Vendor vetting
How to Check an Event Vendor's Certificate of Insurance
The certificate is the single most useful document a vendor can hand you — and the one most hosts glance at without actually reading. Here is what to look for, in order.
A Certificate of Insurance — a COI, usually an ACORD 25 form — is a one-page summary of a vendor's liability policy. It is not the policy itself. It tells you who is insured, for how much, and between which dates. That is enough to catch most problems, if you read the right fields.
1. Check the coverage limit against the vendor's risk
There is no single correct number. The right limit scales with what can go wrong. A florist and a bartender do not carry the same exposure, and holding both to the same figure means one of them is under-covered.
For reference, these are the minimums Picnyk holds vendors to, published in full in our vendor compliance standard:
$1,000,000
Food, alcohol, transport, children
- Caterers
- Private chefs
- Bartenders
- Equipment rentals
- Transportation
- Kids' entertainment
$500,000
Service and creative categories
- DJs
- Photographers
- Videographers
- Musicians
- Florists
- Decorators
- Hair & makeup
- Photo booths
- AV technicians
- Coordinators
Your venue may require more. Hotels and event spaces commonly mandate $1,000,000 from every vendor regardless of category, and that requirement sits in the venue contract, not the vendor's. Read both.
2. Check the policy dates — this is the one people miss
Every certificate states a policy period. Coverage exists inside those dates and nowhere else. A vendor who sent you a valid certificate in March may be uninsured by the time your November event arrives, and nothing about the document you are holding will tell you that.
The expiry trap. Confirm the policy period covers your event date, not the date you are booking. If the policy lapses in between, ask for a renewed certificate before final payment — and diary the date rather than trusting you will remember.
3. Ask to be named as additional insured
A vendor's policy protects the vendor. Being named as additional insured extends it to cover you for claims arising from their work — which matters, because an injured guest can name the host alongside the vendor. Without the endorsement, you are relying entirely on the vendor's carrier deciding your defence is their problem.
Request it in writing when you book. Most carriers issue the endorsement quickly and at little or no cost, and it will appear in the certificate holder or description field on the certificate.
4. Verify with the carrier, not the vendor
A PDF can be edited in a browser. Treat the certificate as a lead, not proof. The producer or agent is listed on the form — contact them, or the carrier directly, and confirm the policy number and dates. A legitimate vendor will not object.
Confirm:Named insured exactly matches the business on your contract
Confirm:Policy period spans your event date
Confirm:Coverage limit meets your venue’s and the category minimum
Confirm:You are listed as additional insured
Warning:Vendor resists letting you contact the carrier
Warning:Certificate has no policy number or agent details
Warning:Named insured is a personal name with no business entity
5. Insurance is not the only document
Liability coverage pays out after something goes wrong. Certifications reduce the chance that it does. For anyone handling food, ask for a food handler card; a ServSafe certification is a stronger signal again. For alcohol service, ask for the state licence. For anyone working with children, ask whether a background check has been run and by whom.
Certifications expire on their own schedules — food handler cards commonly run three years, alcohol service permits shorter. The same date discipline applies.
Common questions
How much liability insurance should an event vendor carry?
It depends on the risk the vendor introduces. Picnyk requires a $1,000,000 minimum for vendors handling food, alcohol, transport, or children — caterers, chefs, bartenders, rental and transportation providers. Lower-risk categories such as DJs, photographers, videographers, florists, and decorators are held to $500,000. Many venues set their own floor, commonly $1,000,000, so check the venue contract too.
What does "additional insured" mean on a Certificate of Insurance?
Being named as additional insured extends the vendor’s policy to cover you for claims arising from their work. Without it, the policy protects the vendor only, and a claimant can still pursue you directly. Request it in writing before the event; most carriers can issue an endorsement quickly.
How do I know a Certificate of Insurance is real?
A PDF can be edited, so treat the document as a starting point. Confirm the policy number and dates directly with the carrier or the agent listed on the certificate rather than with the vendor. Check that the named insured matches the business you are contracting with, and that the policy period covers your event date.
How long is a Certificate of Insurance valid?
A certificate is only valid for its stated policy period, typically twelve months. Expired coverage is the most common gap hosts miss, because a certificate collected months ago may no longer be in force on the event date. Ask for a certificate dated close to your booking and confirm the policy period spans the event.
Or let the platform do it
Picnyk holds vendors to a published requirement set by category, including the insurance minimums above. You can read the full standard — every requirement, every minimum, and our honest status on how far enforcement has rolled out.
This article is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Coverage needs vary by event, venue, and jurisdiction — consult a licensed broker or attorney for your specific situation.