Updated May 6, 2026 · 28 items
COI Tracking Checklist for Property Managers
Every line item below is something we've seen go wrong on a real claim. If your team isn't verifying these systematically on every vendor COI, you're carrying risk that automation could absorb. Use this as a manual reference — or let COIPulse run it for you.
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1. Coverage minimums
Confirm every required policy is present and meets your minimum limits.
General Liability — per occurrence and aggregate limits
Standard property management requirement: $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate. Higher for high-risk trades (roofing, electrical, HVAC) where $2M/$4M is more typical.
Red flag: If aggregate is $1M total and the vendor works for multiple property managers, that aggregate could be exhausted by another claim before yours.
Workers Compensation — proof of coverage
Required by law in most states for any vendor with employees. Sole proprietors may legally be exempt but you should still require it as a condition of work.
Red flag: Vendor claiming sole-proprietor exemption while bringing helpers to the job site = uninsured employees on your property.
Auto Liability (commercial)
Required when vendor uses vehicles for work. $1M combined single limit is the floor for most trades.
Umbrella / Excess Liability
Recommended for vendors handling work over $100K in value or working at properties with high liability exposure (multi-family, commercial). $2M-$5M umbrella is standard.
Professional Liability (E&O)
Required only for design-related trades: engineers, architects, designers. Optional for most contractors.
2. Endorsements (the part most teams miss)
Coverage limits don't protect you if the right endorsement language isn't attached.
CG 20 10 — Additional Insured (Ongoing Operations)
Adds the property owner / property management company as an additional insured during the work. Required for any work performed on the property.
Red flag: If only CG 20 10 is attached, vendor's coverage drops the moment work is 'completed' — meaning a slip-and-fall claim 6 months later is on you.
CG 20 37 — Additional Insured (Completed Operations)
Covers claims arising AFTER work is finished — the latent defect, the delayed injury, the renter who trips on the new flooring 8 months later.
Red flag: Most contractors won't include this unless asked. Always require both CG 20 10 AND CG 20 37.
Primary and Non-Contributory wording
Ensures vendor's policy pays first, and your policy doesn't have to contribute. Without this language, your insurer may seek reimbursement from your vendor — but you've already paid.
Waiver of Subrogation
Vendor's insurer agrees not to sue you to recover money paid out on a claim. Standard requirement for any contract work.
30-day Notice of Cancellation endorsement
Carrier agrees to notify you 30 days before policy cancels or non-renews. Most certificates say 'will endeavor to' — that's not enforceable. Demand actual cancellation notice provisions.
3. Carrier credibility
A perfect COI from an insolvent carrier is worthless.
A.M. Best rating — minimum A- (Excellent)
Anything below A- is a credit-worthiness concern. Some property managers require A or A+. Verify rating at ambest.com or via your COI software.
Carrier name spelled correctly and consistently
'Travelers' vs 'Travelers Insurance Company' vs 'Travelers Indemnity Company' — these are different legal entities with different ratings. Verify the exact entity issuing the policy.
Carrier authorized to write business in your state
Use your state insurance commissioner site to verify. Out-of-state carriers may not be licensed in your jurisdiction, voiding coverage.
Policy numbers present and verifiable
Some fraudulent COIs have fake policy numbers. Best COI software cross-references with carrier APIs to verify the policy actually exists.
4. Dates and timing
Coverage gaps happen at the seams.
Effective date is on or before work starts
Common gotcha: vendor sends a COI dated for next month, planning to renew. If they start work before that date and have a claim, no coverage applies.
Expiration date covers the full duration of work
For multi-month projects, require renewal COIs to be submitted 30 days before expiration.
Issue date is recent
A COI issued more than 90 days ago should be re-verified. Policies can be cancelled mid-term — issue date doesn't prove current coverage.
Description of operations matches actual work
If COI says 'general office services' but vendor is doing roofing work, the carrier may deny the claim under the 'work outside the scope of policy' clause.
5. Named insured and certificate holder
Who's covered and who's notified.
Named Insured matches the vendor's legal name
DBA names are not enough — verify against W-9 or business registration. Common issue: vendor uses 'ABC Plumbing' but the policy is in 'John Smith Sole Prop'.
Certificate Holder is YOUR exact legal entity
The property management company name AND the building owner LLC if different. Both should be listed if applicable.
Property address listed in description
Lets you tie the COI to a specific property in your portfolio. Required if you operate across multiple LLCs per building.
6. Renewal and ongoing tracking
First COI is the easy part. The compliance work is keeping them current.
Set 90-day, 60-day, 30-day, 7-day expiration alerts
Multiple touchpoints needed because vendors will procrastinate. Start chasing at 60 days minimum.
Auto-detect coverage regression on renewal
Vendor's renewal COI may have lower limits than the original. Specifically watch: aggregate dropping, removed endorsements, carrier change to lower-rated insurer.
Maintain audit trail of every COI version
When a claim is denied 18 months later, you need to prove what coverage was in place when the work happened. Keep all versions, not just latest.
Test the renewal flow quarterly
Run a fire drill: pretend a vendor's COI just expired. Can your team produce an updated valid COI within 24 hours? If not, your process is broken.
7. Audit and reporting
Insurance audits are inevitable. Be ready.
Complete vendor list with current COI status
Categorized by trade type, with last verification date. Auditors will sample 10-20 vendors and demand the binder.
Documented process for handling non-compliance
What happens when a vendor's COI lapses? Is work paused? Who decides? Have it written down.
Annual review of your insurance requirements
Inflation, claim trends, and carrier changes mean limits that were adequate 3 years ago may not be today. Review with your broker annually.
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