What a certificate of insurance actually contains
A COI is a one-page summary issued by our insurer. It names the policies in force, the limits on each, the dates they run, and the parties your building has asked to be listed. Buildings are not asking whether a mover is insured in general. They are asking to see their own name on the paperwork before a crew is allowed through the door.
Who gets named, and why buildings care
Most managing agents ask to be added as an additional insured, and many ask for the owner, the managing agent and any related entities to be listed separately. The wording matters. A certificate naming the wrong entity is usually rejected on the day, and the move does not happen. This is the most common reason a booked move is turned away at the door.
Typical requirements
- General liability. Commonly one to two million dollars per occurrence, sometimes more in Manhattan.
- Workers compensation. Statutory cover for the crew working in the building.
- Auto liability. For the truck at the loading dock.
- Umbrella cover. Some buildings ask for an additional layer above the general liability limit.
- Waiver of subrogation and primary wording. Frequently requested in New York, less often in New Jersey.
How far ahead to ask
Ask your building for its insurance requirements as soon as you have a move date, and send them to us. Managing agents often take several business days to review and approve a certificate, and some buildings only process them on certain days of the week. Leaving it to the final week is what turns a straightforward move into a rescheduled one.
New York and New Jersey are not the same
New York City co-ops and condos tend to have the strictest requirements, along with elevator reservations, protective padding, and narrow windows in which moves are permitted at all. Many New Jersey buildings ask for nothing more than proof of general liability. Newer luxury rentals in Jersey City and Hoboken increasingly follow the New York pattern.
What happens without one
The crew is turned away, the truck goes back, and the move is rescheduled. You are usually still liable for the day. It is an avoidable cost and it is entirely a paperwork problem.
How we handle it
Send us the requirements your building gave you when you book. We issue the certificate with the correct parties named, send it to the managing agent, and confirm it has been accepted before your date. It is a standard part of scheduling a move here, not an extra.