California Contractors COI & Additional Insured Checklist

A plain-language checklist for general contractors and subcontractors who need a certificate of insurance (COI) and Additional Insured wording that matches the job contract. Aimed at Sacramento-area and California contractors working with Lions & Coventry — not a substitute for the contract, your attorney, or the carrier’s endorsement forms.

Print tip: Browser Print → Save as PDF before you email the GC or owner your info packet.

Brokerage guidance only — not legal advice. Contract language and endorsement edition dates control.

1) Before you request a certificate

• ☑ Confirm the named insured on the policy matches the entity signing the subcontract or prime contract
• ☑ Confirm the policy is in force for the date(s) of the work
• ☑ Pull the contract’s insurance exhibit (not just a verbal “send me a cert”)
• ☑ Note the project name, job address, and any project number the holder wants on the certificate
• ☑ Identify who must be listed as certificate holder and who must be Additional Insured (often different parties)

2) What a COI is — and is not

• ☑ A COI (usually an ACORD certificate) is evidence of insurance on a date naming a certificate holder
• ☑ A COI does not by itself change the policy or create Additional Insured status
• ☑ If the contract requires Additional Insured, waiver of subrogation, or primary/noncontributory wording, those usually require endorsements (or policy provisions) — not a checkbox on the certificate alone
• ☑ Sending the wrong entity name or an expired policy is how payment gets held

3) Additional Insured — plain-language asks

Contracts often require the upstream party (owner, GC, or both) to be Additional Insured for your ongoing operations and, separately, for completed operations. In educational terms, many California construction contracts still reference familiar ISO-style Additional Insured forms (you may see numbers such as CG 20 10 for ongoing operations and CG 20 37 for completed operations). Edition dates and exact wording matter — do not assume every “AI” request is the same.

• ☑ Does the contract require AI for ongoing operations while you are on site?
• ☑ Does it also require AI for completed operations after the work is done?
• ☑ Who must be named (owner, GC, lender, construction manager, “and their officers, directors, employees…”)?
• ☑ Is the requirement limited to liability arising from your work, or broader?
• ☑ Have you sent the exact exhibit wording to the broker so the carrier endorsement can be matched?

4) Primary and noncontributory

• ☑ Contract asks that your GL be primary and that your insurer not seek contribution from the upstream party’s insurance for covered claims arising from your work
• ☑ Confirm whether the policy already has that wording or needs an endorsement
• ☑ “Primary” on the certificate alone is not a substitute for the endorsement when the contract requires it

5) Waiver of subrogation

• ☑ Contract requires a waiver of subrogation in favor of the owner/GC (often on GL, and sometimes on workers compensation)
• ☑ Confirm GL waiver endorsement status before promising it on a cert
• ☑ For workers compensation waivers, confirm California carrier practice and any required forms — do not invent wording on the certificate

6) Limits, lines, and other common GC asks

• ☑ GL each-occurrence and general aggregate limits meet the exhibit (and any per-project aggregate if required)
• ☑ Workers compensation with California coverage and correct employer names
• ☑ Automobile liability if the contract requires it (owned / hired / non-owned as specified)
• ☑ Umbrella / excess if the exhibit stacks limits above primary GL
• ☑ Inland marine / tools if you need equipment scheduled for the job (separate from the COI liability ask)
• ☑ CSLB license status current; contractor license bond is not a substitute for GL (see CSLB bond requirements)

7) Information to send us for a same-day certificate turn

When the policy already supports the requested wording, certificate and Additional Insured requests from our Citrus Heights office are often same-day. New endorsements still need carrier processing time. Email or call with:

• ☑ Named insured and policy line (GL, auto, umbrella, etc.)
• ☑ Certificate holder legal name and address
• ☑ Job / project address and project name or number
• ☑ Exact Additional Insured / primary-noncontributory / waiver language from the contract
• ☑ Email address for certificate delivery (and any portal upload instructions)
• ☑ Deadline if a GC is holding payment

California contractors COI & Additional Insured FAQ

Short answers for GCs and subcontractors packing a certificate request. Brokerage guidance — not legal advice. Contract exhibits and endorsement edition dates control.

Same-day certificate / Additional Insured requests

Call (916) 967-7715 or use the contact form. Lions & Coventry Insurance Services — 7816 Uplands Way, Ste C, Citrus Heights, CA 95610. License #0G22084.

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This checklist is educational. ISO form numbers mentioned are common contract references for awareness only — your bound endorsements and edition dates control coverage. Not legal advice.