What a cleaning contractor's certificate of insurance should show
A cleaning crew will hold your keys and work in your building after hours. The certificate of insurance is how you check who pays if something goes wrong, and most buyers read only the top line.
National Cleaning Group ·
A cleaning contractor's certificate of insurance should show four things clearly: the coverages your contract requires, limits that meet your numbers, dates that cover the whole contract term, and your organization in the right boxes. If any of those is missing, the certificate hasn't done its job.
What follows reads the standard form field by field, lists the coverages that matter for a cleaning contract, and covers what a certificate cannot prove. Then, how to verify one before the crew gets keys.
What a certificate of insurance is
A certificate of insurance (COI) is a one-page summary of a contractor's policies, almost always on the ACORD 25 form. The contractor's agent or broker issues it. It is a snapshot: proof that coverage was in force on the day it was printed.
The form says so itself. ACORD 25 states that the certificate is issued as a matter of information only, confers no rights on the certificate holder, and does not amend, extend, or alter the coverage under the policies. That sentence is why you verify a certificate instead of filing it.
Reading the form, field by field
Go through these boxes in order. Most problems show up in the first three.
| Field | What to check |
|---|---|
| Producer | The agent or broker who issued it. This is who you call to verify. |
| Insured | The contractor's exact legal name. It should match your contract and the W-9. A trade name or a different entity is a red flag. |
| Insurers A to F | The carriers behind each policy. You can look up their financial ratings. |
| Coverages and policy numbers | One line per policy: general liability, auto, umbrella, workers' compensation. |
| Policy effective and expiration dates | Every policy should be in force on your start date. Note the earliest expiration. |
| Limits | Each occurrence, aggregate, and per-coverage limits. Compare with your contract, line by line. |
| Additional insured and subrogation waiver boxes | Marked only if the policy actually includes them. |
| Description of operations | Often where your site, contract, or additional insured wording is referenced. |
| Certificate holder | Your organization's legal name and address. |
| Cancellation | Standard wording says notice is delivered per the policy provisions, which may not include you. |
Coverages a cleaning contract should require
General liability, workers' compensation, and auto liability are the baseline. An umbrella and a bond are common additions for larger buildings and public contracts.
| Coverage | What it pays for | Why it matters for cleaning |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial general liability | Injury to third parties and damage to their property | A visitor slips on a wet floor; a crew member damages a lobby fixture |
| Workers' compensation and employer's liability | Injuries to the contractor's own staff | Cleaners lift, climb, and use chemicals in your building at night |
| Commercial auto, including hired and non-owned | Vehicles used for the work | Crews drive to your site, sometimes in personal cars |
| Umbrella or excess liability | Claims above the primary limits | Large buildings and landlords often require higher totals |
| Janitorial or fidelity bond | Theft by the contractor's employees | Crews have keys and alarm codes |
Many commercial contracts ask for general liability limits around $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate, with an umbrella on top for larger sites. Your landlord, lease, or insurer may set different numbers. Start from the requirement you already have, not from a typical figure.
Check one more detail on the liability line: occurrence or claims-made. An occurrence policy covers incidents that happen while it is in force, even if the claim arrives years later. A claims-made policy covers claims made while it is active, so a contractor who switches carriers can leave a gap for past work. Contracts commonly require occurrence-based general liability.
Workers' compensation rules are set by each state. Ask for it regardless. If a contractor's crew isn't covered, an injured worker may look to the building.
What a certificate doesn't prove
Cleaning contracts get caught here. A clean-looking certificate can still leave these gaps:
- Additional insured status needs an endorsement. A checked box on the certificate is not coverage. The policy has to carry an additional insured endorsement that applies to you. Ask for a copy of the endorsement page, not just the certificate.
- Cancellation notice may never reach you. If the contractor stops paying, the standard form does not promise you notice. A certificate valid in January can describe a cancelled policy in March.
