The Event Staffing COI Verification Guide
Most event organizers request a certificate of insurance and assume the work is done. This guide shows you what to actually look for — and what a missing field signals about your staffing provider's compliance posture.
- How to read an ACORD Form 25 — field by field
- The five coverage lines to request from any staffing provider
- A printable pre-event COI verification checklist (interactive in-browser, printable)
- Compliance signal comparison: W-2 compliant agency vs. gig / 1099 platform
- Five questions to ask — and what strong vs. weak answers look like
- What to do when a provider cannot produce a workers' comp COI
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What You'll Get
Six sections covering everything you need to evaluate a staffing provider's compliance posture before signing.
How to Read a COI
Field-by-field breakdown of ACORD Form 25 — the standard US Certificate of Insurance format — including what each section confirms and what gaps look like.
Pre-Event Checklist
A printable 3-step verification checklist: request, read, and verify. Each item includes a timing note and what to do if it can't be satisfied.
Compliance Signal Comparison
Side-by-side table: W-2 compliant agency vs. gig / 1099 platform across seven compliance signals, from workers' comp to additional insured capacity.
5 Compliance Questions
What to ask any provider before signing. Each question includes a strong answer and a weak answer — with notes on what the difference signals legally.
When a Provider Can't Produce a COI
A five-step decision framework for what to do when your staffing provider cannot or will not provide a workers' compensation COI.
TAG's Coverage Standard
How every TAG partner agency is vetted for W-2 compliance, what coverage minimums are required, and how to request a COI for your event.
Written for Event Professionals Who Own Vendor Risk
If you sign staffing contracts, manage venue relationships, or handle event operations, this guide is your compliance baseline.
You require COIs from every vendor. This guide shows you which fields matter most for staffing specifically — and why workers' comp is the field that distinguishes providers.
You're contracting across multiple vendor categories. This gives you a staffing-specific framework so you know what to ask before your event date arrives.
Vendor evaluation at scale requires a consistent standard. This checklist gives your team a documented process to apply across all staffing relationships.
If your organization has faced misclassification scrutiny or has joint employer exposure, this guide surfaces the questions your staffing vendor should be answering.