A Certificate of Liability Insurance (sometimes simply called a Certificate of Insurance or COI) is a physical or electronic document that proves you have insurance. The COI includes important details about your policy that you, a client, a landlord or someone else might require.
When is a Certificate of Insurance Needed?
A Certificate of Insurance for a small business might be needed for a couple reasons:
- check A client or potential client requires that you prove you have insurance. Some clients may require that you provide them with a COI before you start a project. In fact, in some scenarios, you must have a Certificate of Insurance in order to win a contract.
- check Your landlord includes having insurance as a provision of your lease. It’s common for building owners to require a COI from you before you can sign a lease. For example they might expect your small business to have a property & liability insurance Certificate of Insurance.
Of course, it’s also just a good idea to have a copy of your Certificate of Insurance for your records.
How do I get a Small Business COI?
After you buy your policy, you’ll want a Certificate of Insurance to confirm your coverage. Ideally, your insurance company should enable you to get a small business COI online. At biBERK, we provide that online capability so you can handle requests from clients or your landlord wherever and whenever it’s convenient for you.
Adding a Client to Your Certificate of Liability Insurance
It’s common for clients to ask to be added as what’s called an additional insured to the Certificate of Liability Insurance of companies they do business with. When you add them, they are listed on the COI and they have the right to make a claim against the policy. The policy will also respond to claims against them regarding your work or operations. Contact us if you need our insurance experts to help you make this type of addition.
What Does a Certificate of Insurance Cost?
At biBERK, you can get a Certificate of Insurance at any time, free of charge. It’s the least we can do for our valued customers. And fast access to a COI can be helpful when you’re trying to win new business and are up against a deadline. There may be a small fee for adding an additional insured to the COI.
About biBERK Business Insurance
biBERK can help you with all your small business insurance needs, including: commercial auto, general liability, property and liability, umbrella, and workers’ compensation. https://www.biberk.com
Media Contact:
Rakesh Gupta | 402-408-2870