Understanding the Certificate Holder Field in a Certificate of Insurance (COI)

When submitting or reviewing Certificates of Insurance (COIs) during the VIVE compliance process, it's essential to understand the purpose of the Certificate Holder field. This field is used to indicate who is receiving the proof of insurance, not necessarily who is insured or covered under the policy.

What is a Certificate Holder?

The Certificate Holder is the entity or individual that is being provided with proof of insurance. This designation simply confirms that an insurance policy exists and outlines its coverage terms. It does not automatically provide the certificate holder with coverage unless they are also named as an Additional Insured.

Key Points:

The certificate holder often receives documentation showing insurance is in effect and cancellation notices.
They do not receive coverage unless an Additional Insured endorsement is also included.
This field typically includes the legal entity name and mailing address of the client requesting the proof. VIVE requires our mailing address in order to receive proof of insurance and cancellation notices.
The certificate holder listed should match the legal entity named in the vendor’s contract.

Why It Matters in VIVE

For VIVE clients, the Certificate Holder field:

Confirms proof of insurance and cancellation notices are issued to VIVE.
Is used for record-keeping and auditing purposes..

Example: VIVE requires our client's name and VIVE's email and physical address appear in the Certificate Holder field of the COI—not a generic address or unrelated subsidiary.

Common Misunderstandings

Being listed as a Certificate Holder alone does not provide any coverage.
To be protected under the policy, the client must also be listed as an Additional Insured (AI) with the appropriate endorsement.

Where This Field Appears

In a standard Certificate of Insurance (e.g., ACORD 25 form), the Certificate Holder is listed at the bottom-left of the form. It includes:

Company or organization name
Street address
City, State, ZIP code

What Vendors Should Ensure

Double-check the Certificate Holder name matches your client’s legal entity in the VIVE system.
Ensure insurance agent lists VIVE's address on file.
Include a separate AI endorsement if required by the client’s compliance standards.

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Need More Help?

For further assistance, contact VIVE's customer service:

Available 9:00 am - 6:00 pm Monday - Friday EST

Online chat under the "Help" icon
Email: support@getvived.com