Quick answer: Most Columbus commercial properties require $1M per-occurrence / $2M aggregate general liability minimum, additional-insured endorsement naming the property owner and manager, statutory workers compensation, $1M auto liability, and a 30-day notice-of-cancellation clause. Bonding is required on government and some institutional jobs but rarely on private commercial. Always verify the COI before work starts — not after.
In this guide
Updated June 2026. Built from real PaintWerks COI submittals for property managers and GCs across Columbus including REIT-owned office, retail centers, healthcare systems, school districts, and corporate facilities. Need a sample COI before signing a contract? Request a free walkthrough or call 614-582-4227. Disclaimer: this is general guidance, not legal or insurance advice. Always consult your risk manager.
What a COI Is and Why It Matters
A Certificate of Insurance (COI) is a one-page summary issued by an insurance broker that lists the coverages a contractor carries — general liability, auto liability, workers compensation, umbrella, and any endorsements. It is the document property managers, GCs, and risk managers require before letting a contractor onto a building. The COI proves coverage exists at the time it was issued. It does not guarantee coverage at the time of a claim, which is why the additional-insured endorsement and the notice-of-cancellation clause matter.
Standard Coverage Limits for Commercial Painting in Columbus
Coverage requirements scale with property class and contract size. Below is what we see specified across Central Ohio commercial painting contracts in 2026:
| Property / Job Type | General Liability | Other Required |
|---|---|---|
| Small commercial / strip retail | $1M per occurrence / $1M aggregate | Auto $1M, WC statutory |
| Class B office / standard tenant improvement | $1M / $2M aggregate | Auto $1M, WC, AI endorsement |
| REIT-owned office / Class A | $2M / $4M aggregate, $5M umbrella | Auto $1M, WC, AI, waiver of subrogation, 30-day NOC |
| Healthcare facility | $2M / $4M aggregate, $5M umbrella | Auto $1M, WC, AI, primary-and-non-contributory, 30-day NOC |
| School district / K-12 | $2M / $4M aggregate | Auto $1M, WC, background-checked crews, AI, waiver of subrogation |
| Government / federal / state contract | $2M to $5M per project | Bid bond + performance bond + payment bond (100% contract value) |
| Industrial / manufacturing | $2M / $4M aggregate | Auto $1M, WC, AI, OSHA training certificates |
“AI” = additional insured endorsement. “NOC” = notice of cancellation. “WC” = workers compensation. “Primary and non-contributory” means the contractor’s policy responds first before the owner’s policy is touched.
"A COI without the additional insured endorsement is paper. The endorsement is what extends the contractor's policy to actually protect the property owner."
5 Critical Pieces of a Commercial Painting COI
- General liability per-occurrence and aggregate. $1M / $2M is the floor for most private commercial. $2M / $4M for institutional, healthcare, and REIT-owned property. Aggregate is the total across all claims in the policy year — a contractor that has been in 3 claims this year may have less aggregate available than the certificate shows.
- Additional-insured endorsement. Names the property owner, property management firm, and (where required) the GC as additional insured on the contractor's GL policy. CG 20 10 (ongoing operations) and CG 20 37 (products-completed operations) are the standard endorsement forms. Without these endorsements, the owner has no contractual right to call on the contractor's policy.
- Workers compensation. Required statutorily in Ohio (Ohio BWC) regardless of contract. Verify the certificate shows the Ohio policy number, not just an out-of-state policy. Missing or stale workers comp is the most common source of property-owner liability exposure.
- Waiver of subrogation. Prevents the contractor's insurer from suing the property owner after paying out a claim. Standard on REIT and healthcare specs. Should be on the COI explicitly, not assumed.
- 30-day notice of cancellation. Requires the insurance carrier to notify the property owner if the contractor's policy is cancelled or non-renewed. Standard endorsement (CG 02 24 or similar). Prevents a contractor from quietly dropping coverage mid-project.
When Is Bonding Required (and When Is It Not)?
Bonding and insurance are not the same. Insurance protects you if the contractor causes damage. Bonding protects you if the contractor fails to complete the work or pay subs and suppliers. Three common bond types on commercial painting:
- Bid bond (1 to 10% of bid amount). Required on most government and many institutional jobs. Guarantees the contractor will honor the bid price if awarded.
- Performance bond (100% of contract value). Guarantees the contractor will complete the work to spec. If the contractor walks off, the surety company finishes the job using a different contractor.
- Payment bond (100% of contract value). Guarantees subcontractors and material suppliers get paid even if the prime contractor defaults. Protects the property owner from mechanics liens.
