Vendor COI requirements by property type / Self-Storage Facilities

Vendor COI requirements for self-storage facilities

For self-storage operators and managers · Updated Nov 1, 2026

Self-storage sites hire gate and access control, paving, roofing, door repair, and auction or cleanout vendors. Customers are on site at all hours with their own vehicles, so site work and traffic overlap.

Vendors you'll need certificates from

• Gate and access control service
• Roll-up door repair
• Paving and striping
• Roofing contractors
• Unit cleanout and auction vendors

Where the risk comes from

• Customers injured by gate or door work.
• Vehicle damage on site from vendor equipment.
• Roof work over customer goods.
• Damage to stored property during cleanouts.

Coverage to require on vendor certificates

Who to name as additional insured

Commonly the owner entity and management company. 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

• Gate vendors whose policies exclude the products they install.
• Cleanout vendors with no coverage for customer property in their care.
• Roofing certificates with height or hot-work exclusions.
• Certificates naming the facility's brand instead of the owner LLC.

Tip

For cleanout vendors, ask the agent whether the policy covers property in the vendor's care, custody, or control. Standard GL often doesn't.

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 self-storage facilities?

Common requirements include general liability, workers' compensation, commercial auto, and umbrella / excess. 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 AssociationsCommercial Office BuildingsRetail and Shopping CentersIndustrial and Warehouse PropertiesSingle-Family RentalsMedical Office Buildings