What Information Appears on the Certificate

The certificate lists the insurance carrier, policy numbers, effective and expiration dates, coverage types (general liability, auto, workers compensation, umbrella), and the applicable limits for each. It also names the certificate holder (the party requesting proof) and, if applicable, notes whether that party has been added as an additional insured.

Why a Certificate Doesn't Guarantee Coverage

The certificate itself is not an insurance contract and creates no coverage on its own. It's simply a snapshot of what's in force at the moment it's issued. Coverage can be canceled, non-renewed, or the additional insured status can be missing entirely even though a certificate was issued, unless the party requesting it separately confirms the underlying endorsement was actually added to the policy.

Why This Matters

Relying only on a certificate without confirming the actual endorsement (especially additional insured status) is one of the most common gaps in commercial contract risk management. A certificate holder who never checks the actual policy behind the certificate can discover, only after a claim, that the protection they thought they had was never actually in place.