A Certificate of Insurance (COI) is a document issued by an insurance company or broker that verifies the existence of an insurance policy and summarizes the key aspects and conditions of the policy. It is a non-negotiable document that provides proof of insurance coverage. A standard COI lists the policyholder’s name, the policy’s effective date, the type of coverage, policy limits, and other important details of the policy. Small business owners and contractors typically require a COI that grants protection against liability for workplace accidents or injuries to conduct business. A COI is used for proving insurance coverage and is essential for many industries. It is like an auto insurance ID card, but it summarizes your business insurance coverage and contains important basics like policy expiration date, individuals covered, and dollar amount of coverage. A COI can be included with proposals or affixed to the clipboard you carry to prove that you are insured. Some COIs also include the type of policy, such as professional or general liability. To get a COI, you must first buy a small business liability insurance policy. When you purchase liability insurance, the insurance company will issue a copy of the policy in writing, either paper or digital. This copy contains all the pertinent information about the policy, such as the amount of coverage, the annual premium, the policy conditions, and so on. But many people have difficulty reading through all the legal language contained in their policy, and in some instances, third parties may simply want to see proof of coverage. Therefore, many insurers also issue a certificate of insurance (COI) to their clients.