- Damage to the property being worked on. Many liability policies limit coverage for property in the contractor's care, custody, or control. Ask how the policy treats damage to the floors, fixtures, and equipment the crew works on.
- Lost keys and rekeying. A lost master key can mean rekeying a building. Standard liability policies may not pay for it. Ask whether the contractor carries lost key coverage, or put the rekeying cost in the contract.
- Employee theft. General liability is not crime coverage. Theft by a cleaner is a bond or crime policy question. Bond terms vary, and some pay only after an employee is convicted, so read what it covers.
- Subcontractors. The certificate covers the named insured. If another company's crew will be in your building, you need that company's certificate too.
None of this means the contractor is underinsured. The certificate just answers fewer questions than buyers assume.
How to verify a cleaning contractor's COI
Verification takes one phone call and a calendar entry. Do it before the crew starts:
- Request the certificate directly from the contractor's agent, with your exact wording in the request.
- Call the producer listed on the form, using a number you look up yourself, and confirm the policies are active.
- Match the named insured to the entity on your contract and W-9.
- Check that every policy's dates cover your start date, and note the earliest expiration.
- Get the additional insured and waiver of subrogation endorsements if your contract requires them.
- Ask for certificates from any subcontractor that will work on site.
- Put the expiration date on a calendar and request the renewal certificate 30 days before it.
Our guide on how to hire a commercial cleaning company covers the other checks to run before you sign, and our commercial cleaning contract checklist covers the clauses that should hold these requirements.
Requirements to copy into your RFP or contract
Paste this into your solicitation so every bidder sends a usable certificate the first time:
- Commercial general liability at the limits your lease or insurer requires, on an occurrence basis.
- Workers' compensation as required by state law, plus employer's liability.
- Commercial auto liability, including hired and non-owned autos.
- Umbrella or excess liability if your total requirement exceeds the primary limits.
- Your organization (and your landlord or property owner, if required) named as additional insured by endorsement.
- Waiver of subrogation in your favor, if your insurer requires it.
- A janitorial or fidelity bond, with its amount and terms stated.
- How lost keys and rekeying are handled.
- Certificates from all subcontractors before they start.
- Renewal certificates delivered before each expiration.
Public buildings often add their own forms and bond requirements. Read the solicitation closely; our government facility cleaning page covers how we approach public buildings.
Ask for our certificate
National Cleaning Group is insured and bonded, and we provide a certificate of insurance on request. Send your insurance requirements with your request for a free facility assessment, or call (202) 968-1190. For an overview of the services on one contract, start with our commercial cleaning company page.
Frequently asked questions
What is a contractor certificate of insurance?
It is a one-page summary of a contractor's insurance, usually on the standard ACORD 25 form, issued by the contractor's insurance agent or broker. It lists the insurers, policy numbers, dates, and limits. It is proof that coverage existed when it was issued. It does not change the policies or give the holder rights by itself.
How do you obtain a certificate of insurance from a cleaning contractor?
Ask the contractor to have its agent issue a certificate naming your organization as certificate holder, with your required wording, such as additional insured status. Send your exact requirements in writing. A certificate that comes straight from the agent is more reliable than a copy forwarded from the contractor's files.
Do all contractors need a COI?
No single law requires every contractor to carry one, but most commercial buyers, landlords, and public agencies require it before anyone works on site. Your lease or your own insurer may require it too. Treat it as a condition of starting work for every vendor, including subcontractors your cleaning contractor brings in.
How difficult is it to get a COI?
Not difficult for a contractor that carries coverage. Agents issue certificates routinely, and a request with clear wording usually comes back within a few business days. Additional insured wording can take longer if the policy needs an endorsement. Repeated delays are worth asking about before you sign.
What if a cleaning contractor doesn't have a COI?
Don't let the crew start. Without proof of the contractor's coverage, an injury to a cleaner or damage to your building can land on your own policy or your budget. Make the certificate a condition in the contract, and stop work if it lapses until a current one arrives.