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

OHTrade-only (no statewide GC license)

Ohio Contractor License & Insurance Requirements

Ohio licenses commercial trades — electrical, plumbing, HVAC, hydronics, refrigeration — at the state level via OCILB. There is no statewide GC license. Cities (Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati) license GCs at the local level. Residential work is largely unlicensed at state level.

License threshold

Trade-specific (OCILB). Cities: typically any building-permit work.

WC trigger

All employers — Ohio is a monopoly-state-fund WC state (BWC).

Bond

OCILB trades: $25K bond. No statewide GC bond.

Authority

Verify license

License authority: Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) — for trades; no statewide GC license — license verification portal.

Workers' comp posture

Ohio is one of four monopoly-state-fund states. Workers' comp is purchased exclusively from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC). Out-of-state subs need either BWC coverage or a BWC certificate of extraterritoriality. Stop-Gap Employer's Liability is added by endorsement to the GL policy.

Common public-bid insurance minimums

These are limits commonly required on OH 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 ODOT + state-university spec)

Workers' Comp

BWC coverage; $500K-$1M Stop-Gap EL on the GL policy

Auto Liability

$1M combined single limit

Ohio state-specific quirks

Ohio is a MONOPOLY WC state — private workers' comp insurers cannot write WC. Only BWC.
Stop-Gap Employer's Liability is added by endorsement to the GL policy because the BWC policy does not carry EL.
OCILB licenses commercial trades only — residential trade work is largely unlicensed at the state level.
Cities have their own GC licensing (Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati) — verify the project city's license.
Self-insurance for WC is allowed for very large employers but rare.

3 pitfalls every OH GC misses

Out-of-state WC policy

Like Washington, an out-of-state sub's WC policy does NOT cover Ohio work. Either BWC coverage or extraterritoriality. Stop-Gap on the GL handles EL.

Missing Stop-Gap endorsement

Because BWC doesn't write EL, the GL policy needs a Stop-Gap endorsement. Most out-of-state COIs miss this.

Residential vs commercial OCILB scope

OCILB licenses commercial trades only. A residential remodeler may legitimately have no state license — verify city-level rules.

Automate Ohio sub vetting

VendorShield checks every COI for Ohio compliance — license currency against Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) — for trades; no statewide GC license, 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 Ohio require a state GC license?

No. Ohio licenses commercial trades (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, hydronics, refrigeration) at state level via OCILB. There is no statewide GC license. Cities license GCs locally.

Why is Ohio workers' comp different?

Ohio is one of four 'monopoly-fund' states. WC must be purchased from the Ohio BWC (or self-insurance). Private WC insurers cannot write WC in OH. Employer's Liability is handled via Stop-Gap on the GL policy.

How do I verify an Ohio contractor license?

Use the eLicense Ohio search at elicense.ohio.gov/oh_communitieslookup for OCILB trade licenses. For city GC licenses (Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati) use the city Building Department portal.

What is Stop-Gap Employer's Liability in Ohio?

An endorsement to the GL policy that provides EL coverage for monopoly-state-fund states (OH, WA, ND, WY). Required because the BWC WC policy does not carry EL.

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

Generally no. They must obtain BWC coverage for the OH exposure or qualify for extraterritoriality. 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.