What is a Certificate of Insurance (COI)?

A COI is a document issued by an insurer or broker summarizing policy coverage, limits, and period. It provides evidence of insurance but is not the insurance contract itself; for full terms, review the policy declarations and endorsements.

How do I verify a COI is authentic?

Contact the issuing broker or insurer using their official contact details, confirm policy number and effective dates, and request copies of the actual endorsement language if the COI lacks required wording.

Can a COI be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic COIs are valid if the signer’s intent, consent, attribution, and retention are demonstrable in line with ESIGN (15 U.S.C. §7001) and applicable state laws such as UETA or ESRA.

What if the insurer cancels coverage mid-project?

Review the policy for cancellation notice requirements, check for replacement coverage, and escalate contractual remedies. Many policies require 10–30 days’ notice to certificate holders; verify the COI’s cancellation language.

Is notarization required for COIs?

Notarization is generally not required for COIs. Notary or RON requirements usually apply to sworn affidavits, deeds, or powers of attorney; check state-specific rules before requesting notarization.

How to request Additional Insured status?

Specify exact Additional Insured wording in the request and ask the broker to attach the endorsement. Request primary/noncontributory and waiver of subrogation language if required by the contract.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Insurance
Insurance GL Request

Insurance GL Request

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

INSURANCE GL REQUEST

Applicant / Insured Information

Applicant Name Doing Business As (DBA) Business Address Mailing Address (if different)

Contact Name:

Phone:

Email:

Federal Tax ID / SSN:

Date of Birth (if individual):

Years in Business:

Entity Type

Individual Partnership Corporation LLC Other

Business Operations

Nature of Operations / Description of Work Performed

Number of Employees:

Estimated Annual Revenue:

Prior Carrier (if any):

Policy Details

Policy Type

Effective Date:

Expiration Date:

Requested Coverage Limits (enter amounts)

Each Occurrence:

General Aggregate:

Products / Completed Ops Aggregate:

Personal & Advertising Injury:

Deductible / Self-Insured Retention:

Estimated Annual Premium:

Coverage Options

Select requested coverages and limits. Note: coverage is subject to underwriting review and may be modified or excluded by endorsement.

Premises & Operations Products & Completed Operations Contractual Liability (insured contracts) Personal & Advertising Injury Fire Legal Liability Medical Payments Liquor Liability (if applicable)

Exclusions / Limitations

The standard Commercial General Liability policy excludes certain exposures including, but not limited to: professional services, pollution / environmental liability, asbestos, intentional acts, automobile liability, war and nuclear hazards. Coverage for any excluded exposure must be requested separately and is subject to underwriting approval and additional premium.

Applicant acknowledges the exclusions stated above and agrees to disclose any operations that may require special endorsements or separate policies.

Initials:

Claims / Loss History (past 5 years)

Provide all losses, claims, suits, incidents or occurrences that may give rise to a claim. If none, enter "None".

Claim 1 — Date of Loss Claim 1 — Description

Amount Paid / Reserved:

Claim 2 — Date of Loss Claim 2 — Description

Amount Paid / Reserved:

Claim 3 — Date of Loss Claim 3 — Description

Amount Paid / Reserved:

Certificates, Additional Insured & Loss Payee

Certificate required No certificate required

Certificate Holder / Certificate To

Additional Insured requested

If Additional Insured, name and contractual relationship

Loss Payee / Beneficiary

(If a party other than the insured is to be named for proceeds or notices)

Loss Payee / Beneficiary Name

Relationship to Insured:

Percentage Entitlement:

Supporting Documentation Checklist

Please attach all applicable items. Submission of incomplete documentation may delay underwriting.

Loss runs for prior five years Current certificate of existing coverage Contracts or lease requiring additional insured status Job schedules / estimates Safety programs / written procedures

Declaration and Authorization

The undersigned declares that the statements contained in this request are true and complete to the best of their knowledge. The undersigned understands that any material misstatement, omission or concealment may be grounds for denial of coverage or rescission of any policy issued on the basis of this request. The applicant authorizes the release of claims, loss runs and underwriting information to the insurer and its representatives for purposes of underwriting, rating and claims handling.

The applicant acknowledges that coverage is subject to the terms, conditions, exclusions and limits contained in the policy forms and endorsements issued by the insurer. Submission of this request does not bind coverage; coverage will be effective only upon issuance of a policy or certificate by the insurer and receipt of any required premium.

