What it means
The certificate holder box on a certificate names the client, landlord, lender or general contractor that requested proof of insurance. It identifies who the certificate was issued to.
Holder status alone does not make that party an insured. Additional insured status requires an endorsement, and the certificate states that it confers no rights on the holder.
Holders often track certificates for expiration and may ask for updated copies at each renewal. Accurate legal names and addresses help avoid rejected certificates.
An example
Evergreen Facility Services lists a property management company as certificate holder for a building contract. The contract also requires the building owner to be an additional insured, so the broker confirms both parties are covered by the blanket endorsement and notes this in the description of operations.
Names in this example are fictional.
See this term in your own contract.
Send a lease, subcontract or client agreement with the policies you hold. You get every insurance requirement in it, cited to the clause, set against what your policies say. Free, and back within one business day.
Get a free contract checkCertificate holder, answered
What is the difference between a certificate holder and an additional insured?
A certificate holder simply receives the certificate. An additional insured has rights under the policy through an endorsement. A client can be both, but listing a name in the holder box does not create additional insured status. When a contract requires additional insured status, check the policy endorsements, not just the certificate.
Will the certificate holder be told if my policy is canceled?
Not automatically. The standard certificate says notice will be delivered according to the policy provisions, and most policies do not require notice to certificate holders. Some insurers offer an endorsement that provides notice to specified parties. If a contract requires notice, confirm whether the policy can meet that requirement.
General information only. It is not legal or insurance advice. Only issued policy documents and endorsements describe actual coverage.