Vendor COI requirements by property type / Commercial Office Buildings

Vendor COI requirements for commercial office buildings

For commercial property managers and office building owners · Updated Nov 1, 2026

Office buildings bring in janitorial crews after hours, HVAC and elevator contractors, security firms, and tenant improvement contractors. Tenants' leases usually require the landlord to keep the building safe, and the vendors you hire do much of that work.

Vendors you'll need certificates from

• Janitorial and day porter services
• HVAC, elevator, and fire/life safety contractors
• Security guard companies
• Tenant improvement (TI) general contractors and their subs
• Window washing and exterior maintenance

Where the risk comes from

• Tenant employees and visitors injured by vendor work in lobbies, restrooms, and garages.
• After-hours janitorial crews with access to tenant suites.
• Window washing and facade work at height.
• TI construction disrupting occupied floors.

Coverage to require on vendor certificates

Who to name as additional insured

Commonly the owner entity, the management company, and sometimes the lender. TI contractors may also need to name the tenant, per the lease. Most agreements also call for a waiver of subrogation and primary and noncontributory wording. See additional insured vs certificate holder for the difference.

Red flags on vendor certificates

• Security firms whose GL excludes assault and battery, a common exclusion that matters a lot for guard services.
• Window washing certificates with height limits below your building.
• TI contractors whose subs never submitted their own certificates.
• Janitorial vendors with no third-party crime coverage when your contract requires it.

Tip

For tenant improvement work, track the TI contractor's subs too. A certificate from the GC alone usually doesn't cover an uninsured electrician working under them.

Review checklist

1. Vendor name on the certificate matches the vendor on your service agreement.
2. Every required coverage is listed, with limits at or above your minimums.
3. The right entities are named as certificate holder and additional insured, by exact legal name.
4. No policy expires before the service agreement ends. Track each date separately.
5. ADDL INSD and SUBR WVD are marked, with endorsements on file.
6. The certificate is filed per property, so you can answer an owner's question in one look.

See the trade-by-trade detail in COI requirements by trade, compare an ACORD 25 against your rules with the free compliance checker, or read about done-for-you vendor COI tracking for property managers.

Common questions

What insurance should vendors carry at commercial office buildings?

Common requirements include general liability, workers' compensation, commercial auto, umbrella / excess, and crime / janitorial bond. Your management agreement, owner, and broker set the actual minimums.

Who should be the certificate holder for a property vendor?

Usually the management company or the owner entity, at the mailing address your contract specifies. Being certificate holder only means you receive the certificate; additional insured status is what extends the vendor's coverage to you.

Should I name the owner LLC or the management company as additional insured?

Many management agreements require both. Check your management agreement and the owner's insurance requirements, and use each entity's exact legal name.

How often should vendor certificates be updated?

At every renewal, which is usually yearly per policy. Each policy on a certificate can renew on a different date, so track each expiration separately.

Vendor COI requirements for other property types

Apartment CommunitiesHOA and Condo AssociationsRetail and Shopping CentersIndustrial and Warehouse PropertiesSingle-Family RentalsSelf-Storage FacilitiesMedical Office Buildings