CERTIFICATES OF INSURANCE — A GUIDE FOR PUBLICISTS

HOW PUBLICISTS GET CERTIFICATES OF INSURANCE FOR THEIR CLIENTS

Kelly Insurance Group provides certificates of insurance for publicists whose clients need proof of coverage for brand deals, venue appearances, event production, and other contracts requiring insurance documentation — explaining what a certificate shows, how additional insured endorsements work, and how to request and receive a certificate quickly when a deal or event depends on it.

CERTIFICATES OF INSURANCEBRAND DEAL CERTIFICATESADDITIONAL INSUREDINSURANCE DOCUMENTATIONPUBLICISTSFAST ISSUANCE
how publicists get certificates of insurance for their clients
GET YOUR CLIENT'S CERTIFICATE RIGHT — THE FIRST TIME.
A CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE IS PROOF OF COVERAGE — NOT COVERAGE ITSELFA certificate confirms that a specific policy is in place. It does not modify the policy, extend coverage, or protect the certificate holder beyond what the underlying policy actually covers. A certificate that shows coverage that does not actually exist is a misrepresentation.
ADDITIONAL INSURED STATUS IS DIFFERENT FROM BEING NAMED ON A CERTIFICATEA party named as the certificate holder receives proof that the policy exists. A party named as an additional insured has actual coverage rights under the policy. Most brand deal contracts require the brand to be an additional insured — not merely a certificate holder. These are substantively different requirements.
THE ADDITIONAL INSURED ENDORSEMENT MUST COME FROM THE CARRIERAn additional insured endorsement cannot be added to a certificate retroactively. It must be added to the underlying policy by the insurance carrier — a process that takes hours to a business day. A certificate showing an additional insured who has not been endorsed on the actual policy is inaccurate.
CERTIFICATES CAN BE ISSUED WITHIN HOURS WHEN COVERAGE IS IN PLACEFor clients with qualifying policies already in place, certificates can typically be issued within hours. The time-consuming step is not the certificate — it is confirming or placing qualifying coverage. The earlier Kelly Insurance Group is contacted, the faster the certificate can be delivered.
CERTIFICATES OF INSURANCE — WHAT PUBLICISTS NEED TO KNOW

A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO CERTIFICATES OF INSURANCE FOR PUBLICISTS MANAGING CLIENT CONTRACTS.

01
WHAT A CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE ACTUALLY SHOWS

A certificate of insurance shows: the name of the insurance carrier; the name of the policyholder; the type of coverage; the coverage limits — per occurrence and aggregate; the policy effective and expiration dates; the certificate holder; and any additional insured endorsements that have been added to the policy. It confirms that the policy exists on the date the certificate is issued — nothing more.

02
WHAT A CERTIFICATE CANNOT DO

A certificate cannot modify the underlying policy. If the certificate shows a coverage type that is not actually in the underlying policy, the certificate is inaccurate. A certificate cannot extend coverage to a party who is not actually named as an additional insured on the policy. A certificate cannot change the policy's exclusions, limits, or conditions. Confirming that the underlying policy actually meets the contract's requirements — before the certificate is issued — is always the critical step.

03
ADDITIONAL INSURED ENDORSEMENTS — HOW THEY WORK AND WHY THEY TAKE TIME

An additional insured endorsement adds a named third party to the policyholder's policy, giving them actual coverage rights. To add an additional insured endorsement, Kelly Insurance Group submits an endorsement request to the insurance carrier, the carrier processes and approves the endorsement, and the updated endorsement is issued. Only then can a certificate showing the additional insured be issued. This typically takes hours to a business day — it cannot happen instantaneously. Identifying the additional insured requirement at contract review allows adequate time.

04
HOW TO REQUEST A CERTIFICATE FROM KELLY INSURANCE GROUP

To request a certificate, send: the name of the party listed as certificate holder or additional insured; the specific liability limits required; any specific language required by the contract for the certificate description; and the deadline for delivery. If the contract specifies exact wording for the additional insured endorsement, include that text. The more specific the information provided, the faster and more accurate the certificate.

05
COMMON CERTIFICATE DELAYS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

The most common causes of delay: the additional insured endorsement has not yet been added to the policy; the client's existing coverage does not meet the required limits; new coverage needs to be placed before the certificate can be issued; the certificate holder's name or additional insured language has not yet been confirmed; or the request is made the day of the deadline. All of these delays are avoidable with early identification of the requirement and early engagement with Kelly Insurance Group.

CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE SUPPORT SERVICES

Certificate issuance — fast turnaround when coverage is in place
Additional insured endorsements — adding brand partners to client policies
Certificate holder designation — confirming who receives the certificate
Contract requirement review — identifying what the certificate must show
Coverage confirmation — confirming existing coverage meets the requirement
New coverage placement — when existing coverage does not meet the requirement
Rush processing — for urgent certificate requests
Certificate delivery — in the format and to the parties the contract specifies
Multiple certificate management — for clients with several active partnerships
Referral partnership for publicists with recurring certificate needs
WHO THIS IS FOR

PUBLICISTS WHO REGULARLY REQUEST CERTIFICATES OF INSURANCE FOR THEIR CLIENTS.

Any publicist managing brand deals, event appearances, and venue contracts for high-profile clients — who regularly needs to obtain certificates of insurance and additional insured endorsements — benefits from a fast, knowledgeable insurance partner for certificate management.

  • Publicists managing multiple simultaneous brand partnerships for high-profile clients with recurring certificate requirements
  • PR professionals who have encountered certificate delays that affected deal timelines or event schedules
  • Communications professionals who want to understand what certificates show and how to request them properly
  • Publicists whose clients have a mix of coverage types and who need help identifying which policy to certificate for each deal
  • Any publicist who has received a certificate request and was not sure exactly what to do next
CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE GUIDE FOR PUBLICISTS

SELECT A TOPIC TO UNDERSTAND THE KEY CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE CONCEPTS.

Understanding what a certificate shows, how additional insured endorsements work, and what affects turnaround helps publicists manage contract insurance requirements professionally and avoid last-minute delays.

WHAT A CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE ACTUALLY SHOWS

A certificate of insurance confirms that a specific insurance policy is in place. It shows the carrier's name, the policyholder's name, the type of coverage, the coverage limits, the policy effective and expiration dates, the certificate holder, and any additional insured endorsements. It is proof that a policy exists — it does not modify the policy in any way.

  • Carrier name — the insurance company issuing the policy
  • Policyholder name — the named insured on the policy
  • Policy type — the category of coverage confirmed
  • Coverage limits — per occurrence and aggregate limits
  • Additional insured — named parties added to the policy by endorsement
HOW WE HELP

WHAT KELLY INSURANCE GROUP PROVIDES.

01

CERTIFICATE REVIEW AND ISSUANCE

Review of the contract's certificate requirement, confirmation that existing coverage meets the requirement, and fast issuance of an accurate certificate — delivered in the format and to the party the contract specifies.

02

ADDITIONAL INSURED ENDORSEMENT PROCESSING

Endorsement request submitted to the carrier, processed and confirmed, with the certificate updated to show the additional insured — typically within hours to one business day of the confirmed endorsement requirement.

03

COVERAGE GAP IDENTIFICATION AND PLACEMENT

Identification of coverage gaps that prevent certificate issuance, with fast placement of qualifying coverage and certificate issuance once coverage is confirmed — with clear timeline communication throughout.

04

RECURRING CERTIFICATE MANAGEMENT FOR ACTIVE CLIENTS

Ongoing certificate management for publicists with clients who have multiple active brand partnerships — maintaining coverage records, processing additional insured endorsements, and issuing certificates as each deal requires.

THINGS WORTH KNOWING

FOUR CERTIFICATE SITUATIONS PUBLICISTS ENCOUNTER AND HOW TO HANDLE THEM.

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BRAND ASKS FOR CERTIFICATE — CLIENT'S COVERAGE DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIRED LIMITS

A certificate cannot show limits higher than the client actually carries. If the contract requires $2 million in liability and the client has $1 million, the gap must be addressed with additional coverage before the certificate can accurately show the required limits.

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CERTIFICATE DELIVERED — BRAND SAYS THE ADDITIONAL INSURED IS NOT ON IT

A certificate that does not show the brand as an additional insured when the contract requires it is insufficient. The endorsement must be added to the policy before the certificate can accurately reflect it. Contact Kelly Insurance Group to add the endorsement and reissue the certificate.

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CLIENT HAS MULTIPLE POLICIES — WHICH ONE DO WE CERTIFICATE

A client with multiple insurance policies may have more than one that could satisfy a contract requirement. Kelly Insurance Group identifies which policy satisfies the specific requirement and issues the certificate from the appropriate policy.

