What does a COI show?
Every certificate packs the essentials of your coverage onto a single page. Whoever reads it can see, at a glance:
- The insured: your business name and address, exactly as they appear on the policy.
- The insurance company that actually stands behind the coverage.
- Coverage types and policy numbers. Usually general liability. Sometimes workers comp or another line sits alongside it.
- Policy limits: the per-occurrence and aggregate amounts the policy will pay, such as $1,000,000 per occurrence.
- Effective and expiration dates for the window the coverage is active.
- The certificate holder, meaning the client, landlord, or contractor the certificate was prepared for.
One thing a COI never does: change your coverage. It grants no rights to the person holding it either, and every certificate carries a standard disclaimer saying exactly that. The certificate reports what the policy says. It cannot add to it. Want to see each field up close? Walk through our annotated sample certificate.
Who asks for one and why?
Anyone who could be on the hook if your work goes wrong. The usual requesters:
Clients want to know that if someone gets hurt or property gets damaged during your work, your insurance responds instead of their bank account. Many won't sign a contract without a COI on file.
Landlords commonly write insurance requirements into commercial leases. Before you get keys to an office, studio, or storefront, they'll ask for a certificate naming them as the certificate holder.
General contractors collect COIs from every subcontractor on a job site. If a sub is uninsured, the GC's own coverage and contracts are exposed, so no certificate usually means no work. Our contractor COI guide covers what they typically expect.
Event venues and platforms do the same before letting you set up a booth, teach a class, or take gigs through their marketplace. The motive is the same every time. They want proof that an active policy, usually general liability, sits between an accident and their wallet.
How do I get a COI?
You can't write one yourself. A certificate has to come from the insurance company or someone acting on its behalf. That leaves two paths:
The traditional way: call or email your insurance agent, tell them who needs the certificate, and wait for them to prepare and send it. Depending on the agency, that can take hours or days, which is awkward when a client is waiting on a contract.
The Olli way: buy a policy, then download your certificate from your account. Coverage like general liability comes with instant certificates, so the proof is ready the moment your policy is. No phone calls, no waiting on business hours.
- 1Get a quote and pick your coverage. Most solo businesses start with general liability.
- 2Buy the policy online. Coverage can start as soon as you need it.
- 3Download your certificate from your account and send it to whoever asked.
What does a COI cost?
Nothing. Certificates of insurance are free, from Olli and from any reputable insurer. The certificate is just a summary of a policy you already pay for, so the premium on that policy is the only real cost in the picture.
If a service tries to charge you for a COI on its own, be skeptical. And if you don't have a policy yet, that's the actual purchase: general liability coverage with limits of up to $1,000,000 per occurrence is the policy behind most certificates small businesses are asked for.
COI vs full policy: what's the difference?
Think of the certificate as the receipt and the policy as the purchase. The certificate proves coverage exists; the policy is the contract that defines it. Side by side:
| Certificate of insurance | Full policy document | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A one-page summary of active coverage | The complete insurance contract |
| Length | One page | Often dozens of pages |
| What it proves | That coverage is active, and at what limits | The exact terms, conditions, and exclusions |
| Who it's for | Clients, landlords, and others who ask for proof | You, the policyholder |
| Rights it grants | None. It's information only | The rights and duties written into the contract |
| When you share it | Whenever someone asks for proof of insurance | Rarely, and usually only when a claim or dispute comes up |
When a requester asks about specifics, like who counts as a certificate holder versus an additional insured, the answer lives in the policy. The certificate only reflects what is already written there.
How fast can I get one?
With coverage that lives online: minutes. Once your Olli policy is active, your certificate is available to download from your account, and general liability policies include instant certificates. Landing a gig on a Friday afternoon no longer means losing it to an agent's Monday callback.
Through a traditional agency, budget anywhere from a few hours to a few days, especially if the requester wants special wording or an endorsement added first. Either way, requesters like GCs and landlords may also ask for an updated certificate. For workers comp lines, see our workers comp COI guide. Keeping coverage active is what keeps the paperwork instant.
Keep reading
A field-by-field walkthrough of what each box on a COI means.
What general contractors and clients expect before work starts.
Why workers comp COIs get requested and how to provide one.
The two get mixed up constantly. This page sorts out which is which.