Can I get a copy of the COI before the contractor starts work?

Yes — and you should. Standard practice is for the contractor to email you a current COI within 24 hours of asking. If they say they need a week or 'we'll get it to you on the day of,' that's a stall.

What's the difference between a COI and the actual insurance policy?

The COI summarizes the policy on one page. The policy itself is a 30-100 page contract. Carriers don't share full policies with certificate holders, but the COI's data points (carrier, policy number, dates, limits) are sufficient to verify coverage exists.

Does my homeowner's insurance cover the roofer if they don't have their own?

Sometimes, partially, with significant limits. Most homeowner's policies have liability limits that can come into play if a worker is injured on your property and the contractor's coverage is missing or insufficient. But your premiums will likely jump and you may be exposed beyond your policy limits. Don't rely on your homeowner's insurance to cover an uninsured roofer.

Is a COI the same as a contractor's license?

No. A license is a state-issued credential showing the contractor is qualified to do the work. A COI is proof of insurance. Some states require both; Missouri does not require state licensing for residential roofers but the BBB and most reputable contractors carry insurance regardless.

What is ACORD 25 vs other ACORD forms?

ACORD 25 is the standard 'Certificate of Liability Insurance' form. ACORD 27 is for property insurance, ACORD 24 for older liability formats. For residential contractor verification you're looking for ACORD 25 specifically.

How does Surgepoint handle COI verification?

Every roofer in our network gives us their COI before we send a single homeowner their way. We re-verify quarterly. When you request a free roof check, the roofer's name, license number, and BBB rating are sent to your phone before they arrive — and we can produce their COI on request.

Insurance · Contractor verification

Certificate of liability insurance: what it is, what to check

A Certificate of Liability Insurance (COI) is a one-page summary of a contractor's active insurance coverage. Before any roofer puts a ladder on your house, you should see their COI — because if they don't have one, you the homeowner are financially exposed when something goes wrong on your property. Here's exactly what to look for.

The short answer

A Certificate of Liability Insurance (COI), often on an ACORD 25 form, is the standard one-page proof that a contractor has active commercial general liability coverage.
Always ask for a current COI before letting any contractor work on your property. A reputable roofer will produce one within minutes.
Verify three things: the carrier is real, the policy hasn't expired, and the coverage limits are at least $1M general liability + $1M auto.
Confirm the COI directly with the carrier — call the agent listed and verify it's current. Forged COIs are common in the storm-chaser playbook.

What's actually on a Certificate of Liability Insurance

A standard COI uses ACORD form 25 (the industry-standard certificate format). The single page shows: the named insured (the contractor's legal entity), the producer/agent (the insurance broker), the carrier(s) underwriting the coverage, the types of coverage in force, the policy numbers and effective/expiration dates, the limits per occurrence and aggregate, and the certificate holder (often you, if you specifically requested it).

Coverage types you'll see on a roofing contractor's COI: Commercial General Liability (CGL), Commercial Auto (their trucks), Workers' Compensation (employees), and Umbrella/Excess (catastrophic incidents). Each has its own line with limits.

The COI is informational only — it's not the policy itself. It says 'as of the date this was issued, this contractor has these policies in force.' It doesn't guarantee the policies will still be in force tomorrow if the contractor stops paying premiums.

Why homeowners specifically need to ask for a COI

When a contractor's worker falls off your roof and is injured, three things determine who pays: (1) the contractor's workers' compensation policy, (2) the contractor's general liability policy, and (3) the homeowner's homeowner's insurance. If the contractor has the first two, the homeowner's policy isn't touched. If the contractor doesn't have them, the injured worker can come after the homeowner directly.

The same dynamic plays out for property damage. If a roofer's crew drops a heavy bundle on your skylight or damages a neighbor's car parked under the eaves, you want their general liability covering it — not your homeowner's.

Storm chasers frequently operate without proper coverage because their teams are subcontracted day labor. The crew that knocks on your door may not be employed by anyone with workers' comp. If a worker is injured, the lawsuit lands on you. A current, verifiable COI is the simplest filter for this risk.

What coverage limits to require for a residential roof job

**Commercial General Liability (CGL):** at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate. This covers third-party property damage and bodily injury caused by the contractor's operations.

