01 / SET THE REVIEW BASIS
Start with the project’s written requirements.
A certificate can help organize the information supplied for review, but it does not define the project’s insurance requirements. Before checking a subcontractor’s COI, locate the agreement or insurance schedule your firm uses and identify what evidence is still needed.
- 01
Read the project’s written insurance requirements first
Use the executed agreement, insurance exhibit, or other project document your firm relies on. Note the required policy types, named parties, limits, endorsements, project scope, and relevant dates. Requirements vary by contract and project; do not substitute a generic checklist for the controlling documents.
02 / CHECK THE RECORD
Match names, policy details, and dates.
Review what the certificate actually says, then flag information that is missing, inconsistent, difficult to read, or outside the project’s required window.
- 02
Match the named insured to the subcontracting entity
Compare the named insured shown on the certificate with the legal entity engaged for the work. If the subcontractor operates through affiliates, joint ventures, or trade names, record the mismatch and ask the producer or insurer to clarify it rather than assuming the names are interchangeable.
- 03
Check each listed policy period against the work window
Read the effective and expiration dates for each policy line separately. Flag a gap, a date that starts after work is due to begin, or a policy that expires before the relevant work period ends. Ask for updated evidence when dates change; a saved date is not a live confirmation that a policy remains in force.
- 04
Capture the insurer and policy details as shown
Check that the carrier name, policy number, coverage line, and displayed limits are present and legible where your process requires them. Keep the values tied to the source document and note any unclear or inconsistent entry for follow-up.
03 / COMPARE LIKE WITH LIKE
Compare each coverage line with its own requirement.
Use the written project requirement as the comparison point. This checklist helps a reviewer spot fields to follow up; it does not assess whether insurance is adequate for a particular project.
Review prompt
Compare each required line—such as general liability, automobile liability, workers’ compensation, or umbrella/excess liability—against its own row on the certificate. Include only the lines the written project requirements call for.
Review prompt
Read the amount beside the exact limit label shown. Compare like with like when the project requirement distinguishes a per-occurrence limit, an aggregate, or another measure; do not combine amounts across different policies to fill a gap.
Review prompt
If the certificate has a project, location, or operations description, treat it as information to compare with the requirement—not as a replacement for policy wording or a determination that the work is covered.
Keep the source visible: record the values as shown on the COI and route an unclear limit, policy term, or project description to a qualified insurance professional. Do not turn an extracted or transcribed value into a coverage decision.
04 / REQUEST SUPPORTING EVIDENCE
Do not infer endorsement status from a certificate box.
If a contract calls for additional-insured status, a waiver of subrogation, or another endorsement, identify the exact requirement and request the corresponding policy document through the subcontractor’s insurance producer or carrier. A certificate holder entry and an endorsement are different records; ask a licensed insurance professional whether the document applies to the named party, work, and period at issue.
JURISDICTION-SPECIFIC REFERENCE
The Texas Department of Insurance explains how Texas certificate rules treat additional-insured and waiver-of-subrogation statements, including when an endorsement is present. Those rules are Texas-specific; use the law and contract requirements that apply to your project.
05 / CLOSE THE LOOP
Record the question and route the next action.
A useful review trail shows what was checked and what still needs a response. Keep the document, the project requirement used for comparison, and the next action together.
- 01
Write down the exact open question
Name the document field or requirement that does not line up, the source you compared it with, and the date of review. Avoid recording a coverage conclusion when the evidence only shows a mismatch or missing document.
- 02
Request the missing or corrected evidence
Ask the subcontractor’s authorized insurance producer or carrier for a corrected certificate, applicable endorsement, or other policy information your process requires. Keep the response with the subcontractor’s record and note who reviewed it.
- 03
Route interpretation to the right professional
Ask a licensed insurance professional about policy terms, whether an endorsement applies, or whether coverage is active. Refer contract language and legal obligations to your attorney. Keep your internal review focused on comparing documents and tracking the follow-up.
06 / KEEP THE BOUNDARY CLEAR
Document tracking is not coverage verification or advice.
Rookbeam can keep submitted documents and human-reviewed details organized. It does not verify whether insurance is active, applicable, or adequate; determine whether a subcontractor satisfies a contract, law, or compliance requirement; or provide legal, insurance, or compliance advice. Your firm remains responsible for its review and decisions. Ask a licensed insurance professional about coverage or policy wording, and consult an attorney about contract language or legal obligations.
This COI-specific checklist complements the broader subcontractor document tracking guide, which explains how Rookbeam organizes COIs, licenses, and W-9s and what its saved statuses mean.