How to read a contractor’s certificate of insurance in five minutes

A certificate of insurance (ACORD 25) is one page. Here is where to look, what each box means, the three things that make a certificate worthless, and the one phone call that confirms it.

By LicensedAndInsured.com · Updated October 1, 2026 · Not legal advice; confirm requirements with the licensing board in your state.

The certificate of insurance (COI) is the document every “insured” claim rests on. It takes five minutes to read properly and most people never do.

The boxes that matter

Producer. The insurance agency that issued the certificate, with phone and email. This is who you call.
Insured. The exact legal name and address of the business covered. This must match the name on your contract and your check. “Same owner” is not the same company.
Insurers. The carriers behind each policy. You can confirm a carrier is licensed in your state with the state insurance department.
Coverages. One row per policy. For general liability look at Each Occurrence and General Aggregate; for a residential trade $1,000,000 / $2,000,000 is typical, roofing and larger jobs more. Check the Policy Eff and Policy Exp dates cover the whole job.
Workers’ compensation. Its own row. If it is blank, ask why. In Florida, a construction business with employees must carry it; an owner working alone may hold an exemption, which is a document you can ask to see.
Certificate holder. You, with the job address. Ask for it.
Cancellation. The standard wording says notice “will be delivered in accordance with the policy provisions.” That is weaker than it sounds; it does not promise you will be told.

Three things that make a certificate worthless

It is old. A certificate from last year says nothing about today. Ask for one dated within the last 30 days.
The names don’t match. A certificate for “ABC Roofing LLC” does nothing if you contracted with “ABC Roofing & Construction Inc.”
Nobody checked it. Certificates are plain documents; dates and limits can be edited in a PDF. The producer’s confirmation is the check.

The one phone call

Look up the agency’s number yourself (their website or a search), call, give the insured’s name and policy number, and ask: “Is this policy in force today, and are these the limits?” Agents answer this every day. If the agency has never heard of the contractor, stop.

How we handle it on verified listings

On a verified listing we record the certificate, its policy period and limits, and whether the issuing agent confirmed it; when a certificate comes directly from the agent, the listing says so. When the policy period ends, the badge and letter come down. The dates are printed on the page, because a certificate is a point-in-time fact. Search Florida listings.

Common questions

What is a certificate of insurance?

A one-page summary, usually on the ACORD 25 form, issued by the contractor’s insurance agent that lists the policies in force, their limits and their dates. It is evidence of coverage on the day it was issued, not a policy and not a guarantee that coverage still exists.

Should I be named on the certificate?

Yes. Ask to be listed as certificate holder, with your name and job address. It costs the contractor nothing, it ties the certificate to your job, and some policies notify certificate holders of cancellation.

How do I know the certificate is real?

Call the agent listed in the Producer box using a number you look up yourself, not the number printed on the certificate, and ask them to confirm the policy numbers and dates. Forged and altered certificates are common enough that agents expect the call.

Hiring in Florida?

Search 95,000+ active Florida contractor license records and see whose credentials were verified, and when. Free.

Search Florida licenses & insurance Check a license in any state