**Commercial Auto Liability:** at least $1,000,000 combined single limit. Covers their trucks if they damage your property or others while on the job.

**Workers' Compensation:** required by Missouri law if they have 5+ employees. Some smaller roofers carry it voluntarily for fewer employees as a competitive signal. If they don't carry it, ask why and consider passing.

**Umbrella/Excess:** $1,000,000–$5,000,000 above the underlying policies. Not strictly required, but a sign of a well-run shop.

If a roofer's COI shows much lower limits (e.g., $100,000 CGL), they're either a very small operator or they're underinsured for the work they do. On a $20,000+ residential roof job, that's a risk you take.

How to verify a COI is real (and current)

**Step 1: Check the form itself.** It should be ACORD 25 (the standard form). The agency name, producer, and carrier should match real businesses. Look up the agency online; legitimate insurance agencies have websites and phone numbers.

**Step 2: Check the dates.** The 'Policy Effective' and 'Policy Expiration' dates should bracket today. If the certificate says coverage expired last month, the contractor is uninsured right now.

**Step 3: Call the agent listed.** This is the single highest-leverage verification. The COI lists a 'Producer' or 'Agency' with phone number. Call that number directly (Google it independently to make sure it's the real agency, not a fake number printed on a forged COI). Ask the agent to confirm the contractor has active coverage. They will, if they can.

**Step 4: Request yourself as a certificate holder.** A reputable contractor will reissue the COI with you specifically named as the 'Certificate Holder' for your specific job. This means if their coverage is canceled, the carrier is supposed to notify you. (Notification isn't guaranteed by the certificate itself, but the requested issuance is a positive signal.)

**Step 5: Look for forgeries.** Common red flags: misspelled carrier names ('Travllers' instead of 'Travelers'), an agent phone number that goes to voicemail or a roofer's office instead of an insurance agency, and pixelated or off-center logos suggesting a copy-paste forgery.

What it means when a contractor refuses to provide a COI

There are two innocent explanations and one bad one. The innocent: (1) they're a single-owner operator without employees who genuinely doesn't carry CGL — extremely rare for legitimate roofers, but possible for some handyman-tier operations, (2) their COI is at the agency office and takes 24–48 hours to email — also rare in 2026 since most COIs are digital and instant.

The bad explanation, which covers most refusals: they don't have current coverage and don't want to admit it. Roofers who don't carry insurance can underbid by 15–25% because they're not paying premiums. The savings come out of your risk profile.

If a contractor stalls on producing a COI for more than 2 business days, treat that as a hard no. Move on.

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Frequently asked

Can I get a copy of the COI before the contractor starts work?: Yes — and you should. Standard practice is for the contractor to email you a current COI within 24 hours of asking. If they say they need a week or 'we'll get it to you on the day of,' that's a stall.
What's the difference between a COI and the actual insurance policy?: The COI summarizes the policy on one page. The policy itself is a 30-100 page contract. Carriers don't share full policies with certificate holders, but the COI's data points (carrier, policy number, dates, limits) are sufficient to verify coverage exists.
Does my homeowner's insurance cover the roofer if they don't have their own?: Sometimes, partially, with significant limits. Most homeowner's policies have liability limits that can come into play if a worker is injured on your property and the contractor's coverage is missing or insufficient. But your premiums will likely jump and you may be exposed beyond your policy limits. Don't rely on your homeowner's insurance to cover an uninsured roofer.
Is a COI the same as a contractor's license?: No. A license is a state-issued credential showing the contractor is qualified to do the work. A COI is proof of insurance. Some states require both; Missouri does not require state licensing for residential roofers but the BBB and most reputable contractors carry insurance regardless.
What is ACORD 25 vs other ACORD forms?: ACORD 25 is the standard 'Certificate of Liability Insurance' form. ACORD 27 is for property insurance, ACORD 24 for older liability formats. For residential contractor verification you're looking for ACORD 25 specifically.
How does Surgepoint handle COI verification?: Every roofer in our network gives us their COI before we send a single homeowner their way. We re-verify quarterly. When you request a free roof check, the roofer's name, license number, and BBB rating are sent to your phone before they arrive — and we can produce their COI on request.

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