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How to Spot a Fake or Altered Certificate of Insurance

By SubCover HQ · Updated Oct 29, 2026 · 3 min read

Most certificates of insurance are legitimate. But a COI is just a PDF, and PDFs are easy to edit. A sub whose policy lapsed, or who never had the coverage you require, can change a date or a limit in a few minutes. If you only skim certificates, you'll never notice until there's a claim and no policy behind it.

Common ways certificates get faked

• Edited dates: an old, expired certificate with new policy dates typed over the originals.
• Inflated limits: a $500,000 limit changed to $1,000,000.
• Added checkmarks: "ADDL INSD" or "SUBR WVD" marked when the policy has no such endorsement.
• Borrowed certificates: another company's certificate with the insured name changed.
• Canceled policies: a real certificate for a policy that was canceled for nonpayment after it was issued. This isn't forgery, but the effect is the same.

Warning signs on the page

• Mismatched fonts, sizes, or alignment in dates, limits, or names compared with the rest of the form.
• Policy periods that aren't a normal term, such as a policy that runs 18 months or starts and ends on odd dates.
• The issue date in the top right is later than you'd expect, or the same certificate arrives year after year with only the dates changed.
• Insurer names that don't match their NAIC numbers, or an insurer you can't find with your state insurance department.
• Producer contact details that are a personal email address or a phone number that doesn't match the agency's public website.
• The certificate came from the sub, not the agent, and the sub is reluctant to have the agent send it directly.

A simple verification process

1. Get certificates from the agent. Ask the sub for their agent's contact information and request the certificate straight from the agency. It's the single best defense, because the agent issues certificates from their own system.
2. Verify contact details independently. Look up the agency's phone number or email on its own website rather than trusting the numbers printed on the certificate.
3. Confirm with the agent when something looks off. Ask them to confirm the policy numbers, dates, limits, and endorsements are current. Agents get these requests constantly.
4. Ask for endorsement copies. Additional insured and waiver of subrogation endorsements are harder to fake convincingly than a checkbox. See additional insured endorsements explained.
5. Check the insurer. Look up the carrier and NAIC number with your state insurance department or the NAIC's public lookup to confirm it's a real, licensed insurer.
6. Re-verify at renewal. Request a fresh certificate from the agent before every policy expiration instead of accepting an updated PDF from the sub.

If you find a fake

Stop new work by that sub until you have verified coverage. Document what you received and when, notify your own insurance agent, and talk with your attorney about your contract rights. Don't accuse anyone until the agent has confirmed the certificate isn't theirs; sometimes the problem is an honest mistake at the agency.

Quick checklist

• Certificate sent by the agent, not the sub.
• Agency contact details checked against its own website.
• Insurer and NAIC number look up correctly.
• Dates, limits, and names consistent in font and format.
• Endorsement copies on file for additional insured and waiver of subrogation.
• Fresh certificate from the agent at every renewal.

Our free COI request letter generator drafts a request you can send straight to the agent. Or let SubCover HQ request certificates from agents, check them, and chase renewals for you.

This guide is general information, not insurance or legal advice. ACORD is a trademark of ACORD Corporation; SubCover HQ is not affiliated with ACORD. Your contracts, insurance professional, and attorney determine what you should require.