Fraud Warning: Any person who knowingly presents a false or fraudulent claim or application for insurance is guilty of a criminal offense and may be subject to penalties under applicable law.

Applicant Printed Name:

By:

Date:

Signer Certifies: The signer has authority to bind the named applicant to the representations and statements contained in this request and to accept policy terms on behalf of the applicant.

What the Insurance GL Request Is and when it’s used

An Insurance GL Request is a formal document or form used to obtain proof of Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance from a contracting party or vendor. It typically asks an insurer or broker to issue a Certificate of Insurance (COI) showing insurer name, policy number, coverage limits, policy period, and any required endorsements such as Additional Insured or Waiver of Subrogation. The request verifies contract compliance, informs risk review, and is distinct from the underlying policy — it is evidence, not the insurance contract itself.

Why an Insurance GL Request matters for contractual risk

A clear Insurance GL Request reduces liability exposure, confirms vendor compliance with contract terms, and documents minimum policy limits and endorsements required by the certificate holder. Timely, accurate requests make verification and claims processing smoother.

Typical users and recipients

The form facilitates centralized verification and creates a record that can be stored, audited, and cross-checked against contract insurance requirements.

Property managers and landlords requesting proof of coverage before occupancy or lease execution.
General contractors and construction managers requiring subcontractor COIs with Additional Insured endorsements.
Procurement, risk, or compliance teams collecting insurance proof from vendors and service providers.

Who signs or approves these requests

Risk Manager

A risk manager typically drafts or approves Insurance GL Requests to ensure the requested limits and endorsements match contractual obligations. They coordinate with legal and procurement to confirm wording, and they document acceptance criteria for COI review and retention.

Operations Manager

An operations manager or project lead may initiate the request to obtain immediate proof of coverage prior to site access. They verify that dates, policy numbers, and certificate holders are correct and escalate discrepancies to risk or legal teams.

Security and compliance expectations for handling requests

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit; AES-256 at rest

Audit Trail: Timestamped signing events and action log

Access Controls: Role-based permissions and SSO/SAML

HIPAA Support: Available with BAA where needed

Retention: Secure archival and legal-hold support

Authentication: Email, SMS, or advanced signer methods

Common preparation pitfalls to avoid

Requesting a COI without specifying required endorsements leads to incomplete coverage evidence and contract non-compliance issues.
Using vague language for limits (e.g., 'adequate coverage') causes insurer responses that fail to meet contractual minimums.
Accepting an expired certificate or one with imminent expiration exposes the certificate holder to coverage gaps during performance.
Failing to confirm Additional Insured wording and policy type can leave the holder without intended defense or indemnity protections.

Step-by-step: preparing and issuing an Insurance GL Request

Follow these sequential steps to create, send, and verify an Insurance GL Request so the certificate received meets contract requirements.

01

Confirm requirements: List minimum limits, endorsements, and policy period required by the contract.
02

Collect insurer details: Ask the vendor for insurer name, policy number, agent contact, and broker details.
03

Issue the request: Send the completed request to the insurer or broker and ask for the COI with endorsements.
04

Verify and archive: Check endorsement language, effective dates, and limits; store the COI with the contract record.

Configuring an online Insurance GL Request workflow

Set up fields, authentication, and routing for a digital request to streamline issuance and verification.

Field	Configuration
Certificate Holder Field	Required text field; validate exact match
Dates Field	Date picker, MM/DD/YYYY format
Attachments	Allow PDF upload for COI and endorsements
Signer Authentication	Email + optional SMS code

How the request is routed and fulfilled

A typical electronic request flows from the requestor to broker/insurer, then returns as a digitally signed COI that the requestor verifies and stores.

Submit Request: Requestor sends the completed form to the broker or insurer contact.
Insurer Issues COI: Broker attaches COI and required endorsements and returns to the requestor.
Verify Content: Requestor confirms limits, dates, and any Additional Insured language.
Archive Record: Store COI with contract and record audit data for compliance.

Technical and platform considerations for digital requests

Integration with contract and vendor management systems reduces manual follow-up and preserves a searchable audit trail for each Insurance GL Request.

File Formats: PDF, DOCX accepted for COIs
Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Microsoft 365
Authentication: Email plus optional SMS or KBA

Essential elements of a professional Insurance GL Request

A comprehensive request anticipates the insurer’s needs and specifies endorsements and limits clearly so the returned COI meets contract specifications.

