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Last updated: July 10, 2026
Property managers collect COIs from two directions at once. Vendors and contractors working on the property need to carry insurance before they set foot on site, while Tenants in commercial properties often have lease requirements that mandate specific coverage. Both streams require collection, verification, and ongoing renewal tracking. Both create liability exposure when they lapse.
The challenge is not understanding why COIs matter. Most property managers already know. The challenge is building a process that keeps compliance current across a large and constantly changing vendor and tenant base without it consuming the team.
What property managers need to collect
From vendors and contractors
Any vendor or contractor performing work on the property needs to carry general liability, workers compensation, and automobile liability at minimum. Larger scope work, including mechanical, electrical, structural, and renovation, typically requires umbrella coverage above the GL limits as well.
Beyond the certificate, verify the endorsements. Additional insured status confirms the property management company has direct standing on the vendor's GL policy. Primary and non-contributory language ensures the vendor's policy responds first without pulling the property manager's policy into a covered claim. Waiver of subrogation prevents the vendor's carrier from pursuing recovery against the property manager after paying a claim.
The certificate alone does not confirm any of these are in place. Each requires a separate endorsement document collected and reviewed alongside the ACORD 25. For a full breakdown of each endorsement, see:
- Additional Insured Endorsements: What You Need to Know
- Primary and Non-Contributory: What It Means and Why It Matters
- Waiver of Subrogation: What It Is and Why Contracts Require It
From tenants
Commercial lease agreements typically require tenants to carry general liability and name the landlord or property manager as an additional insured. The specific requirements vary by lease and property type. Office tenants typically carry lower limits than retail or industrial tenants. Food and beverage tenants often require liquor liability. Medical tenants may require professional liability.
The practical challenge with tenant COIs is volume and turnover. A commercial portfolio with 50 tenants has 50 annual renewal cycles to track, each with its own expiration date, coverage requirements, and broker contact. Lease renewals, tenant buildouts, and mid-term changes add complexity. Most property management teams that track tenant COIs manually find the process consumes more staff time than the task deserves.
What to verify before approving a submission
Collecting the certificate is the first step. Verifying it is the work that actually protects the property management company.
Check coverage types against lease or contract requirements. A submission with the right limits but the wrong coverage types is non-compliant regardless of what else looks correct. If the lease requires umbrella coverage and the certificate does not show it, the submission is incomplete.
Check limits against current requirements. Minimum limits change. A tenant or vendor who met your threshold three years ago may no longer meet the current requirement at renewal. Compare every submission against the current contract or lease, not a historical record.
Check expiration dates. A certificate with a policy that expired last month is not a valid submission. Vendors and tenants sometimes resubmit old certificates when chased for renewals. Check the date issued as well as the policy expiration.
Check the description of operations for endorsement notations. If additional insured status or waiver of subrogation is referenced in this field, request the endorsement documents for verification. A notation is not confirmation.
Where property management COI programs fall short
Tracking in spreadsheets across a large portfolio
A spreadsheet works for a small number of vendors and tenants with simple requirements. At scale, it breaks down. Expiration dates get missed. Updated certificates do not replace old ones consistently. Renewals pile up at the same time of year and create a backlog. One person leaving the team can leave the entire tracking system without an owner.
Treating tenant and vendor compliance as separate processes
Most property management teams track vendor COIs through one process and tenant COIs through another, often with different owners and different standards. The compliance picture across the full property is never in one place, which creates gaps in visibility and audit readiness.
Not following up consistently on renewals
The most common compliance gap in property management is not a vendor or tenant who refused to provide coverage. It is a renewal that lapsed because nobody sent a timely reminder, nobody followed up when the vendor did not respond, and nobody noticed the expiration until something happened.
Consistent follow-up requires a process that runs on its own, not one that depends on someone remembering to check the spreadsheet.
How automated COI tracking changes the workflow
PINS manages the full COI tracking workflow for property management teams, covering vendors and tenants, certificates and endorsements, collection and renewal, all from one platform.
Requirements are set at the property or lease level. Vendors and tenants submit through a no-login upload link without creating an account. The AI Assistant reviews submissions against your requirements and flags gaps with evidence so your team knows exactly what is missing. Renewal requests go out automatically ahead of expiration dates and follow up if a vendor or tenant does not respond.
Your team reviews flags, approves submissions, and documents exceptions. The compliance history stays attached to the vendor or tenant record and is available for audit at any time.
Book a Demo to see how PINS handles COI tracking for property management teams.
Frequently asked questions
What COIs do property managers need to collect from vendors?
At minimum, general liability, workers compensation, and automobile liability from any vendor performing work on the property. Larger scope work typically requires umbrella or excess coverage above the GL limits. Beyond the certificate, collect and verify the endorsements, including additional insured, primary and non-contributory, and waiver of subrogation, which require separate endorsement documents.
Do tenants need to provide a certificate of insurance?
Yes, in most commercial lease agreements. Tenants are typically required to carry general liability and name the property manager or landlord as an additional insured. Specific requirements vary by lease type, tenant industry, and property class. Review each lease for the required coverage types, limits, and endorsements before collecting and approving a tenant's submission.
How often do property manager COIs need to be renewed?
Most general liability and workers compensation policies renew annually. Track the expiration date on every active certificate and send renewal requests 30 to 60 days ahead of expiration. Vendors and tenants who do not respond to the initial request need follow-up. A lapsed certificate means coverage may not be in place for the period between expiration and renewal.
What happens if a vendor works on a property without a current COI?
If the vendor causes an injury or property damage while their COI is lapsed or non-compliant, the property management company may have no viable path to tender the claim to the vendor's carrier. The exposure falls back on the property manager. Requiring a current, compliant COI before work begins is the baseline control. Automated tracking and renewal follow-up prevents gaps from developing unnoticed.
Can PINS track both vendor and tenant COIs in the same platform?
Yes. PINS manages vendor and tenant COI tracking from the same platform, with requirements set at the property or lease level. Both streams use the same collection, review, and renewal workflow. Compliance status across vendors and tenants for a given property is visible in one place.