Last updated: July 10, 2026
Subcontractor insurance compliance is one of the most consistent sources of liability exposure for general contractors. Not because subcontractors carry no insurance, but because the certificates that get collected often do not match what the contract actually requires and nobody catches the gap until a claim surfaces.
This post covers what GCs need to collect, what to verify, and where most compliance programs fall short.
What GCs are responsible for
When a GC hires a subcontractor, the contract typically requires that sub to carry specific insurance coverages and name the GC as an additional insured. That requirement is the GC's first line of risk transfer. If the sub causes an injury, damages property, or creates a completed work claim, the GC's ability to tender that claim to the sub's carrier depends entirely on whether the insurance requirements were in place and properly documented.
Most GCs understand this in principle. The gap is in execution. Collecting a certificate of insurance is not the same as verifying compliance. A certificate that looks correct on the surface can still leave the GC exposed if the limits are wrong, the endorsements are missing, or the policy lapsed mid-project.
The compliance program has to close that gap consistently, across every subcontractor, on every project.
What to collect from every subcontractor
Certificate of insurance (ACORD 25)
The starting point for every subcontractor submission. Confirms what policies are in place, who is insured, what the limits are, and when coverage expires. For a full breakdown of how to read one, see How to Read a Certificate of Insurance.
Additional insured endorsement (CG 20 10 and CG 20 37)
CG 20 10 covers your additional insured status while the sub is actively working. CG 20 37 extends that coverage to liability arising after the work is complete. Both are required. The certificate checkbox for additional insured status is not confirmation that the endorsement exists. Collect the endorsement document separately. For a full breakdown, see Additional Insured Endorsements: What You Need to Know.
Primary and non-contributory endorsement
Without this language, the sub's carrier can invoke other insurance clauses and pull your GL policy into a covered claim. Primary and non-contributory language ensures the sub's policy responds first and alone. It has to be endorsed onto the policy and verified separately from the certificate. For a full breakdown, see Primary and Non-Contributory: What It Means and Why It Matters.
Waiver of subrogation
After a sub's carrier pays a claim, it has the right to pursue recovery against whoever caused the loss. A waiver of subrogation prevents that from happening. Required on both the GL and workers compensation policies. For a full breakdown, see Waiver of Subrogation: What It Is and Why Contracts Require It.
Workers compensation certificate
Confirms the sub carries workers comp coverage for their employees. A sub without workers comp shifts that exposure to the GC on a claim. Confirm the policy is active and the limits meet your contract requirements.
For how this plays out at audit time, see How COI Tracking Protects You in a Workers Comp Audit.
Umbrella or excess liability
Many GC contracts require umbrella limits above the base GL policy. Confirm the umbrella policy is in place, check that it follows form over the underlying GL, and verify the limits are sufficient for the project scope.
For a complete checklist of what to require and verify, see What Endorsements Should I Require from Subcontractors.
Coverage types and minimum limits to verify
Every GC contract should specify minimum limits by coverage type. Common baselines for commercial construction include:
General liability: $1 million per occurrence, $2 million aggregate. Higher limits for larger projects or owner requirements.
Workers compensation: statutory limits per state. Verify by state for every sub, particularly for subs working across state lines.
Automobile liability: $1 million combined single limit for any auto. Required for subs operating vehicles on or to the project site.
Umbrella or excess: $5 million or higher depending on project scope and owner requirements. Confirm the umbrella follows form over the underlying policies.
Professional liability: required for design-build subs, engineers, and architects. For Claims-made policies, confirm the retroactive date covers the full project period.
Contract requirements override these baselines. Always verify against the specific subcontract, not a generic threshold.
Where GC compliance programs fall short
Stopping at the certificate
The ACORD 25 has checkboxes for additional insured, primary and non-contributory, and waiver of subrogation. A checked box means the notation was requested. It does not confirm the endorsement is on the policy. Most GC compliance programs collect the certificate and stop. The endorsements never get requested, collected, or reviewed.
Not tracking completed operations
CG 20 10 coverage expires when the sub finishes work. CG 20 37, the completed operations endorsement, needs to remain active through the tail period defined in the contract, often two to five years post-completion. If your program closes out a subcontractor when the project closes, you are not tracking the coverage that matters most for post-completion claims.
Inconsistent review across projects
Manual compliance programs are only as consistent as the person running the review on a given day. Different reviewers catch different things. Busy periods create faster reviews. Edge cases get waved through without documentation. The result is a compliance program that works well most of the time but has no consistent standard across all projects.
No documentation for exceptions and waiver
When a subcontractor cannot meet a specific requirement and the GC agrees to proceed anyway, that exception needs to be documented. An undocumented waiver creates an audit gap and can complicate a claim if the coverage in question was the one that was waived.
What changes with automated COI tracking
PINS is built specifically for general contractors managing subcontractor COI compliance across active projects. PINS automates subcontractor COI collection, renewal follow-up, and AI-assisted endorsement review across every project. Requirements are set at the contract level. Vendors and subcontractors submit through a no-login upload link. The AI Assistant checks submissions against your requirements and flags gaps with evidence. Your team reviews the flag and approves, rejects, or grants an exception, which is logged and tied to the vendor record.
How to build a renewal process that runs without chasing.
Procore and Vista integrations keep compliance status current in the systems your project managers and AP teams already use. A subcontractor's compliance status appears in Procore without your team having to update it manually. Payment holds tied to COI compliance status can be managed directly from the Vista AP workflow.
Book a Demo to see how PINS handles subcontractor COI compliance for your projects.
Frequently asked questions
What insurance should a subcontractor carry for a construction project?
At minimum, general liability, workers compensation, and automobile liability. Most GC contracts also require umbrella or excess liability above the GL limits, and completed operations coverage that extends past project close. Design-build subs, engineers, and architects should also carry professional liability. Contract requirements define the specific limits and coverage types for each engagement.
What is the difference between a certificate of insurance and an endorsement?
A certificate of insurance is a summary document showing what policies exist. An endorsement modifies the policy itself. Additional insured status, primary and non-contributory language, and waiver of subrogation all require endorsements on the sub's policy. The certificate can reference them but cannot confirm they exist. Only the endorsement document confirms the coverage is actually in place.
How long does a subcontractor's insurance need to stay active after project completion?
Completed operations coverage typically needs to remain active for the tail period defined in the subcontract, often two to five years post-completion. Design-build and public projects may require longer. Track completed operations endorsements separately from active project COIs and verify they remain in force through the full tail period.
What happens if a subcontractor's COI lapses mid-project?
A lapsed COI means coverage may not be in place for work performed during the gap. If an incident occurs during a lapsed period, the carrier can deny coverage. The GC may be left without a viable tender and exposed to the full loss. Automated renewal tracking and expiration monitoring prevents this by flagging upcoming expirations and triggering renewal requests before coverage lapses.
Does PINS integrate with Procore?
Yes. Commitments flow from Procore into PINS, compliance status appears in Procore in real time, and project managers get a direct link into PINS from their project view. Subcontractor compliance status is visible in the system PMs already use without manual updates from the compliance team.