Certificates of insurance for cleaning contracts
How do I get a certificate of insurance for a commercial cleaning client?
What a certificate of insurance is, and who issues it
A certificate of insurance is a one-page summary of your policies, issued by your insurance agent or broker. It proves coverage exists; it is not the policy itself.
Clients ask for it because they cannot read your policy for every vendor. The certificate lists the insurers, the policy numbers, the dates and the limits. The client files it and checks it again at renewal.
The standard form in the United States is the ACORD certificate. Gwinnett County's bid terms, for example, name the ACORD certificate, or an approved substitute, as the required form. You request it from your agent, who can usually issue one the same day.
Gwinnett County specifies the ACORD Certificate of Insurance, or a preapproved substitute, as the required form wherever its contracts call for a certificate. — Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners, retrieved 2026-09-27
The details a certificate has to carry
A certificate names the producer, the insurers, the insured, each policy with dates, the work and the certificate holder. Missing any one gets it sent back.
The Board of Health of Chatham County spelled this list out in its housekeeping bid. The description line should name the job or the contract number. The certificate holder is the client, at the address it gives you.
Get the insured name right before anything else. It must be the legal entity that signs the contract. If your LLC signs but the policy names you personally, the certificate does not prove the right thing. The setup order that avoids this is in the business setup guide.
A Chatham County Board of Health bid required certificates to show the producer, insurers, insured, current coverage and dates, the work or contract number, and the holder. — Board of Health of Chatham County, Georgia, retrieved 2026-09-27
The limits commercial cleaning clients ask for
Clients set the limits, and they vary widely. Georgia public buyers have asked cleaning contractors for between $500,000 and $1,000,000 in general liability per occurrence.
The table compares three Georgia public cleaning solicitations. Douglas County's courthouse bid also asked for professional liability, which most house cleaners have never bought. Gwinnett added a $1,000,000 umbrella over lower primary limits.
Show your agent the whole insurance page. The limit is only half the request. The other half is the list of endorsements, which can cost more than the limit itself.
| Coverage | Chatham Board of Health | Douglas County | Gwinnett County |
|---|---|---|---|
| General liability per occurrence | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $500,000 |
| Auto liability | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $500,000 |
| Employer's liability | $500,000 | $500,000 | $100,000 each accident |
| Umbrella | Not listed | Not listed | $1,000,000 |
| Professional liability | Not listed | $2,000,000 per claim | Not listed |
$1,000,000A Douglas County, Georgia courthouse janitorial solicitation required general liability of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and employer's liability of at least $500,000. — Douglas County Board of Commissioners, retrieved 2026-09-27
$500,000Gwinnett County's standard insurance requirements for projects under $1,000,000 set general liability at $500,000 per occurrence with a $1,000,000 umbrella. — Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners, retrieved 2026-09-27
Additional insured is an endorsement, not a checkbox
Additional insured status puts the client under your policy for claims arising from your work. It takes a policy endorsement, not just a line on the certificate.
Gwinnett requires the county to be an additional insured on the general liability, auto and umbrella policies. It names a specific endorsement form, CG 20 10, with completed operations cover. Douglas County wanted its officers, employees and volunteers covered as additional insureds too.
Not every client wants it. Chatham's Board of Health told bidders not to name it, to keep its sovereign immunity defense intact. Ask your agent to add only the endorsements the contract actually requires, and get a copy of each one.
Gwinnett County requires its Board of Commissioners to be shown as an additional insured on the contractor's general liability, auto liability and umbrella policies. — Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners, retrieved 2026-09-27
CG 20 10Gwinnett's general liability requirements call for an additional insured endorsement on form CG 20 10 with completed operations coverage. — Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners, retrieved 2026-09-27
Waivers, cancellation notice and insurer ratings
Contract insurance pages add conditions beyond limits. Look for a waiver of subrogation, a cancellation notice period and a minimum insurer rating.
Gwinnett asks contractors to waive subrogation against the county. It wants 30 days' notice of cancellation, or 10 days for nonpayment. It also requires insurers rated A-5 or better by A.M. Best, and licensed by the Georgia insurance department.
Chatham required an A.M. Best rating of A with a financial size of at least V. A cheap policy from an unrated carrier can fail that test even when the limits are right. Ask your agent about the carrier's rating before you buy.
A-5Gwinnett County requires contractors' insurers, other than the workers' compensation carrier, to hold an A.M. Best rating of A-5 or higher. — Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners, retrieved 2026-09-27
30 daysGwinnett County's insurance terms ask for 30 days' notice of cancellation and 10 days' notice for nonpayment. — Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners, retrieved 2026-09-27
Keep the certificate current for the whole contract
A certificate describes coverage on the day it was issued. Send a fresh one at every policy renewal, or the client may treat you as uninsured.
Chatham's bid made the contractor responsible for keeping the certificate updated for the full term. It also treated a lapse in coverage as grounds to end the contract.
Put each policy's renewal date on the same calendar as your contract dates. Then read what a janitorial bond covers, because the next line in many vendor packets is about bonding. If the account needs more staff, workers' compensation in Georgia covers when that policy becomes required. For the full packet, see the first commercial contract guide.
The Chatham County Board of Health bid required the contractor to keep its certificate of insurance updated for the entire contract term. — Board of Health of Chatham County, Georgia, retrieved 2026-09-27
Questions
How long does it take to get a certificate from my agent?
Often the same day, once the policy is in force. Endorsements such as additional insured status can take longer, because the insurer has to add them to the policy first.
Can I edit a certificate myself to add a client's name?
No. Only your agent or insurer should issue or change a certificate. An altered certificate misrepresents your coverage and can void the protection the client thinks it has.
Does a residential client ever need a certificate?
Some do, especially condo boards and property managers. The request works the same way. Send your agent the name and address the client wants shown as certificate holder.
Do I need a new certificate for each client?
Yes. Each certificate names one holder and, often, one contract. Your agent can issue as many as you need from the same policies.