Certificate of Insurance (COI) in Ontario
A COI is a one-page proof of insurance that shows your coverage is active, what type it is, and the limits in place. Landlords, GCs, municipalities, and clients often require it before work starts or keys are released.
COIs, Made Simple
What a COI is
A COI summarizes the key details of your insurance, like insurer, policy dates, coverage types, and limits. It's designed so a third party can confirm coverage quickly.
What a COI is not
A COI is not the policy wording, and it doesn't change coverage. The policy and endorsements control what's actually covered.
Fast turnaround when it matters
We have dedicated team members to fast track COI requests. If it's a standard certificate, we can usually issue in-house once coverage is active.
What We Need From You
Legal name of the certificate holder
The exact legal name of the entity requesting the certificate.
Legal mailing address
The legal mailing address for the certificate holder.
Any special requirements
Do they need to be added as an Additional Insured, or are there other conditions like waiver of subrogation, primary wording, specific project/site info, or a specific limit?
If you're not sure, just send us the request
Forward the contract language or the COI requirement email. We'll extract what matters and handle the rest.
Legal name of the certificate holder
The exact legal name of the entity requesting the certificate.
Legal mailing address
The legal mailing address for the certificate holder.
Any special requirements
Do they need to be added as an Additional Insured, or are there other conditions like waiver of subrogation, primary wording, specific project/site info, or a specific limit?
If you're not sure, just send us the request
Forward the contract language or the COI requirement email. We'll extract what matters and handle the rest.
Not sure what the request actually means?
Flip it to us. We'll translate it and issue the COI properly.
If it's a standard certificate, we can usually issue in-house once coverage is active. If the request needs insurer approval for specific wording or endorsements, we'll tell you up front and give you a realistic timeline. Most of the time this is a quick process - we do this all day long.
Key Things to Know
Certificate Holder vs Additional Insured
Certificate holder means they receive proof of insurance. Additional Insured means coverage is extended to them under your policy, usually by endorsement tied to a contract requirement.
Common other conditions we see
Additional Insured, waiver of subrogation, primary and non-contributory wording, higher limits, specific project name and site address, or required wording that needs insurer sign-off.
Certificate Holder vs Additional Insured
Certificate holder means they receive proof of insurance. Additional Insured means coverage is extended to them under your policy, usually by endorsement tied to a contract requirement.
Common other conditions we see
Additional Insured, waiver of subrogation, primary and non-contributory wording, higher limits, specific project name and site address, or required wording that needs insurer sign-off.
Quick COI Checklist
Copy/paste this into an email and we can take it from there: Legal name of certificate holder, Legal mailing address, Additional Insured required (yes/no/unknown), Any other conditions, Where to send it, Due date.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Certificate of Insurance (COI)?
A COI is a one-page summary that provides evidence an insurance policy is active and shows key details like coverage types, limits, and policy dates.
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