If you live in an apartment, high-rise, or office building, you may be asked for a certificate of insurance before your moving company is allowed in the door. It catches a lot of people off guard, usually a day or two before the move, when the property manager suddenly asks for a document nobody mentioned during booking. Here is what it is and how to avoid a last-minute scramble.
What a Certificate of Insurance Actually Is
A certificate of insurance, often shortened to COI, is a document from a moving company’s insurance provider that proves the company carries active liability and cargo coverage. Building management asks for one to confirm that if a mover damages a hallway, elevator, or a shared space during your move, there is insurance in place to cover it rather than the building or the resident absorbing the cost.
It is not the same as your renter’s insurance or the moving company’s estimate. It is a separate document, usually one page, that names the building or its management company directly.
Who Usually Asks for One
Apartment complexes, condo associations, and high-rise buildings are the most common ones to require a COI, especially buildings with a shared elevator or a single loading dock that every resident’s move has to go through. Office buildings and shared commercial spaces often ask for the same thing before allowing office movers or commercial movers on site. Single-family homes almost never require one, since there is no shared property at stake.
What the Certificate Usually Needs to Show
Most buildings want to see general liability coverage, and many also ask for the certificate to name the building or management company as an additional insured for the date of the move. Some buildings also want proof of workers’ compensation coverage for the movers on site. The exact requirements vary by building, so it is worth asking your property manager for their specific list rather than assuming a generic COI will be accepted.
Federal rules also require licensed movers to carry certain baseline insurance for interstate moves. The FMCSA’s Protect Your Move program explains what movers are required to carry and how to verify a company’s standing before you book.
When to Ask for One
Ask your building’s requirements as soon as you schedule a move-in or move-out date, not the week of. Most COIs take a few business days to issue once the moving company has the building’s exact requirements, including the additional insured wording some buildings require word for word. Booking this early avoids the situation where a move gets turned away at the loading dock because the paperwork was not ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get a certificate of insurance?
It depends on the moving company’s insurance provider, but a few business days is typical once the building’s exact requirements are known. Ask as early as possible to avoid a delay right before your move.
Does a certificate of insurance cost extra?
Some companies charge a small fee to issue one, others include it as part of booking a move into a building that requires it. Ask when you get your quote so there are no surprises.
Can Tidal Town Moving provide a certificate of insurance for my building?
Call us at (757) 716-9286 with your building’s specific requirements and we will let you know what we can provide before your move date is booked.
Ready to Move?
Tidal Town Moving handles apartment movers, office movers, and commercial moving across Hampton Roads. Request a free quote and let us know if your building requires a certificate of insurance so we can plan ahead.