You’ve booked the gig, received your contract, and notice the event/venue wants to be listed as an additional insured on your policy. Some may simply say they want to be added or named on your insurance. It's important to remember you are covered regardless of an additional certificate (COI), and not all events/venues require them. So what does a COI actually do?
A COI gives the event/venue protection under your policy if something arising from your operations on their property leads to a claim. Think of it as added legal protection for them. If they're named in a lawsuit due to your actions, the certificate allows them to pass the claim to your policy instead of their own.
Example: A brewery hires your food truck and requests an additional insured certificate. While parked on their property, you unknowingly served hotdogs that had gone bad. This resulted in some patrons getting food poisoning and suing the brewery. Because the brewery was listed as an additional insured, they can file a claim under the vendor's policy instead of their own. This helps them avoid a possible increase in their insurance premiums due to claim activity.
Need help with submitting a certificate of additional insured? Check out The Dos and Don'ts of Certificate Requests for step-by-step instructions and tips. If you would like help walking through the steps, please give our office a call at 715-246-8908.
