COI For Event Staffing
Certificate of Insurance for Event Staffing:
What to Request and Why
Quick Takeaways
- A COI is proof, not a promise. It confirms active insurance coverage — but you need to verify dates, limits, and named insured.
- Workers' comp is the most important line. No workers' comp COI typically means workers are 1099 contractors.
- Request it before the contract is signed, not the morning of the event.
- Being named additional insured on the GL policy gives you direct coverage rights if a third party sues you.
- A provider that cannot produce a COI is telling you something about their employment model.
A Certificate of Insurance is a one-page summary document issued by an insurance carrier or broker. It confirms that a specific insurance policy is active, identifies what types of coverage are in force, states the policy limits, and names who the coverage belongs to. In event staffing, you use it to verify that the agency you hired is actually carrying the coverage they represent — before any workers show up on-site.
The COI does not create coverage and it does not modify policy terms. It is evidence that coverage exists. A COI showing a policy that expired last month, or one that covers a different legal entity than the one you contracted with, offers no real protection.
The ACORD 25 — what you'll actually receive
Most COIs in the US are issued on ACORD Form 25, a standardized one-page template. The certificate holder box (bottom left) is where your name appears. If something isn't written on the ACORD 25, it isn't part of the certificate.
The Four Coverage Lines That Matter
These four coverage types are the ones to examine closely on a staffing agency COI:
Workers' Compensation
Covers medical expenses and lost wages for workers injured on the job. If this line is absent, the workers are almost certainly classified as 1099 contractors.
Employer's Liability
Covers claims beyond workers' comp scope. Typically listed on the same certificate line as WC coverage.
General Liability
Covers bodily injury and property damage from the agency's operations. This is where additional insured status applies.
Umbrella / Excess
Provides additional limits above GL, WC, and other policies. Often required by enterprise clients and venues.
Occupational accident policies are not workers' compensation
Some gig platforms offer occupational accident coverage as an alternative to workers' comp. These are not equivalent — they typically carry lower limits, contain exclusions, and do not carry the exclusive remedy protection of workers' comp.
COI Verification Checklist
Each item below is a common failure point that can leave you with a document that looks valid but offers no real protection.
Workers' comp is listed and active
Verify effective date and expiration date cover your event period.
Named insured matches your contract counterparty
If you signed with "Acme Staffing LLC" but the COI lists a different entity, coverage may not apply.
Effective dates cover the entire event period
Coverage gaps at the beginning or end of a multi-day event create real exposure.
Additional insured status is noted for GL
Should appear in the description of operations box. Verbal assurances are not documentation.
Workers are confirmed as W-2 employees
Ask directly: are workers employed as W-2 employees by this agency?
Frequently Asked Questions
COIs typically issued same business day.
Every TAG partner agency carries full workers' compensation at statutory limits, employer's liability, and general liability — and can name you as additional insured before your event.