The certificate holder's exact details
The certificate holder block has to match what the counterparty has on file. Ask the person requesting the certificate for the full legal name and the mailing address to print, and copy them exactly. Abbreviations, missing suffixes and old addresses are the quickest way to get a certificate bounced back for correction, which costs the time you were trying to save.
The contract's insurance clause
A forwarded email saying we need proof of insurance rarely contains enough to work from. The insurance clause of the lease, master services agreement or purchase order is what lists the coverage types, minimum limits and special wording. Send that text, or the page it sits on, so your broker can check each requirement against your actual policy before issuing anything.
Endorsements the contract assumes
Some requirements can only be met by an endorsement on the policy, and an endorsement needs the insurer's approval. If the contract asks for any of the following, tell your broker at the start so there is time to request it.
- Additional insured status for the landlord, client or project owner.
- A waiver of subrogation in favor of the counterparty.
- Primary and non-contributory wording.
- Higher limits than your current policy carries.
Your deadline, stated plainly
Say what time the certificate is needed and why. A broker can prioritize a request that holds up a lease signing or a first payment, and can also tell you early if the deadline is not realistic because an endorsement or a new policy is involved. Existing Alton Risk policyholders can start a request from this site, and most are fulfilled during business hours on the same day.
Last updated October 22, 2026. Written by the Alton Risk placement team.