COI requirements by trade / Security guard services
Security guard services COI requirements
Security vendors deal directly with people, sometimes in tense situations. Their policies often carry exclusions that matter for exactly the work you're hiring them to do, so a certificate alone tells you little.
What makes security guard services risky
- Claims of assault, battery, or excessive force involving guards.
- False arrest, detention, or invasion of privacy claims.
- Negligent security claims after a crime on the property.
- Vehicle accidents during patrols.
Coverage to require on the certificate
| Coverage | What's common, and what to check |
|---|---|
| General liability | $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate is a common floor; many owners require more. Confirm assault and battery is not excluded. |
| Professional liability | Often required, covering errors in the security services themselves. |
| Workers' compensation | Statutory, plus employers' liability. |
| Umbrella / excess | Commonly required, often $1M to $5M. |
| Commercial auto | $1M combined single limit for patrol vehicles, when patrols are in scope. |
On top of the coverage itself, most contracts also require additional insured status for you (and the owner, where applicable), a waiver of subrogation, and primary and noncontributory wording. Those come from endorsements, so ask for copies.
Red flags on security guard services certificates
- An assault and battery exclusion, or a low sublimit for assault and battery claims.
- No professional liability when the contract calls for it.
- No state security license on file for the company or guards, where your state requires one.
Tip
Ask the agent in writing whether assault and battery is excluded or sublimited. That's the claim you most want covered, and it never shows on an ACORD 25.
Review checklist
- Insured name matches the company on your contract.
- Every coverage above that your contract requires is listed.
- Each limit meets your minimum.
- No policy expires before the job ends. Track each expiration date separately.
- ADDL INSD and SUBR WVD are marked, with endorsements on file.
- You've asked the agent about any security guard services exclusions that matter.
New to reading certificates? Start with how to read an ACORD 25, grab the free COI checklist, or log dates in the free expiration tracker.
Common questions
What insurance should a security guard services subcontractor carry?
Common requirements include general liability, professional liability, workers' compensation, umbrella / excess, and commercial auto. Your contracts and broker set the actual minimums.
Are these limits required by law?
Generally no. Insurance requirements for subcontractors and vendors are set by your contracts, your own insurer, and any owner, lender, or public agency on the job. Workers' compensation requirements are set by state law. The figures here describe common practice only.
Does the ACORD 25 show exclusions?
Usually not. A certificate summarizes policy types, limits, and dates. Exclusions like height limits, residential work, or pollution are in the policy itself, so ask the agent directly when they matter for the trade.
Who should issue the certificate?
Ask the sub's insurance agent or broker to issue it, not the sub. Agents issue certificates daily and can send the endorsements at the same time.
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