Why would a property manager reject a certificate that looks completely valid to me?

Vendor compliance systems often check for exact wording, not just whether a policy exists — missing primary and non-contributory language, an incorrect entity name, or limits just below their threshold can all trigger an automatic rejection even though your coverage is genuinely active.

What's the fastest way to find out what a specific property manager requires?

Ask them directly for their vendor insurance requirements or COI spec sheet before you bid — most have one on file, and it's a completely normal ask that saves a scramble later.

Can one certificate satisfy multiple property management companies I work with?

Sometimes, if their requirements happen to match, but it's safer to issue a separate certificate naming each company specifically as additional insured, since their exact wording requirements can differ.

Does adding a waiver of subrogation cost extra?

It can, depending on the carrier, but it's usually a modest addition compared to the cost of losing a vendor relationship over a missing endorsement. We'll quote it clearly before you commit.

I already bid a job assuming I was compliant and now I'm not sure — what do I do?

Send us whatever requirement or rejection notice you received and we'll tell you quickly whether your current policy already covers it or needs an endorsement added — most fixes are same-day.

Handyman Certificate of Insurance (COI)

Not All Certificates Are Created Equal

A certificate of insurance is a one-page summary of your active coverage — carrier name, limits, policy dates, and who's insured. But the document that satisfies a homeowner asking "are you insured?" is often not the same document that clears a property management company's vendor compliance system. The gap between those two is where a lot of handymen get an unpleasant surprise mid-bid — and it's a much better problem to catch here than to find out the hard way what happens without one at all.

The Basic Version

For most homeowners and smaller clients, a standard COI showing your business name, GL limits, and current policy dates is plenty. This is the version we issue instantly the moment you bind coverage.

The Version Vendor Compliance Systems Actually Want

Property management companies running formal vendor programs — through platforms like Building Engines, SmartCompliance, or similar systems — typically want more specific language baked in:

Additional insured — the property owner or management company listed by their exact legal entity name, not a general description
Primary and non-contributory wording — confirming your policy pays first on a covered claim, ahead of theirs
Waiver of subrogation — your carrier agreeing not to pursue the property owner for reimbursement even if they share some fault
Specific limit thresholds — sometimes $2M/$4M instead of the more common $1M/$2M baseline

Missing any one of these can get an otherwise-valid certificate auto-rejected by a compliance system with zero human review involved.

What to Do Before You Bid, Not After

If you're pursuing work with a property management company or larger GC, ask for their COI requirements or vendor insurance spec sheet before you bid, not after you've already won the job and are scrambling to get compliant in 48 hours. It's a normal question to ask, and it saves everyone a headache — and if you're not sure whether your state even requires a license for the scope of that job, our state requirements page is worth checking first.

Requesting a New or Updated Certificate

Already covered with us? A new certificate for a specific client, or an update adding a new additional insured, is typically a same-day turnaround — no need to requote your whole policy for it. Starting fresh? Once your policy binds, your first certificate is issued instantly, and every certificate after that is just as fast.

Sending a certificate along with your invoice for the job is common practice — if you need a clean invoice to go with it, our free invoice maker is available to anyone, no account required.