Subcontractor COI & compliance guides
For general contractors: what to collect from subs, and how to check it before the work starts.
COI tracking software vs. letting your broker handle it
Broker-managed COI tracking feels free, but who owns the deadline? How it compares with tracking software on speed, cost and the record you can show later.
Vendor compliance software for property managers: what to look for
What vendor compliance software does for property managers, per-property vs. per-vendor tracking, the criteria to compare tools and how to run a shortlist.
COI tracking software for small contractors: what to look for
What COI tracking software does, which features matter when one person in the office runs it, and how to tell in a two-week trial whether a tool fits.
How much does COI tracking software cost?
Three COI tracking tools are free for small rosters. What paid plans charge, what TradeGuard costs and when paying is worth it. Prices checked October 11, 2026.
General liability vs. workers' comp: what to require from subs
General liability pays when a sub's work hurts someone else; workers' comp pays the sub's own crew. Why you need both, and where each sits on a certificate.
How to choose COI tracking software: a buyer's guide for contractors
Five features COI tracking software must have, the questions to ask each vendor, the red flags, and how to run a two-week pilot on your own roster.
How to read a certificate of insurance (ACORD 25)
A walk through the ACORD 25 certificate for general contractors: which fields matter, what to check against your subcontract and what the form can't tell you.
COI tracking: spreadsheet vs. software, and when to switch
When a spreadsheet is enough for tracking subcontractor certificates, how it fails as you grow, and the signs it's time to move to COI tracking software.
What happens if a subcontractor's insurance lapses mid-project?
When a sub's coverage lapses mid-job, the claim and the workers' comp audit look for the next insured party: you. What changes, and what to do once you know.
Waiver of subrogation, explained for general contractors
What a waiver of subrogation is, why GCs require one from subs, which endorsements carry it and how to confirm it's on the policy as well as the certificate.
How often should you collect COIs from subcontractors?
Collect a sub's certificate of insurance before work starts, at every policy renewal and whenever a new project or requirement changes what you need.
Subcontractor prequalification: a checklist for GCs
A subcontractor prequalification checklist for GCs: insurance, licenses, safety record, financial capacity and references, run the same way for every sub.
What insurance should a subcontractor carry? A GC's guide
The coverages GCs require from subcontractors (general liability, workers' comp, auto, umbrella, professional and pollution) and how to match them to the trade.
Certificate of insurance vs. additional insured: which one protects you
A certificate of insurance reports coverage; an additional insured endorsement gives it to you. The difference, why GCs need both, and how to check each.
The property manager's vendor COI checklist
Twelve fields to check on every vendor's certificate of insurance before the vendor works on a property you manage, and what to do when one fails.
COI compliance for HOAs and community associations
Why a community association should verify every vendor's certificate of insurance, what to require, and how to keep certificates current across many vendors.
Vendor insurance requirements every property manager should enforce
The general liability, workers' comp, auto and additional insured requirements to set for vendors, how to tier limits by risk, and how to check them.
How property managers track vendor certificates of insurance
What property managers should collect from each vendor, why a lapsed certificate becomes the property's problem, and a process that keeps certificates current.
COI expiration tracking: four ways GCs stay ahead of lapses
Four ways to track subcontractor certificate expiry dates (spreadsheet, shared calendar, your broker, software), where each one breaks, and a weekly routine.
How to spot a fake or expired certificate of insurance
What an expired or edited certificate looks like, the checks that catch a good fake, and the call that settles it: the agent, at a number you look up yourself.
Subcontractor COI checklist for general contractors
A field-by-field checklist for a sub's certificate of insurance: what to compare with your subcontract, and what to ask for that the certificate can't show.
What is an additional insured endorsement?
The endorsement, not the certificate, puts you on a sub's policy. What CG 20 10, CG 20 37 and the blanket forms cover, and how to check you're on the policy.
How to track subcontractor certificates of insurance
Collect a certificate before each sub mobilizes, check it against the subcontract, keep the PDF with the sub's record and ask for renewals 30 days ahead.