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

ILTrade-only (no statewide GC license)

Illinois Contractor License & Insurance Requirements

Illinois has no statewide GC license. Plumbers (IDFPR), roofers (IDFPR Roofing Contractor License), and most electricians (city/county) are licensed by trade. Chicago has its own GC and trade-licensing structure under DOB.

License threshold

Trade-specific. Plumber: any work. Roofer: any work over $500 in labor + materials.

WC trigger

All employers, all sizes (820 ILCS 305 §3)

Bond

Roofing Contractor: $10K bond statewide. Plumbers: bond per IDFPR. No statewide GC bond.

Authority

Verify license

License authority: No statewide GC license. Trades licensed by IDFPR (plumbers) and local (electrical). Roofing licensed statewide. — license verification portal.

Workers' comp posture

Illinois Workers' Compensation Act applies to all employers from first hire. Sole proprietors, partners, and corporate officers may elect to be excluded but must file the exclusion. No employee-count threshold.

Common public-bid insurance minimums

These are limits commonly required on IL 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 IDOT + CMS + university spec)

Workers' Comp

Statutory + $1M Employer's Liability

Auto Liability

$1M combined single limit

Illinois state-specific quirks

Roofers are licensed STATEWIDE (Roofing Industry Licensing Act, 225 ILCS 335) with a $10K bond — uncommon among states.
Chicago Department of Buildings runs its own General Contractor License with annual renewal and revenue-tier classes.
Plumbers must be licensed by the Illinois DPH (now IDFPR) — apprentice plumbers must work under a licensed plumber.
Electricians are licensed by individual municipalities (Chicago, Cook County, suburban towns) — there is no statewide electrician license.
Prevailing-wage projects (820 ILCS 130) require certified payroll uploaded to the Illinois DOL portal.

3 pitfalls every IL GC misses

Forgetting the roofing license

Illinois is one of the few states that licenses roofers at the state level. A general 'we cover roofing' sub still needs the IL Roofing Contractor License — pull the IDFPR record at intake.

Chicago vs statewide differences

Chicago DOB requires its own GC license and electrical/HVAC permits — a perfectly valid state plumber license isn't enough for Chicago work.

Electrician verification gap

There is no single 'is this electrician licensed?' statewide check. Verify the municipal license matching the project city — and require that municipality on the COI as the certificate holder for permit-pulling.

Automate Illinois sub vetting

VendorShield checks every COI for Illinois compliance — license currency against No statewide GC license. Trades licensed by IDFPR (plumbers) and local (electrical). Roofing licensed statewide., 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

Does Illinois require a state GC license?

No statewide GC license. Plumbers and roofers are licensed by the state. Electricians are licensed by city/county. Chicago licenses GCs at the city level. Always check the city of the project.

Do Illinois roofers need a state license?

Yes. The Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act (225 ILCS 335) requires a state license + $10K bond for any roofing work over $500. Verify at IDFPR.

How do I verify an Illinois contractor license?

Use the IDFPR License Lookup at online-dfpr.micropact.com for plumbing and roofing. For Chicago GCs use the City of Chicago Business License Lookup. For electricians, contact the project city's licensing office.

Does workers' comp apply to all Illinois employers?

Yes. The Illinois Workers' Compensation Act applies from the first hire. Sole-proprietor and corporate-officer exclusions exist but must be elected and filed.

Are Illinois prevailing-wage rules part of compliance tracking?

Yes for public-works. The Illinois Prevailing Wage Act (820 ILCS 130) requires certified payroll filed on every public-works project. Track payroll as part of the same vendor record where you store COIs.

Other states

CACalifornia TXTexas FLFlorida NYNew York GAGeorgia 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.