Improve Your COI Response Rates With Certificate Of Insurance Tracking Companies

COI Management | July 29, 2022

Working with the right certificate of insurance tracking companies makes a significant impact on the efficiency of your compliance program. Learn more about how PlusOne Solutions can help.

If your organization operates in the in-home service industry or any industry that demands the use of a contractor network, you know that it can be a challenge to ensure your contractors are meeting your compliance requirements. Among other things, you need proof of their insurance coverage, and a COI (certificate of insurance) can provide a convenient answer.

The contractor’s COI can contain important policy information, including:

• The named insured or your contractor
• Additional insureds which may be your organization
• The name of the insurer or insurance carrier
• The policy effective date and expiration date
• Limits of coverage
• And more

When Do You Need to Collect COIs?

Your organization should be collecting COIs from your contractors before the contractor begins working or taking any action on your behalf. According to a recent survey of 30,000 small businesses, 44% of the businesses open for at least one year had never had insurance.

When we consider that over 99% of U.S. businesses are considered small businesses, the chances that you may be working with an uninsured or underinsured company is a valid concern. Collecting COIs can provide you with security and peace of mind.

How Can I Improve My COI Response Rate?

Part of a thorough COI management program includes collecting COIs and COI renewals from your contractor network. Getting the initial COI is only one step, and like any insurance policy, your contractors’ coverage must be renewed. Your organization should have the most recent policy information on hand.

If the renewal process is not timely enough or you are not receiving COIs when you request them, it can leave you in a vulnerable position where your contractor is performing work while they may not be insured. Here are some practical ways that you can improve your COI response rate.

Provide Clear and Simplified Requirements 

Providing your contractor network with an example COI and easy-to-understand requirements can help the insured or their agents better understand what you are looking for. Including the following direct requests help make the process easier for everyone involved:

• The required type of insurance policy
• The date the current policy is set to expire
• Attached sample certificates
• Specific insurance requirements

We have seen some organizations send requests that are up to three pages in length and contain verbiage taken directly from their contracts when collecting COIs. This generally creates more confusion. The agent will often not read through lengthy requests like this, so it helps to make it clear from the beginning. 

Provide Plenty of Time to Respond

If you know that your contractor’s insurance policy is nearing its expiration date, you will want to send a request for a copy of the renewal COI sooner rather than later. If you only give the insurance agent a few days to respond to a renewal request, you may end up getting the documentation you need after the existing policy has expired.

Send Reminders

Sometimes a single request is not enough to get the COI from the contractor or their agent. Sending follow-up requests and allowing enough time between requests is another way to improve your organization’s COI response rate.

Work with an Experienced Partner

The time and resources you devote to managing your certificates of insurance in-house can increase rapidly. When you partner with PlusOne Solutions, you will see a total program cost reduction of associated administrative costs because our dedicated team of insurance experts and automated processes work together to create efficiencies.

Don’t let COI management pull you away from your core business objectives.

Contact us today to discuss your contractor compliance needs.

Contents are provided for information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Users are reminded to seek legal counsel with respect to their obligations and use of PlusOne Solutions services.

About PlusOne Solutions

PlusOne Solutions has been an industry leader in the risk management field by specializing in compliance programs that meet the complex challenges of geographically dispersed contractors, vendors, and employee networks. PlusOne Solutions protects companies from possible financial, legal, and reputational risks associated with contractor and vendor relationships while creating safer work environments. To learn more, visit https://www.PlusOneSolutions.net.