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CERTIFICATE SHOWS EXPIRED POLICY — CLIENT'S POLICY RENEWED BUT CERTIFICATE NOT UPDATED

A certificate issued for a policy that has since renewed will show old dates and policy number. When a client's policy renews, certificates for active partnerships should be reissued showing the new policy information. Kelly Insurance Group manages certificate updates at renewal for active clients.

ADVISOR INSURANCE SUPPORT HUBINSURANCE SUPPORT FOR PUBLICISTSTHE REFERRAL PROCESSPRIVATE CLIENT RISK MANAGEMENTANNUAL INSURANCE REVIEWINSURANCE HELP WHEN A CLIENT SIGNS A BRAND DEALINSURANCE HELP WHEN A CLIENT HAS AN EVENT OR APPEARANCE
COMMON QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS ADVISORS OFTEN ASK.

What is the fastest way to request a certificate from Kelly Insurance Group?

Call (412) 212-2800 and identify it as an urgent certificate request, or use the contact form at kellyinsurancegroup.com/contact/. Have ready: the name and address of the certificate holder or additional insured, the specific limits required, any special wording, and the deadline for delivery. The more specific the information, the faster the certificate.

How long does it take to get a certificate issued?

For clients with qualifying policies in place and no additional insured endorsement needed — typically the same business day or within a few hours. For certificates requiring a new additional insured endorsement — typically one business day. For clients needing new coverage placed — one to two business days for standard general liability.

Can I request certificates for multiple brand deals at once?

Yes. Send the certificate requirements for each deal — certificate holder or additional insured name, required limits, and any special wording — and we process them together. For clients with multiple simultaneous brand partnerships, we maintain coverage records and issue certificates as each deal requires.

What do I tell the brand when they ask for the certificate?

Tell them Kelly Insurance Group is processing it and provide a realistic timeline. If coverage is in place and only an endorsement is needed, tell them to expect it within one business day. If new coverage needs to be placed, be honest about the timeline. Commit to a date you can actually meet.

What if the brand's contract has specific wording that must appear on the certificate?

Send Kelly Insurance Group the exact wording. Certificate descriptions and additional insured endorsement language can be customized to match specific contract requirements. Providing the exact language reduces back-and-forth and ensures the certificate satisfies the contract's requirements.

Can a certificate be issued for coverage that has not yet been placed?

No. A certificate confirms coverage that is actually in place — it cannot be issued for coverage that does not yet exist. Coverage must be confirmed or placed before an accurate certificate can be issued.

CONNECT WITH US

GET YOUR CLIENT'S CERTIFICATE RIGHT — THE FIRST TIME.

Kelly Insurance Group provides fast, accurate certificate of insurance issuance for publicists — coverage confirmation, additional insured endorsements, and certificate delivery on deal timelines, with clear communication throughout the process.

Kelly Insurance Group
REFER A CLIENT. SOLVE THE COVERAGE QUESTION.

The availability of coverage and eligibility for coverage can depend on numerous factors. We cannot guarantee that all customers, individuals, and businesses looking for coverage will be successful in these efforts when contacting our team. All policy coverages and terms need to be fully reviewed by the respective consumer to ensure the coverage asked for is what is specifically being quoted or provided by any insurance policy. Insurance Policies, Coverage Changes, and their terms and conditions are not bound or altered until written confirmation is provided by one of our licensed team members or underwriters. This page does not offer legal advice, legal opinions, or policy interpretations. Rather, this page is meant as a resource to help provide customers and insurance consumers with additional considerations that may help in their insurance buying or pursuit of insurance information. Kelly Insurance Group does not employ or direct attorneys.

Disclaimer: Coverage availability and eligibility may depend on many factors, including underwriting review, carrier guidelines, policy terms, state requirements, business operations, risk characteristics, and other information provided during the application or quoting process. Kelly Insurance Group cannot guarantee that every individual, customer, organization, or business seeking coverage will qualify for, receive, or successfully place insurance coverage. All policy coverages, exclusions, conditions, limits, endorsements, and terms should be carefully reviewed by the consumer, insured, or applicant to confirm that the coverage requested is the coverage being quoted, offered, or provided. Insurance coverage, policy changes, endorsements, cancellations, and other policy terms are not bound, changed, confirmed, or altered unless and until written confirmation is provided by a licensed Kelly Insurance Group team member, the applicable insurance carrier, or an authorized underwriter. This page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not provide legal advice, legal opinions, insurance coverage opinions, or policy interpretations. Information on this page should not be relied upon as a substitute for reviewing the actual policy language or consulting appropriate professional advisors. Kelly Insurance Group does not employ, supervise, or direct attorneys.