How Do I Request a Certificate of Insurance (COI) for a Church Event?

Quick answer: Gather the event details and the venue's exact legal name and mailing address (the "certificate holder"), plus any coverage minimums or special endorsements the venue's contract requires, and send them to Church Admin. The COI is then requested from your church's insurance carrier and delivered to the venue before your event.

A Certificate of Insurance (COI) is a one-page document from your church's insurance carrier proving the church carries liability coverage. Venues and vendors commonly require one before they'll let you host an event on their property — a rented banquet hall for a Father's Day brunch, a campground for summer teen camp, a hotel for a marriage retreat, and so on.

Information to Gather Before Requesting

The venue's rental contract usually spells out exactly what they require. Collect the following:

About your event:

• Date(s) of the event

• Event name and type — for example, Father's Day Brunch, Summer Teen Camp, Marriage Retreat

• Location — the street address where the event will be held

About the venue or vendor (the certificate holder):

• Exact legal name of the venue or vendor as it appears in your contract — not the casual name on their sign

• Mailing address of the venue or vendor

• Contact person at the venue (name, email, or phone)

From the venue's contract, if specified:

• Minimum liability limits required — for example, $1,000,000 per occurrence

• Special endorsements — most commonly a request to be named as an "Additional Insured" (extends the church's coverage to protect the venue for your event) or a "Waiver of Subrogation" (the insurer agrees not to pursue the venue after a claim). If the contract mentions either, include that wording in your request.

What Happens Next

1. Send the details above to Church Admin.

2. The COI is requested from your church's insurance carrier. (Carriers vary by church, so processing time can too — most certificates are issued within a few business days.)

3. The certificate is sent to you and/or directly to the venue contact.

Tips to Avoid Delays

• Request early. Ask as soon as the venue is booked rather than the week of the event — some carriers take several days, and endorsement requests can take longer.

• Copy the legal name exactly. The most common reason a venue rejects a COI is a certificate holder name that doesn't match their contract.

• Attach the contract's insurance section if you have it. Sending the venue's exact requirement wording eliminates back-and-forth.

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