What is a Certificate of Insurance (COI)?

A Certificate of Insurance (COI) is a document issued by an insurance company that verifies a vendor or subcontractor has active insurance coverage. General contractors and property managers require COIs to confirm vendors carry adequate general liability, workers compensation, and other required policies before allowing them on a job site.

How does VendorShield automate COI tracking?

VendorShield uses AI to analyze uploaded COI PDFs instantly. It extracts policy details including coverage types, limits, effective dates, and insurer information. The system automatically scores each COI for risk, flags coverage gaps against your requirements, and sends alerts before policies expire.

Can vendors upload their own COIs?

Yes. VendorShield provides each vendor with a self-serve portal link. Vendors can upload their COIs directly without needing an account. This eliminates the back-and-forth email chains that typically slow down compliance.

How much does VendorShield cost?

VendorShield starts at $499/month for the Starter plan (up to 25 vendors). The Pro plan is $799/month with unlimited vendors and custom compliance rules. Enterprise pricing is custom with multi-organization support, SSO, and dedicated support. All plans include a 14-day free trial.

What types of businesses use VendorShield?

VendorShield is built for general contractors, construction firms, property management companies, and any business that needs to track vendor insurance compliance. If you manage subcontractors or third-party vendors who must carry insurance, VendorShield automates the entire process.

All states

FLStatewide GC license required

Florida Contractor License & Insurance Requirements

Florida licenses contractors at two levels — Certified (statewide, CILB) and Registered (county-specific, DBPR). GC categories include CGC (general), CBC (building), CRC (residential), and 14+ specialty CILB classifications. Effective July 1, 2021, HB 735 preempted local examination/license requirements for state-licensed contractors.

License threshold

All GC work requires a Certified or Registered license. Handyman work under $1,000 (single non-structural job) is exempt.

WC trigger

Construction industry: 1+ employee triggers WC. Non-construction: 4+. (FS §440.02)

Bond

$10,000 surety bond OR $5,000 letter of credit / cash for new licensees who lack the financial responsibility credit score.

Authority

Verify license

License authority: Florida DBPR — Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) — license verification portal.

Workers' comp posture

Florida Statute 440 applies WC to construction with as little as one employee. Sole-proprietor + corporate-officer construction exclusions exist but require formal Notice of Election filed with DFS. Out-of-state subs working in FL must have a Florida-compliant policy or rider — out-of-state policies are not automatically accepted.

Common public-bid insurance minimums

These are limits commonly required on FL public-works prequalification. They are NOT a state-mandated minimum — verify against your specific procurement spec or contract.

General Liability

$1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate (typical FDOT + UF + state-college spec)

Workers' Comp

Statutory + $1M Employer's Liability; Florida-extended coverage required for non-FL-domiciled insurers

Auto Liability

$1M combined single limit

Florida state-specific quirks

Hurricane/wind requirements in coastal counties — Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Monroe County require additional product approval (NOA) for any envelope work.
Out-of-state WC policies don't automatically apply in Florida — the policy must include FL on the 3A schedule or have a Florida amendatory.
Construction-industry corporate-officer exemptions are capped at three officers per company (FS §440.02).
HB 735 (eff. 7/1/2021) preempted local exams/licenses for state-Certified contractors — but Specialty trades the state doesn't license can still be locally licensed.
Building code is the Florida Building Code (FBC) — Miami-Dade has its own additional High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) overlay.

3 pitfalls every FL GC misses

Out-of-state workers' comp policies

Many out-of-state subs come to Florida with a WC policy that only schedules their home state on item 3A. Require either a Florida-amendatory endorsement or a separate FL policy — otherwise the FL employees aren't covered.

Corporate-officer exemption abuse

FL caps construction-industry officer exemptions at three per corporation. Verify the Notice of Election is on file with FL DFS — don't accept verbal claims or generic owner-exempt notes.

HVHZ product approval miss

Miami-Dade and Broward HVHZ envelope work requires Florida Product Approval (NOA) numbers on the BOM. Subs frequently submit COIs and licenses without product approvals — capture both.

Automate Florida sub vetting

VendorShield checks every COI for Florida compliance — license currency against Florida DBPR — Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), WC posture, public-bid limit minimums, and 3 state-specific pitfalls flagged at intake. No more manual statute lookups.

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Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between Certified and Registered contractors in Florida?

Certified (CGC, CBC, CRC) holders can work anywhere in Florida. Registered contractors are limited to the county where they were registered before HB 735. Always pull the DBPR record to confirm scope.

Do Florida construction contractors really need WC for one employee?

Yes. Construction-industry employers with even one employee must carry workers' compensation under FS §440.02. Officer exemptions exist but are capped at three per corporation and require formal notice on file.

How do I verify a Florida contractor license?

Use the DBPR Licensee Search at myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp. Cross-check status (Active, Delinquent, Null & Void) and any disciplinary history. Verify the license name matches the COI Named Insured exactly.

Are out-of-state COIs valid for Florida work?

Generally only if the WC and GL policies have Florida on the schedule (3A) or carry a Florida amendatory endorsement. Otherwise the policy may not respond to a Florida loss.

What is HVHZ and does it affect my COI tracking?

High-Velocity Hurricane Zone covers Miami-Dade and Broward counties. While COIs themselves don't change, you must also collect Florida Product Approval (NOA) numbers for any envelope products — store them in the same vendor record as the COI.

Other states

CACalifornia TXTexas NYNew York GAGeorgia ILIllinois AZArizona

Reference data current as of 2026-06-04. This page is informational and is not legal advice. Always verify with the linked state authority before relying on a number for procurement, prequalification, or legal use.