Certificate Holder

The party who receives your COI as proof of coverage. Getting a certificate is not the same as being an additional insured.

A certificate holder is the party who receives a certificate of insurance as proof that someone they do business with is insured.

If you hire a contractor and ask for evidence of coverage, you become the certificate holder on the certificate they send. Crucially, that status is passive — it means you’ve been shown the policy exists, not that you’re covered by it.

To actually gain protection under someone else’s policy, you need to be named an additional insured, which is a separate step that changes the policy itself. Confusing the two is one of the most common — and costly — mistakes in contracts.

COI vs. additional insured →

This is a friendly general explanation, not legal or policy language. Exact coverage depends on your policy, carrier, and state. 🤝

Written and reviewed by the We Insure Things team — licensed independent insurance agents. Last reviewed July 23, 2026. Questions? Ask a licensed agent.