies of the endorsements, because the certificate alone doesn't change the policy.
• Project details: the project name or address, if your contract or your client wants it in the description box.

Email template

Copy this, fill in the brackets, and attach your written requirements if you have them.

Subject: Certificate of insurance needed for [project or service]

Hi [name],

Before you start work on [project or address], we need a current certificate of insurance. Could you ask your insurance agent to send it to [your email] by [date]?

Please ask them for:

1. An ACORD 25 certificate of liability insurance.
2. Certificate holder: [your company's legal name], [street address, city, state, ZIP].
3. General liability of at least $[amount] per occurrence and $[amount] aggregate.
4. Auto liability of at least $[amount] combined single limit.
5. Workers compensation (statutory) and employer's liability of at least $[amount].
6. Umbrella or excess liability of at least $[amount], if required.
7. [Your company] (and [owner or client], if required) named as additional insured on general liability, auto and umbrella, on a primary and non-contributory basis.
8. Waiver of subrogation in our favor on general liability, auto and workers compensation.
9. Copies of the additional insured and waiver of subrogation endorsement pages.

The full requirements are attached. Your agent will know what each item means, so forwarding this email to them is usually the fastest way.

Thanks,
[Your name]
[Company, phone]

Timing

• Before work starts. Ask when you award the job, and don't let anyone on site until the certificate checks out. It is much harder to get paperwork after the work is done.
• Before each renewal. Policies usually renew yearly. Ask for the new certificate about 30 days before the expiry date on the current one.
• Follow up on a schedule. If nothing arrives, a polite reminder after three days and another after a week gets most certificates in. Ask the vendor for their agent's contact if it's still stuck.

When the certificate arrives

Check it against your list before you file it: holder, coverages, limits, dates, additional insured and waiver of subrogation, and the endorsement pages. Our guide on checking a certificate in 5 minutes covers each step. If something is missing, reply to the same email thread with a numbered list of exactly what to fix. Agents fix specific requests quickly.