Our customers already know that contractors insurance is a critical part of the licensed-bonded-insured trifecta. And that’s true regardless of the type of contractor you might be. Your customers expect that should something go wrong, your coverage will handle the situation, and insurance is a fundamental part of that protection. But your responsibility doesn’t end there. Your customers or project owners will probably want to see proof. In fact for some jobs you might not even be able to bid without this vital, tangible assurance. Since we know that insurnace isn’t just a nice-to-have, let’s see how the certificate of insurance (COI) comes in handy. What Is A Certificate Of Insurance? When you sign up for contractors insurance with Zinc, you’ll get an electronic and/or physical copy of your policy. Along with that you’ll receive a certificate that you can show to business partners or clients if they ask for proof of your coverage. This certificate is just one more way you can prove your professionalism and put others’ minds at ease. Having the certificate stored on your phone or tablet, or printed in a physical copy means that you are always prepared and ready to assume responsibility for a project. Another name you might hear thrown around is “ACORD certificate.” This is the same thing as a certificate of insurance. ACORD stands for Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development and it is a standards-setting body for the insurance industry. Why Your Certificate Of Insurance Matters Like we mentioned at the outset, showing your COI to potential clients could be the final piece of the puzzle to getting that bid. And when clients know that you have insurance, they know what to expect if something goes wrong. The overall vibe on a jobsite can be more relaxed when everyone knows that they are protected. For you personally, this could mean that if you are demolishing a site and you damage a vital piece of infrastructure that causes a domino effect of repairs and sets your original job back, neither you nor your client will have to pay out of pocket. It also means that if your client decides to bring the law after you, you’ll have protection. Because yes, you’re on your game, but things happen, even to pros like you. With a solid policy and a COI at the ready you also protect yourself against potentially crippling reputational damage. Adding an Additional Insured This one is pretty straightforward, and more or less sounds like its name. Adding an additional insured means that you’re including another individual temporarily on your insurance policy. That way if something happens on the job site and someone wants to sue you and the project owner, you’ll both have access to your liability coverage. This can also come in handy for general contractors who want to be listed on a subcontractor’s insurance policy for the duration of a project. If you do decide to add an additional insured, that person will also be listed on the COI, in case anyone needs proof. Partner With an Insurance Pro Not every insurance company or agency out there understands the need to have a COI at the ready. Some could even require you to order yours via snail mail or pay fees for additional copies. Thankfully you have an ally in us. At Insurance for Contractors by Zinc we think that a certificate of insurance should be part of every deal. That’s why you can easily get this vital piece of documentation from us on the double. In fact, you can get your certificate whenever you need it,right from our website, at no charge. That’s the service we’d expect, and it’s what we offer you, every day. Get in touch for your customized quote.
