Inherited a vendor with no certificate of insurance on file: what to collect this week
A missing certificate of insurance is a paperwork gap that a property manager closes in one request, together with the W-9 and a written scope. Ask for all three this week, name your entity as certificate holder, and check the policy dates before the next work order goes out.
A vendor with no certificate of insurance on file is a paperwork gap, not a reason to stop every job. Collect the certificate, a Form W-9 and a written scope first, using the vendor onboarding packet for commercial property maintenance.
What should you request from an inherited vendor this week?
Request four documents from an inherited vendor: a certificate of insurance naming your entity as certificate holder, a completed Form W-9, a written scope of the work they perform on your properties, and their not-to-exceed process. Hold new work orders until the first two arrive.
| Document | What to check | Common gap |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of insurance (ACORD 25) | Insurer, policy dates, each-occurrence and general aggregate limits, certificate holder | Expired dates, or limits below what your lease requires |
| Form W-9 | Legal name, tax classification, signature and date | Unsigned form, or a name that differs from the invoices |
| Written scope | Trades, locations, access rules and hours | Verbal arrangements that nobody can audit |
| Not-to-exceed process | Cap per work order and who approves above it | No cap, so the first notice is the invoice |
A certificate does not grant coverage rights. The standard ACORD 25 form says it is issued as a matter of information only and confers no rights on the certificate holder, and that additional insured status requires a policy provision or endorsement. If your lease requires additional insured status, ask for the endorsement separately.
What does The Handy Geeks send on day one?
The Handy Geeks sends a new account its vendor packet, a completed W-9 and a certificate of insurance before the first visit, and the certificate is usually ready the same day. The certificate shows $2 million in commercial general liability coverage, so you can check its dates and limits against your lease.
See the commercial rates and not-to-exceed guide for how caps and written quotes work once the paperwork is on file.
How do we handle a request for a certificate of insurance?
A certificate of insurance is the quickest proof that a vendor’s coverage is in force before crews work on your property. Our team sends one the same day it is requested, together with a completed W-9, so a property manager can file the paperwork before the first visit.
Which vendors need one? Any vendor whose people work on your site, whether maintenance, cleaning or security. Your lease or management agreement usually sets the limits, so ask for the certificate before the first work order goes out, and name your entity as certificate holder in the request.
Under Bernard Toth, the certificate and W-9 are kept ready in advance, so a request is answered the same day instead of waiting on a search for paperwork.
Response standards belong in the paperwork from day one; see how to audit arrival windows when a tenant says the vendor never showed, and how a 2-hour minimum compares with a flat minimum call.
Send the address, the scope and a few photos through the quote and work-order form, or call or text +1 818-835-0556. We serve Southern California and the Bay Area, and dispatch and office hours are Monday through Sunday, 8 AM to 6 PM.
Prices reflect The Handy Geeks published commercial rates reviewed October 2026. Insurance information is a general summary, not legal advice.