Certs requesting job names and numbers

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etimer
Insurance Journal Addict
Posts: 208
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2005 5:53 am

Certs requesting job names and numbers

Post by etimer »

Many people find that it is a never ending want from General Contractors for certificates. We all know or should know is illustrated in a notice. Below is part of the Notice and to the PITA General Contractors I will send the notice.

" This notice clarifies the acceptable use of certificates of insurance with respect to Property & Casualty insurance policies in Pennsylvania. Certificates of insurance that clearly and accurately state the insurance coverage provided to an insured or third party are not forms subject to filing with the Insurance Department because these certificates do not in any context amend, extend or alter coverage of the insurance policy. They simply summarize the
coverages provided by that policy. "

Now there is the sticky issue of General Contractors thinking that a Cert does more than what is mentioned in the Article. One example would be a project that the GC wants a cert for each little job done on the project. A cert for the call center, a cert for the POS station, etc. It is all part of the big job and because the GC wants to see the job name and number on the cert, the GC wants a cert for each small job.

I have placed it on my task list to contact my State DOI. I think that the DOI should issue a notice saying that the Job name / job number isn't a good use of the Cert and maybe even using tougher language writing that it is against the rules to use a job name or number.

This would do two things:

1. The GC would start excepting one cert for all those small jobs.
2. The GC couldn't play the game of "we need a new cert before paying you. The cert we have doesn't have the job name / number on it.

I am old enough to remember when a cert was sent in the mail. Most often one cert satisfied most GC's for the entire year. Over the past 30+ years the cert issues has gotten progressively worse and is high on the reason for E&O claims list.
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