Certificate of insurance (COI)
A document summarizing insurance information for a policy; it is evidence of reported coverage, not the policy itself and not an exemption filing.
A certificate of insurance is commonly used to show that a workers' compensation policy exists for a named insured and policy period. General contractors, project owners, and government entities often ask for proof before work begins.
A COI does not amend the underlying policy. Texas guidance states that certificate language cannot represent an additional-insured or waiver provision that the policy does not actually contain. New York likewise distinguishes a workers' compensation insurance certificate from its CE-200 exemption certificate.
Where this definition comes from
Glossary entries are anchored to a state agency, statute, board, commission, or recognized workers' compensation authority rather than a generalized summary.