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How to Track Subcontractor Insurance (COI Management for General Contractors)
What to collect, how to read a COI, how often to re-verify, and how to stop managing it all from your email inbox.
In this guide
Why COI Tracking Fails — and Where the Risk Hides
Most general contractors collect a Certificate of Insurance when they onboard a new sub. Fewer than half have a system that tells them when that certificate expires. The result: subs working on active jobs with lapsed coverage, GCs exposed to claims their insurer can deny.
The core problem isn't collection — it's ongoing monitoring. Getting a COI once is easy. Knowing whether it's still valid six months later, across 30 or 50 active subs, is where most workflows break down.
The exposure this creates is real:
- Claim denial. If an incident occurs while a sub's policy is lapsed, your own insurer may deny coverage on the basis that you failed to maintain proper vendor insurance requirements.
- Contract breach. Most GC contracts with owners require that all subs maintain specified coverage for the duration of the project. An expired sub COI puts you in breach — even if you didn't know.
- Personal liability. In some states, a GC who knowingly allows an uninsured sub to continue working can be held personally liable for damages resulting from that sub's work.
What Insurance to Require from Subcontractors
The specific requirements vary by project, contract, and state — but most GC insurance requirements for subs include some or all of the following:
| Coverage Type | What It Covers | Typical Minimum |
|---|---|---|
| General Liability (GL) | Bodily injury and property damage caused by the sub's work | $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate |
| Workers' Compensation | Injuries to the sub's own employees on the job | Statutory limits (state-mandated) |
| Employer's Liability | Claims from employees that fall outside workers' comp | $100K / $500K / $100K |
| Commercial Auto Liability | Vehicle-related incidents involving the sub's fleet | $1M combined single limit |
| Umbrella / Excess Liability | Additional coverage above GL, auto, and employer's liability | $1M–$5M (project-dependent) |
| Professional Liability (E&O) | Design errors or professional services claims | Required for design-build or engineering subs |
How to Read a COI — and What to Actually Check
Most COIs in the U.S. use the ACORD 25 form. Once you know the layout, a 30-second scan tells you what you need. Here's what to look for:
Named Insured matches your contract
The "Named Insured" in the top-left of the ACORD form should exactly match the legal entity name on your subcontract. A COI issued to "ABC Plumbing LLC" doesn't automatically cover work performed by "ABC Plumbing Inc." — different legal entities.
Coverage types are present
Confirm each required coverage type has an active policy listed: General Liability, Workers' Comp, and Auto at minimum. Missing lines mean missing coverage — don't assume it's covered elsewhere.
Coverage limits meet your requirements
Check the "Limits" column against your contract's minimums. A $500K GL limit doesn't satisfy a $1M requirement. Make sure both "Each Occurrence" and "General Aggregate" meet spec.
Policy expiration dates cover your project
The "Policy Exp" column shows when each policy expires. If the GL policy expires before your project completes, you need a renewed COI before expiration — not after. This is the most commonly missed check.
You (or the owner) are listed as Additional Insured
Check the "Description of Operations" box at the bottom and the "Additional Insured" checkbox on the GL line. If your contract requires additional insured status, it should appear explicitly on the COI — not just be checked "Yes" on the form.
Waiver of Subrogation (if required)
Some contracts require a Waiver of Subrogation — meaning the sub's insurer waives its right to sue you after paying a claim. Check your contract and verify the COI reflects this if required.
How Often to Collect and Re-Verify COIs
A one-time collection at onboarding is necessary but not sufficient. Here's a practical schedule:
At onboarding
Before any work begins. No COI, no site access. Make this a hard gate in your onboarding process — not a follow-up item.
At each policy renewal
Typically annually. Request an updated COI before the existing one expires — not after. Build 30-day advance reminders into your process.
At new project assignment
When you assign an existing sub to a new job, verify their COI is current and that coverage limits meet the new project's requirements.
