Certificate of Insurance (COI)

A certificate of insurance is a standardized document issued by your insurance company that proves you carry specific types and amounts of coverage. Shippers, freight brokers, and motor carriers routinely require COIs before they will work with you or allow you to haul their freight.

The certificate lists your policy numbers, coverage types, effective dates, and limits. It also names the certificate holder, which is typically the party requesting proof of insurance. Common coverage types listed include commercial auto liability, cargo insurance, general liability, and workers compensation. The certificate is not the policy itself and does not change your coverage.

At Full Coverage, we handle certificate requests for our clients as part of our service. When a broker or shipper needs proof of insurance, we issue certificates quickly, often the same day. We also set up automatic certificate delivery for clients who work with the same brokers regularly, so you never lose a load because of a paperwork delay.

Not the Same as the Insurance Policy

The certificate is a one-page summary that proves coverage exists and gives the holder no rights of its own. The policy is the contract, and the policy decides what a claim pays.

Example

A broker emails at 4 p.m. asking for a certificate naming them as certificate holder before they release a load. Your agent issues the certificate that afternoon; nothing in your policy changes.