What does a certificate holder get?
A piece of paper, and that's not a knock. When a landlord, client, or general contractor is named as the certificate holder, their name and address go in a box on your certificate and they receive a copy. Now they have documented proof, for their files, that your business carried active coverage at specific limits on a specific date.
What they don't get is any claim on your coverage. Every certificate says so in its standard disclaimer: it's issued as a matter of information only and confers no rights upon the certificate holder. You can see exactly where that box and disclaimer sit on our sample certificate.
What does an additional insured get?
Actual protection. An additional insured endorsement changes your policy so certain of its protections extend to the other party. If a lawsuit connected to your work names them, say a GC sued over an injury your crew caused, your policy can respond on their behalf as well as yours.
Because it modifies the policy, it has to come from your insurer. Many general liability policies offer additional endorsements like this, and once one is in place, it shows up on your certificate. That is what the requester's office checks for.
Certificate holder vs additional insured at a glance
| Certificate holder | Additional insured | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The recipient of your certificate of insurance | A party endorsed onto your actual policy |
| Coverage rights | None. Information only | Certain protections of your policy extend to them |
| How it happens | Named when the certificate is issued | Added by an endorsement to the policy |
| Changes your policy? | No | Yes, the endorsement modifies it |
| Typical example | A landlord keeping proof of your coverage on file | A GC protected under your policy for your work on their job |
Which one should be requested?
Certificate holder fits when the other party just needs to verify you're insured: a landlord keeping proof on file, a client's vendor checklist, a venue confirming coverage before an event. It costs nothing, arrives instantly, and changes nothing about your policy.
Additional insured fits when the other party could be pulled into a claim arising from your work and wants your policy to stand in front of them. The classic case is a GC or property owner whose contract requires it, as covered in our contractor COI guide.
Asking is simple in both cases. For a holder, give your insurer the name and address to list when requesting the certificate. For an additional insured, ask your insurer about the endorsement. If a contract demands it, send the insurance clause along so the wording matches what the contract requires.