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

WARegistration-only (no exam)

Washington Contractor License & Insurance Requirements

Washington requires every contractor (general or specialty) to be REGISTERED with L&I — there is no examination or financial-responsibility test, but registration with bond + insurance is mandatory before bidding/advertising/working. Specialty trades like electrical and plumbing have separate examination-based licenses.

License threshold

Any contracting work requires registration. (RCW 18.27)

WC trigger

All employers; WA workers' comp (Industrial Insurance) is run through state monopoly fund (L&I) — private insurance not allowed for WC.

Bond

$12,000 bond for general contractors, $6,000 for specialty contractors (RCW 18.27.040 — increased effective July 2019).

Authority

Verify license

License authority: Washington Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) — license verification portal.

Workers' comp posture

Washington is one of four monopoly-state-fund states (with North Dakota, Ohio, Wyoming). Workers' comp must be purchased from L&I (or qualify as self-insured). Out-of-state subs need to either secure WA L&I coverage or have an L&I extraterritoriality agreement.

Common public-bid insurance minimums

These are limits commonly required on WA 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 WSDOT + UW + state spec)

Workers' Comp

L&I coverage (state monopoly fund); $1M Employer's Liability via Stop Gap on GL policy

Auto Liability

$1M combined single limit

Washington state-specific quirks

Washington is a MONOPOLY WC state — private workers' comp insurers cannot write WC. Only L&I or self-insurance.
Stop-Gap Employer's Liability is added by endorsement to the GL policy because there is no AOS WC policy to attach EL.
L&I registration includes contractor bond ($12K GC, $6K specialty) and minimum public-liability + property-damage insurance ($200K/$50K).
Specialty electrical (07A) and plumbing licenses are separate from L&I contractor registration — verify both.
ESD unemployment insurance and L&I tax accounts are separate — both must be current.

3 pitfalls every WA GC misses

Out-of-state WC policy in Washington

An out-of-state sub's WC policy does not cover WA work. Either the sub buys L&I coverage for WA or qualifies for L&I extraterritoriality (limited circumstances). Stop-Gap on the GL handles the EL portion.

Missing Stop-Gap endorsement

Because WC is monopoly-fund, the Employer's Liability portion is added via Stop-Gap (CG 04 42 or insurer-specific) to the GL policy. Most out-of-state COIs forget Stop-Gap entirely.

Specialty electrical license confusion

L&I registration is not the electrical license. Electrical contractors need a separate L&I-issued Electrical Contractor (07-Series) license + administrator. Verify both.

Automate Washington sub vetting

VendorShield checks every COI for Washington compliance — license currency against Washington Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), WC posture, public-bid limit minimums, and 3 state-specific pitfalls flagged at intake. No more manual statute lookups.

Start free 14-day trial

Frequently asked questions

Does Washington require a state contractor license?

Washington requires REGISTRATION (not examination-based licensing) for every contractor under RCW 18.27. Registration includes a bond and minimum liability insurance. Specialty trades (electrical, plumbing) have separate exam-based licenses.

Why is Washington workers' comp different?

Washington is one of four 'monopoly-fund' states. WC must be bought from L&I (or via approved self-insurance). Private-sector WC insurers cannot write WC in WA. EL is handled via Stop-Gap on the GL policy.

How do I verify a Washington contractor?

Use the L&I Verify search at secure.lni.wa.gov/verify. Confirm registration status, bond on file, insurance currency, and any judgments/infractions.

What is Stop-Gap Employer's Liability?

An endorsement to the GL policy that provides Employer's Liability coverage for monopoly-state-fund states (WA, ND, OH, WY). Required because the WC policy from L&I doesn't carry EL.

Can an out-of-state sub bring their existing WC policy to Washington?

No, generally. They must obtain L&I coverage for the WA exposure or qualify for L&I extraterritoriality, which is narrow. Stop-Gap on their GL handles the EL piece.

Other states

CACalifornia TXTexas FLFlorida NYNew York GAGeorgia ILIllinois

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.