Bonding is required on: federal government contracts (Miller Act), Ohio state contracts above $50,000, most public school district work, many university and hospital projects, and any private project that explicitly contracts for it. Bonding is not typically required on: private commercial office, retail, multifamily, healthcare private-pay facilities, and most industrial work below $500K. Bond cost runs 1 to 3% of contract value for established commercial painting contractors with strong financials.
How to Verify a COI Before Work Starts
- Confirm the certificate holder is your entity. Property owner LLC, property management firm, GC — whichever party requires the AI endorsement should be named in the "Certificate Holder" box.
- Verify the additional insured endorsement is attached. The CG 20 10 + CG 20 37 endorsement forms should be referenced on the certificate (or attached as separate pages). If the cert says "additional insured as required by written contract" but no endorsement is attached, that is incomplete.
- Check the effective and expiration dates. Policy must be active throughout the project schedule. If the project extends past the expiration, require a renewed COI before that date.
- Call the issuing broker. The broker contact info is on the certificate. A 5-minute call verifies the policy is in force and that the endorsements are issued. Real risk managers do this on every contract above $50K.
- Save a copy in your contract file. A COI is a moment-in-time document. Save the version that applied at contract execution. If a claim happens 18 months later, you need to know what coverage existed when the work was performed.
4 COI Red Flags Property Managers Miss
- COI issued by an out-of-state broker for an Ohio job. Possible coverage gaps under Ohio workers comp. Verify the contractor has Ohio BWC coverage, not just a private out-of-state workers comp policy.
- "Additional insured" listed but no endorsement form attached. Boilerplate "additional insured as required by contract" without the CG 20 10 / CG 20 37 form is not enforceable. Require the actual endorsement form.
- Aggregate limit already partially burned through. A contractor with a $2M aggregate that has paid $1.4M in claims this policy year has $600K remaining. The COI shows the limit, not the remaining capacity. Ask if any claims have been paid in the current policy year.
- 30-day notice of cancellation not on the cert. Standard cancellation language gives 10 days notice. The 30-day endorsement is what gives you time to react. If the cert does not name it, the protection is not there.
PaintWerks delivers COIs to property managers within 24 hours of contract execution, with all required endorsements named and attached. As a licensed Ohio general contractor, we can also coordinate adjacent trades under a single COI package. For the broader commercial cost view see our commercial painting cost guide. For phased schedule planning see our commercial schedule planning guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
$1M per occurrence / $1M aggregate general liability, $1M auto liability, statutory Ohio workers compensation, and additional-insured endorsement naming the property owner. For Class B office and standard tenant improvement, $1M / $2M aggregate is the typical floor. Class A and institutional require $2M / $4M plus a $5M umbrella.
An additional insured (AI) endorsement extends the contractor’s general liability policy to also protect a named third party (you, the property owner). Without the endorsement, the contractor’s insurer has no obligation to defend you in a claim arising from the contractor’s work. CG 20 10 (ongoing operations) and CG 20 37 (products-completed operations) are the standard forms.
Only on government contracts above specific thresholds (federal: Miller Act applies above $150K; Ohio state contracts: above $50K) and many public school and university projects. Private commercial property work rarely requires bonding. If your project does require a bond, expect 1 to 3 percent of contract value as the bond premium.
Call the broker listed on the certificate and confirm the policy is in force and the required endorsements are attached. Verify dates cover your project schedule. Save the COI in your contract file. Check the contractor’s Ohio BWC standing through bwc.ohio.gov.
Bid bond (1 to 10 percent of bid amount): guarantees the contractor will honor the bid if awarded. Performance bond (100 percent of contract): guarantees the work will be completed to spec. Payment bond (100 percent of contract): guarantees subs and suppliers get paid. Government jobs typically require all three. Private commercial rarely requires any.
Yes. Many contractors will purchase a project-specific umbrella or additional insurance to meet a property manager’s higher requirement. The cost gets folded into the bid. PaintWerks regularly carries $5M umbrella coverage to meet REIT, healthcare, and corporate property manager requirements.
Workers compensation covers medical costs and lost wages for the contractor’s employees if they are injured on your property. If the contractor does not carry valid Ohio BWC coverage and an employee is injured, the injured worker can pursue the property owner for damages. Always verify Ohio BWC coverage, not just a private workers comp policy.
Indefinitely or at least 10 years. Latent defect claims can surface years after project completion. The COI in force at the time of the work is what determines coverage availability for the claim. Save digital copies in your contract management system.
Get a Sample COI Before Signing
Reviewing a commercial painting bid and want to see what the COI will look like before you sign? We will email a sample COI with named additional insured language for your property entity. Forty-five minute walkthrough optional. As a licensed Ohio general contractor with extensive commercial property manager relationships, we deliver compliant COI packages within 24 hours of contract execution.
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