Certificate Holder Information

Provide the exact legal name and full address of the certificate holder, including department or project name, to ensure the COI references the correct party for claims and notices.

Named Insured Details

Specify the insured’s full legal name and business address to match the policy record; include DBA names in parentheses only if the policy lists them.

Policy Type and Numbers

Identify Commercial General Liability policy and provide all relevant policy numbers so the insurer can issue a COI for the correct coverage.

Coverage Limits

List per-occurrence and aggregate limits (for example, $1,000,000 each occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate) and confirm the policy satisfies minimum contract thresholds.

Required Endorsements

Request Additional Insured endorsements, Waiver of Subrogation, or Primary/Noncontributory wording as required by the contract and specify exact endorsement language if necessary.

Issuer Contact and Signature

Include broker or insurer contact name, phone, and email for verification; request a signed COI or electronic signature as proof of issuance.

Timelines and processing expectations for Insurance GL Requests

Plan ahead and allow time for insurers to issue COIs and endorsements; timing affects project start and contract compliance.

Request Before Start:

Issue the request at contract signing or at least 7–14 days before work begins.

Renewal Notice:

Ask for renewal COI 30 days prior to policy expiration to prevent coverage gaps.

Issuance Time:

Typical insurer turnaround is 1–5 business days; complex endorsements may take longer.

Cancellation Notice:

Policies commonly require 10–30 days’ notice of cancellation to certificate holders; confirm policy language.

Verification Window:

Allow 1–3 business days for internal verification and acceptance of returned COIs.

Key milestones from request to archival

Track these milestones to ensure the Insurance GL Request is completed and retained as part of contract records.

01

Request Submitted

Request is sent to the broker or insurer with clear endorsement and limits instructions.

02

COI Issued

Insurer or broker returns COI and endorsement documents for review.

03

Compliance Review

Contract or risk team verifies effective dates, limits, and endorsement language.

04

Record Retention

Accepted COI is archived with the contract and audit data is recorded.

Real-world examples of Insurance GL Request use

These condensed examples show how organizations use requests to streamline issuance and compliance in practice.

Tim Martin, Founder — Martin Properties

Martin Properties shifted to digital requests to manage tenant COIs efficiently

Reduced back-and-forth with brokers by centralizing requests
The result was consistent documentation stored with leases and fewer move-in delays due to missing coverage.

Dan Rotelli, CEO — BIS

BIS standardized endorsement language in its Insurance GL Request

Brokers issued compliant COIs without repeated clarifications
Standardization reduced legal review cycles and ensured policies matched contract indemnity requirements more consistently.

Price and feature comparison for eSignature platforms used with Insurance GL Requests

Compare common eSignature vendors on starting price, trial availability, bulk send, audit trail, HIPAA support, and envelope limits to inform platform choice for COI workflows.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Yes, limited	Yes, limited
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies	No cap	Varies

Frequently asked questions about Insurance GL Requests

Answers to common questions about issuance, verification, e-signing, and what to do if coverage is missing or cancelled.

Need help? Contact support

What is a Certificate of Insurance (COI)?
A COI is a document issued by an insurer or broker summarizing policy coverage, limits, and period. It provides evidence of insurance but is not the insurance contract itself; for full terms, review the policy declarations and endorsements.
How do I verify a COI is authentic?
Contact the issuing broker or insurer using their official contact details, confirm policy number and effective dates, and request copies of the actual endorsement language if the COI lacks required wording.
Can a COI be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic COIs are valid if the signer’s intent, consent, attribution, and retention are demonstrable in line with ESIGN (15 U.S.C. §7001) and applicable state laws such as UETA or ESRA.
What if the insurer cancels coverage mid-project?
Review the policy for cancellation notice requirements, check for replacement coverage, and escalate contractual remedies. Many policies require 10–30 days’ notice to certificate holders; verify the COI’s cancellation language.
Is notarization required for COIs?
Notarization is generally not required for COIs. Notary or RON requirements usually apply to sworn affidavits, deeds, or powers of attorney; check state-specific rules before requesting notarization.
How to request Additional Insured status?
Specify exact Additional Insured wording in the request and ask the broker to attach the endorsement. Request primary/noncontributory and waiver of subrogation language if required by the contract.

be ready to get more

Join over 28 million airSlate SignNow users

Sign Now