Certificate of Insurance

Certificates of insurance are required by virtually every client, general contractor, and property owner before a hydrovac contractor is allowed on a job site. A standard COI for a hydrovac company documents general liability insurance, commercial auto insurance, workers' compensation coverage, and often umbrella or excess liability coverage. Common minimum requirements include $1 million per occurrence for general liability, $1 million for auto liability, and statutory workers' compensation limits.

Many clients require additional insured status on the hydrovac contractor's general liability and auto policies. This means the client is added as a named insured party, giving them direct coverage under the contractor's policy for claims arising from the contractor's work. Additional insured endorsements, waivers of subrogation, and primary/non-contributory language are common contractual insurance requirements.

Hydrovac contractors should maintain current certificates of insurance and be prepared to provide them quickly when requested. Delays in providing COIs can prevent mobilization and cause project schedule impacts. Some large clients use third-party insurance compliance services that require contractors to upload their COIs to a centralized portal and maintain current documentation at all times.