TradeGuardSubcontractor COI & compliance guides
Practical, no-fluff answers for general contractors on tracking certificates of insurance, verifying coverage, and keeping subs compliant.
COI Tracking Software vs. Letting Your Broker Handle It
Broker managed COI tracking feels free, but who owns the deadline? Compare it with COI tracking software on lapse speed, cost, and where accountability sits.
ReadVendor Compliance Software for Property Managers: What to Look For
Vendor compliance software for property management centralizes vendor COIs, W-9s, and licenses across every property, automates expiration tracking, and generates board-ready reports so managers cut liability without manual chasing.
ReadCOI Tracking Software for Small and Mid-Size Contractors: What to Look For
COI tracking software for small contractors verifies subcontractor insurance stays active and matches your contract requirements—flagging expired or non-compliant certificates automatically so a 15-person GC avoids uncovered risk.
ReadHow Much Does COI Tracking Software Cost?
What COI tracking software typically costs for small and mid-size general contractors — pricing models, what drives the bill, and how to budget a pilot without overbuying enterprise tools.
ReadGeneral Liability vs. Workers' Comp: What to Require From Subs
What general liability and workers' compensation each cover for subcontractors, why GCs need both, and how to verify limits and certificates before a sub mobilizes.
ReadHow to Choose COI Tracking Software: A Buyer's Guide for Contractors
A practical buyer's guide for general contractors evaluating COI tracking software — must-have features, red flags, pricing questions, and how to pilot a tool without disrupting your jobs.
ReadHow to Read a Certificate of Insurance (ACORD 25)
A practical walkthrough of the ACORD 25 certificate of insurance for general contractors — which fields matter, what to verify, and common mistakes when reviewing a sub's COI.
ReadCOI Tracking: Spreadsheet vs. Software (When to Switch)
Compare spreadsheet COI tracking vs dedicated software for general contractors — when a spreadsheet is enough, when it fails, and the signals that it's time to switch.
ReadWhat Happens If a Subcontractor's Insurance Lapses Mid-Project?
Subcontractor insurance lapses mid-project can shift liability to you. Learn the exposure chain, warning signs, and how to catch expired coverage early.
ReadWaiver of Subrogation, Explained for General Contractors
Waiver of subrogation explained for GCs: what it means, why you require it from subcontractors, and how to verify it's actually endorsed on the policy.
ReadHow Often Should You Collect COIs From Subcontractors?
How often should you collect COIs from subcontractors? Learn the right cadence—at contract, renewal, and per project—so coverage never lapses.
ReadSubcontractor Prequalification: A Practical Checklist for GCs
A subcontractor prequalification checklist for GCs covering insurance, licensing, EMR/OSHA safety, financials, and references—build a repeatable, defensible process.
ReadWhat Insurance Should a Subcontractor Carry? A GC's Guide
What insurance should a subcontractor have? A GC's guide to GL, workers' comp, auto, umbrella, and professional coverage—plus typical limits.
ReadCertificate of Insurance vs. Additional Insured: What Actually Protects You
Certificate of insurance vs additional insured: the COI is proof, the endorsement is the actual coverage. Learn why GCs need both to be protected.
ReadThe Property Manager's Vendor COI Checklist
A field-by-field property manager vendor COI checklist to verify certificates of insurance before any vendor touches your managed property. Reduce risk.
ReadCOI Compliance for HOAs and Community Associations
HOA vendor insurance compliance: why boards must verify contractor COIs, what to require, and how community managers keep certificates current across many vendors.
ReadVendor Insurance Requirements Every Property Manager Should Enforce
The GL, workers' comp, auto, and additional insured requirements every property manager should demand from vendors—plus limits and how to verify them.
ReadHow Property Managers Track Vendor Certificates of Insurance
How property managers and HOAs track vendor certificates of insurance to prevent lapsed-coverage liability. What to collect from vendors and how to systematize it.
ReadCOI Expiration Tracking: 4 Ways GCs Stay Ahead of Lapses
COI expiration tracking keeps subcontractor insurance current. Compare spreadsheets, shared calendars, broker-managed lists, and software—and see where each fails.
ReadHow to Spot a Fake or Expired Certificate of Insurance
Learn to spot fake or expired certificates of insurance. Red flags of forged COIs, why expired certs slip through, and how to verify authenticity with carriers.
ReadThe Subcontractor COI Checklist Every General Contractor Should Use
A field-by-field subcontractor COI checklist for GCs: what to require, verify, and reject on every certificate of insurance before work starts.
ReadWhat Is an Additional Insured Endorsement (and Why GCs Must Verify It)
An additional insured endorsement—not the COI—makes you covered. Learn CG 20 10 vs CG 20 37 and how GCs verify additional insured status the right way.
ReadHow to Track Subcontractor Certificates of Insurance (Without a Spreadsheet)
Learn how to track subcontractor certificates of insurance without a spreadsheet: what to collect, when to renew, why spreadsheets fail, and how to systematize COI tracking.
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