How to manage insurance certificate expiry dates

Keep your own policies and your subcontractors' certificates current, with a register, reminders and a clear renewal routine.

Two kinds of certificates to track

Most businesses need to track their own policies (public liability, professional indemnity, employer's liability or workers' compensation, property, vehicle and cyber cover) and, if they use subcontractors or suppliers on site, other people's certificates proving they are insured.

Keep a certificate register

For every policy record the insurer, policy number, type of cover, limit, start and expiry dates, and where the certificate is stored. For subcontractors, add the company name and a contact who can send a new certificate.

Set reminders that leave time to shop around

Insurance renewals are the best moment to compare prices. Start 60 days before expiry so you have time to get quotes, then remind again at 30 and 7 days. For subcontractor certificates, a 30-day and a 7-day reminder is usually enough; ask for the new certificate before the old one lapses, not after.

Never let work continue on an expired certificate

Make it a rule that a subcontractor with an expired certificate cannot start new work until a current one is on file. A simple check at the start of each job, or a weekly look at "expired" items, prevents most problems.

Keep the history

When a new certificate arrives, keep the old one. If a claim relates to work done last year, you will need last year's certificate. Store each year's version under the same record rather than replacing it.