Why COIs matter
A certificate of insurance (COI) proves a vendor is insured. Buildings require it before anyone works on site — and a missing or wrong one gets your mover turned away.
Why COIs matter
A certificate of insurance (COI) is a one-page document proving a vendor carries insurance. Buildings almost always require a valid COI — with specific language — before a vendor or mover can set foot on site.
Why you care
This is the single most common preventable move-day failure: the mover shows up, the building asks for the COI, the COI is missing or has the wrong additional insured language, and the crew gets turned away — with the truck loaded and the clock running.
It’s preventable because it’s knowable weeks ahead. Two moves protect you:
- Get the exact required language from the property manager early (it’s on the PM intake questions).
- Forward it to every vendor immediately — COIs take longer to produce than people expect, and a wrong one has to be reissued.
Track who needs a COI, what language, and its status in one place. A COI you “think is handled” is exactly the one that isn’t.