Ongoing monitoring
For active subs, monitor expiration dates continuously — not just at renewal time. Policies can be cancelled mid-term. Automated tracking tools send alerts before a policy lapses.
Common COI Gaps GCs Miss
1. Collecting a COI once and never following up
The most common failure mode. Subs get added to a job, a COI gets emailed, it gets filed — and no one checks it again until there's a problem. An annual renewal slips by, the policy lapses, and the sub keeps working.
2. Accepting a certificate without verifying limits
A COI that shows "General Liability: ✓" doesn't tell you the limits. A $300K General Liability policy doesn't satisfy a $1M project requirement. Always check the Limits column, not just whether the coverage line is present.
3. Not requiring additional insured status
A COI confirming the sub has GL insurance is different from a COI confirming you are named as additional insured. If you're not named, the sub's insurer has no obligation to defend or cover you in a claim. Check the form and verify the endorsement is in place.
4. Entity name mismatches
A COI issued to "Smith Electrical Services" doesn't cover work by "Smith Electric LLC" — even if it's the same owner. Legal entity names matter. Verify the named insured on the COI matches the legal entity on your contract exactly.
5. Not checking Workers' Comp separately
General Liability and Workers' Compensation are separate policies with separate expiration dates. A sub can have an active GL policy with a lapsed Workers' Comp policy. If their employee is injured on your site and their WC is expired, the exposure flows to you. Check both — every time.
6. Relying on subs to notify you of policy changes
Most subcontractors will not proactively tell you their policy was cancelled or that coverage limits changed at renewal. You have to track this yourself — or use a tool that does it automatically.
How to Automate COI Tracking Across All Your Subs
Manual COI management — collecting documents by email, logging dates in a spreadsheet, setting calendar reminders — works at a very small scale. Once you're managing 20 or more subs across multiple active jobs, the manual approach has too many failure points.
TrackMyVendor automates the full COI lifecycle:
Send a magic link to each sub. Your sub gets a link to upload their COI directly — no account required. They upload the PDF, TrackMyVendor extracts all the coverage data automatically using AI.
Coverage is parsed and verified instantly. The system extracts carrier, policy number, coverage types, limits, and expiration dates from the uploaded PDF. No manual data entry. You see a structured compliance record, not a PDF.
Expiration alerts fire automatically. You get email notifications 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before a policy expires — for every sub, across every job. No calendar. No spreadsheet. No manual tracking.
Subs get renewal reminders automatically. When a policy is approaching expiration, your sub gets a reminder to upload a fresh COI — so you don't have to chase them.
COI + license in one dashboard. Insurance and license status for every sub, on every job, updated continuously. Not two separate workflows — one.
The difference between a spreadsheet workflow and an automated one isn't just time saved — it's the gaps that close. A spreadsheet only catches what you remember to check. Automated monitoring catches what renews quietly while you're running a job.
| Task | Spreadsheet workflow | TrackMyVendor |
|---|---|---|
| COI collection from subs | Email back-and-forth, manual filing | Magic link — sub uploads directly |
| Coverage data extraction | Manual data entry from PDF | AI extraction — automatic |
| Expiration tracking | Calendar reminders you set manually | Automatic alerts at 90/60/30/7 days |
| Renewal follow-up | You chase the sub | Sub gets automatic reminders |
| License verification | Separate manual lookup, separate file | Same dashboard, automatic |
| Compliance view per project | Manual filtering, error-prone | Per-job compliance status, real-time |
Stop tracking COIs from your inbox
TrackMyVendor automates COI collection, AI parsing, expiration alerts, and renewal follow-up — free for your first 25 subs.
Start free →Frequently Asked Questions
What insurance should a subcontractor carry?
What is a COI and why does it matter?
How often should I collect a new COI from subcontractors?
What does "additional insured" mean on a COI?
Can a subcontractor use expired insurance on an active job?
What's the difference between tracking a COI and verifying a contractor license?
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