COI Request Email Template: How to Ask Contractors for Proof of Insurance

Every time you hire a contractor or subcontractor, you need proof of insurance before they start work. But most property managers and GCs don't have a standardized way to ask. The result: inconsistent requests, incomplete responses, and hours spent chasing documents.

A standard COI request email template solves this. It ensures you ask for everything you need the first time — Certificate of Insurance, WSIB clearance, trade licences — and sets a clear deadline. No ambiguity, no follow-ups, no gaps.

Below are ready-to-use templates for the most common scenarios. Copy them, customize the bracketed fields, and send.

Subject: Insurance & compliance documents required — [Project Name]

Hi [Contractor Name],

Before we can proceed with [Project Name / description of work], we need the following documents on file:

1. Certificate of Insurance — general liability, minimum $2M per occurrence. The named insured must match [your legal business name as listed on our agreement]. 2. WSIB Clearance Certificate — current and in good standing. 3. Trade licence or certification — [specify: ESA licence / Certificate of Qualification / municipal business licence] if applicable to your trade.

Please send these by [date — typically 3-5 business days]. If you have a CavaIt profile or similar live credential link, you can share that instead — it's faster for both of us.

We cannot authorize work to begin until all documents are verified and current.

Thanks, [Your Name] [Your Title / Company]

Subject: Action required — expired insurance on file for [Contractor Name]

Hi [Contractor Name],

Our records show that the following document(s) on file for your business have expired or are missing:

- [Certificate of Insurance — expired [date]] - [WSIB Clearance — expired [date]] - [Trade licence — not on file]

Please provide updated documents by [date]. Until current documents are on file, we're unable to assign new work or authorize access to our properties.

If you've already renewed, the fastest way to get us updated is to share a live credential link (like a CavaIt profile) so we can verify in real time.

Thanks, [Your Name]

Subject: Annual compliance update — documents due by [date]

Hi [Contractor Name],

As part of our annual vendor compliance review, we need updated documents from all active contractors. Please provide the following by [date]:

1. Current Certificate of Insurance (general liability, minimum $2M) 2. Current WSIB Clearance Certificate 3. Any applicable trade licences

The fastest option: create a free profile at cavait.com, upload your documents once, and share your profile link with us. Your link stays current year-round — no need to re-send documents each time they renew.

Contractors with expired or missing documents after [deadline] will be placed on hold until compliance is confirmed.

Thanks, [Your Name] [Company Name]

Email templates work. But they still require the contractor to find their documents, attach them, and send them back. Then you have to open the attachments, verify the dates, and file them. Multiply this across 20, 50, or 100 vendors and you're looking at hours of administrative work.

The faster approach: send a CavaIt proof request. You enter the contractor's email, they create a free credential profile (or share their existing one), and you get a permanent live link to their compliance status. No attachments, no filing, no expiry tracking.

The email template is the backup — for contractors who prefer it. But the proof request is what scales.

For PMs evaluating a certificate of insurance tracking software, this approach often eliminates the need for one entirely. When every vendor maintains their own live profile, there's nothing for you to track — it's always current.