Start with the exact contract wording
This page focuses on project-specific general-liability aggregate wording often requested in construction contracts. Copy the clause exactly into the insurance review file before asking for a certificate or endorsement. A certificate can show evidence of insurance, but it does not create coverage that the policy does not provide.
- Identify the requesting party and agreement.
- Mark every required policy, limit, endorsement, waiver, notice, or aggregate.
- Separate insurance requirements from indemnity or other legal obligations.
- Send unclear legal wording for appropriate legal or licensed insurance review before signing.
Questions to resolve
- Does the contract require a per-project aggregate rather than the standard policy aggregate?
- Which endorsement form or equivalent wording is acceptable?
- Does the aggregate reinstate for each designated project under the actual policy wording?
- How should the project be identified for certificate and endorsement purposes?
Contract-to-policy worksheet
Use one row for each requirement so a rejected COI can be traced back to the contract and policy.
| Contract requirement | Policy / endorsement | Evidence provided | Open issue |
|---|---|---|---|
Per-project aggregate search notes
A per-project aggregate request is common enough to deserve a separate policy-form review. The key question is not whether the certificate says “per project”; it is whether the general-liability policy contains an endorsement or provision that supports the requested aggregate treatment.
- Ask for the endorsement form number or equivalent wording.
- Check how the designated project is identified.
- Ask how the aggregate applies when the insured works on multiple projects.
- Do not infer that an aggregate automatically “reinstates” unless the actual form supports that interpretation.
Before the certificate is sent
Keep the contract clause, declarations page, endorsement, COI, and email trail together. If the requester rejects the certificate, ask for the reason in writing so the next review addresses the exact deficiency.
- Verify legal names and certificate holder details.
- Verify effective and expiration dates.
- Attach endorsement copies when the agreement requires them.
- Set a renewal reminder before the policy expires.
Related reading
Sources and verification
Use official and primary sources to verify current rules, insurer licensing, policy wording, and state requirements. The declarations page, forms, endorsements, and signed contracts control the actual insurance relationship.