If you've been roofing for a while, you've had this conversation. You land a job, everything's set, and then the GC's office emails you asking for a "COI" and maybe an additional insured endorsement too, and if you don't get it to them fast, they hold up your start date. It's one of the most common frustrations we hear from roofing contractors in Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan, so let's break down what's actually going on.
What a certificate of insurance actually is
A certificate of insurance, or COI, is just a one page summary of your insurance policy. It shows who your carrier is, what coverages you have, your policy limits, and when the policy expires. It's not the actual policy, just proof that coverage exists.
GCs ask for this because they need to confirm you're actually insured before they let you anywhere near the job site. If something goes wrong, whether that's a fall, a fire, or damage to the structure, they want to know your policy is going to respond, not theirs.
Why they also want "additional insured" status
A lot of GCs don't just want to see your COI, they want to be added as an additional insured on your policy. This means if a claim comes up related to your work, their own insurance isn't the first one that has to pay out. Your policy responds first. It's become close to standard practice on most commercial jobs and a lot of larger residential ones too.
This is usually a quick endorsement your agent can add to your policy, but it's worth knowing it's coming so you're not scrambling the day before a job starts.
Why they ask for a waiver of subrogation
You might also see a request for a "waiver of subrogation." This means your insurance company agrees not to go after the GC to recover costs, even if the GC was partly responsible for whatever caused the claim. It's another layer of protection GCs like to have in place before work begins.
Why this keeps happening on every single job
It might feel repetitive getting asked for the same paperwork over and over, but it's honestly just standard risk management on the GC's side. Bigger companies especially have this baked into their onboarding process for every sub they bring on, no exceptions, no matter how long they've worked with you.
How to stop it from slowing you down
The contractors who handle this the smoothest are usually the ones who have a relationship with an agent who can turn around a COI same day, sometimes within the hour. If you're waiting days for your certificate every time a GC asks, that's usually a sign it's worth having a quicker process in place, especially during your busy season when you might be starting three or four jobs a week.
We handle COI requests for roofing contractors across Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan all the time, and we know how to get them turned around fast so a paperwork delay never costs you a start date. If your current process feels slower than it should be, give us a call at Shurr Insurance and we'll get you set up.
This blog post is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute insurance, legal, or financial advice. Coverage availability, terms, and requirements vary by policy, insurer, and state law. Please contact Shurr Insurance Agency directly to discuss your specific business needs and to review actual policy terms and conditions before making any insurance decisions.