The GL Certificate Requirements General Contractors Actually Enforce

You submitted a solid bid. Your price is competitive, your crew is experienced, and the timeline works. Then the GC's project manager calls — not to award you the job, but to tell you your certificate of insurance doesn't meet their requirements.

It happens constantly. And it costs subcontractors real work.

Understanding what GCs actually look for on a certificate of insurance — and making sure your policy is built to deliver it — is one of the most practical things you can do to protect your business and keep jobs flowing.

What a Certificate of Insurance Actually Is

A certificate of insurance (COI) is a one-page summary of your coverage. It lists your insurer, your policy numbers, your coverage types, your limits, and the effective dates. It does not modify your policy — it just documents what you have.

The form most GCs request is the ACORD 25. When a GC asks for your certificate, they are asking for this document, typically issued by your insurance agent.

What they are really checking is whether your policy meets their minimum requirements before they let you on the job.

The Limits GCs Typically Require

This is where most subcontractors run into trouble. The standard minimum limits most commercial GCs require for general liability are:

• $1,000,000 per occurrence — the most your policy pays for a single claim
• $2,000,000 general aggregate — the most your policy pays across all claims in a policy year
• $2,000,000 products and completed operations aggregate — coverage for claims that arise after the work is done

Some GCs — especially on larger commercial projects, government work, or jobs with higher risk profiles — require higher limits. $2M per occurrence and $4M aggregate is not unusual on certain contracts. Always read the subcontractor agreement before you assume the standard limits are enough.

If your policy was written at lower limits to save on premium, you may be locked out of jobs until you adjust. That adjustment mid-term is possible, but it costs money and takes time.

Additional Insured Status

This is the requirement that trips up the most subcontractors.

When a GC requires you to name them as an additional insured, they are asking your policy to extend coverage to them if they get sued because of your work. It is not just a formality — it is a real transfer of risk.

Your certificate needs to reflect this. The additional insured endorsement must be on your policy, not just noted on the certificate. A certificate that lists a GC as additional insured without the actual endorsement on the policy is worthless — and some GCs have learned to verify this directly with carriers.

Most GCs require additional insured status on a primary and non-contributory basis. That means your policy pays first, before the GC's own insurance kicks in. If your policy does not have a primary and non-contributory endorsement, the GC's insurer can demand contribution from your carrier — which creates disputes, delays, and friction you do not want.

Waiver of Subrogation

A waiver of subrogation prevents your insurance company from going after the GC to recover money after paying a claim on your behalf.

Here is why it matters: if your crew causes damage and your insurer pays the claim, your insurer has the legal right to sue whoever else might be responsible — including the GC. A waiver of subrogation removes that right.

Most GCs require it. It needs to be on your policy as an endorsement, and it needs to show up on the certificate. Like additional insured status, a certificate that notes a waiver without the actual endorsement behind it is not enforceable.

Notice of Cancellation

Standard certificates include a 30-day notice of cancellation clause — meaning if your policy cancels, the certificate holder gets 30 days' notice. Some GCs require 60 days. Some require 10 days for non-payment of premium.

This is usually straightforward to accommodate, but it needs to be reflected accurately on the certificate. If your policy has a 10-day cancellation notice for non-payment and the GC requires 30 days, you need to know that before the job starts.

Completed Operations Coverage

Products and completed operations coverage is the part of your GL policy that protects you after the job is done. If a client files a claim six months after you finished the work — a roof leak, a structural issue, a slip-and-fall tied to your installation — completed operations is what responds.

GCs require it because their exposure does not end when the project closes out. They want to know your coverage extends into the completed operations period, which is typically two years after project completion for most commercial work.

Make sure your policy's completed operations aggregate is listed separately on the certificate and meets the GC's required limits.

What to Do Before You Bid

The cleanest approach is to get the subcontractor agreement or vendor requirements before you submit your bid. Most GCs will provide their standard insurance requirements upfront. Review them against your current policy and flag any gaps before you are awarded the work.

Common gaps we see:

• Limits that are too low — especially on older policies that were written at $500K/$1M
• No additional insured endorsement — or one that is too narrow (occurrence-only vs. ongoing and completed operations)
• Missing primary and non-contributory language
• No waiver of subrogation
• Completed operations aggregate that matches the per-occurrence limit instead of being separately stated at $2M

None of these are difficult to fix. But they are much easier to fix before you win the job than after.

The Independent Agent Advantage

One of the real benefits of working with an independent agent is that we can shop your coverage across multiple carriers to find a policy that meets commercial subcontractor requirements without overbuilding your coverage.

We also issue certificates directly. When a GC sends you their requirements, you send them to us — we review the requirements, confirm your policy meets them, and issue the certificate with the correct endorsements reflected. If there is a gap, we tell you before it becomes a problem.

If you are bidding commercial work in Texas and want to make sure your GL policy is built to meet what GCs actually require, give us a call. We work with contractors across the DFW area and know what the local GC market expects.

Call or text: 817.277.6166

Or get a quote online — we will review your current coverage and let you know exactly where you stand.