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COI (Certificate of Insurance)

A one-page proof-of-insurance document brokers and shippers require before they tender a load.

Also called: Certificate of insurance, Insurance cert, ACORD 25

Quick answer

What is COI?

A COI, or certificate of insurance, is a one-page summary of a carrier's active insurance policies showing coverage types, limits, policy numbers, and effective dates. Brokers and shippers require a current COI, usually naming them as certificate holder, before releasing a load to a carrier.

Last verified by ELD Hub.

What a COI shows

A certificate of insurance is issued by your insurance agent, not by you. It is a summary — it does not itself grant coverage. Brokers read it to confirm that your policy is active and that the limits meet their contract requirements.

  • Named insured — must exactly match your MC/DOT authority name
  • Auto liability limit, commonly $1,000,000 for interstate freight
  • Cargo coverage, commonly $100,000 (higher for certain commodities)
  • General liability, often $1,000,000 per occurrence
  • Policy numbers, carrier name, and effective and expiration dates
  • Certificate holder — the broker or shipper requesting it

Certificate holder vs additional insured

Being listed as certificate holder just means the broker gets notified about the policy. Being named additional insured extends some of your coverage to them, and it usually costs an endorsement fee. Read which one a broker's packet is asking for before you forward the request to your agent — they are not interchangeable.

How to get one

Email or call your insurance agent with the broker's exact legal name and address and ask them to issue a COI with that party as certificate holder. Most agencies turn it around the same day at no charge, and many can email it directly to the broker so you are never the bottleneck on a load.

Example

A broker offers a $2,400 load from Dallas to Memphis. Before dispatch, their carrier packet asks for a COI showing $1M auto liability and $100K cargo with their company as certificate holder. You forward the request to your agent, who emails the certificate to the broker in an hour, and the load is tendered.

Why it matters for a small fleet

An expired or mismatched COI is one of the fastest ways to lose a load you already booked. If the name on the certificate does not exactly match the name on your authority, most broker compliance systems reject it automatically.

Running 1–20 trucks? Compliance starts at $15/truck/month

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FAQ

Common questions

What does COI stand for?

COI stands for certificate of insurance. In trucking it is the document a broker or shipper requires as proof that a carrier's liability and cargo coverage are active and meet contract limits.

How much does a COI cost?

The certificate itself is normally free — your agent issues it from an active policy. What costs money is the underlying coverage, and any additional-insured endorsement a broker demands beyond simple certificate-holder status.

How long is a COI valid?

Until the policy expiration date printed on it, typically 12 months. Brokers usually require a fresh certificate each policy term and many will not dispatch on one that expires before the delivery date.

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