Certificate of Insurance (COI) Requirements for Furniture Delivery
Furniture delivery to an apartment, condo, co-op, high-rise, or other managed building may require insurance documentation and building approval before the delivery team can enter.
What is a Certificate of Insurance for furniture delivery?
A Certificate of Insurance, commonly called a COI, is a document that summarizes specified insurance information for the company making the delivery. A managed property may ask for one before allowing a delivery team to enter the building or use an elevator, loading dock, hallway, stairway, or other common area.
A COI commonly identifies the insured business, insurer, types of insurance, policy dates and limits, and the certificate holder. The exact information depends on the building’s instructions and the coverage that applies to the assigned delivery provider.
What a COI does not do
A COI is not the insurance policy. It does not independently add coverage, change policy terms, or guarantee that the building will approve the delivery. ACORD’s certificate guidance explains that coverage changes must be made through the policy or an endorsement, not by wording added only to the certificate.
Who is involved in a COI request?
Customer or resident
You obtain the building’s written requirements or sample COI, send them to Totally Home Furniture, complete any separate building forms, and report management’s approval or requested corrections.
Building management
The property manager, owner, association, co-op board, or another authorized representative supplies the requirements and decides whether the submitted documentation is acceptable.
Totally Home Furniture
We identify the order and assigned delivery provider, create a service ticket, and coordinate the request. Totally Home Furniture does not issue, underwrite, or control the insurance policy.
Delivery and insurance providers
The assigned delivery provider or its authorized insurance representative reviews the request. A certificate can be issued only when the applicable coverage and requested terms support it.
In many cases, the customer receives the completed certificate and presents it to building management. We will confirm whether the certificate will be returned to you or sent directly to the building for your delivery.
Named insured, certificate holder, and additional insured
Named insured
The person or business identified as an insured on the policy. For this delivery, it is generally the delivery provider or applicable operating entity—not Totally Home Furniture or the customer.
Certificate holder
The person or organization receiving the certificate as evidence of the listed insurance. This status alone does not create additional-insured rights.
Additional insured
A party with insured status under applicable policy provisions or an endorsement for a defined purpose. Typing a name on a certificate does not create that status.
Both New York Department of Financial Services guidance and the Texas Department of Insurance COI FAQ explain that a certificate cannot change the coverage provided by the underlying policy.
Why and where do buildings request COIs?
Furniture deliveries may involve trucks, loading areas, service entrances, elevators, hallways, stairs, doors, floors, walls, and other shared property. Building owners and managers may request evidence of the delivery provider’s liability insurance before allowing access to these areas.
COI requirements are often encountered at managed apartments, condos, co-ops, high-rises, senior communities, gated properties, and buildings with controlled loading or elevator access. They are especially familiar in New York City and other major metropolitan markets, but they are not limited to those locations.
Requirements can differ between neighboring buildings. Do not rely on requirements from another resident, an earlier delivery, or a different property unless your current management confirms that they still apply.
When should you contact Totally Home?
Contact us before ordering whenever building approval could determine whether the furniture can be delivered. Early review is especially important when the building requests higher insurance limits, several additional insureds, endorsements, or special wording.
If you have already ordered, send the requirements immediately and include your order number. Do not wait until the carrier calls to schedule delivery. The delivery may need to remain unscheduled or unconfirmed until management accepts the documentation and any separate elevator or access arrangements are complete.
No fixed COI turnaround can be promised. Requests involving excess liability, unusual limits, special endorsements, indemnity agreements, or other nonstandard terms can require more review. Building review and correction requests can add more time.
How the COI process generally works
Provider procedures can vary, but a typical request follows these steps:
- Ask building management for its written COI requirements or sample form. Also ask for separate delivery, move-in, loading-dock, or service-elevator forms.
- Send the requirements to Totally Home Furniture as early as possible. Email sales@thebeanbagstore.com or call (800) 976-0102. Include the delivery address and order number if one exists.
- Totally Home identifies the order and assigned delivery provider. We create a service ticket and route the request through the applicable delivery channel.
- The delivery provider or its insurance representative reviews the request. Special limits, endorsements, additional insureds, or wording may require more review and may not be available.
- A certificate is issued when the applicable coverage and requested terms support it. It is generally issued through the assigned delivery provider’s insurance representative, not by Totally Home Furniture.
- The certificate is provided for submission to building management. We will confirm whether it will be sent to you or directly to the management contact.
- Management reviews the certificate. The building may approve it, reject it, or request corrected information or supporting endorsements. You are responsible for promptly telling Totally Home about a rejection or correction request.
- Delivery is scheduled or confirmed after required approval and access arrangements are complete. A COI does not reserve an elevator, approve loading access, waive delivery-hour rules, or change the selected delivery service.
Customer checklist: what to obtain from building management
Your building should supply its insurance requirements. You should not have to choose insurance limits, determine legal names, or draft endorsement language yourself.
- Written COI instructions or a sample form
- Exact legal name and address of the certificate holder
- Exact legal names and addresses of requested additional insureds
- Required insurance types and limits
- Required endorsements or special wording
- Submission email address or management contact
- Submission deadline
- Delivery address and unit information
- Any separate move-in, delivery, loading, or elevator forms
- Freight-elevator or standard-elevator availability
- Elevator reservation requirements
- Loading-dock and delivery-hour restrictions
- Parking, truck-access, gate, or entrance limitations
- Number of interior stair flights and exterior steps
- On-site building contact for the delivery day
- Your Totally Home order number, if already ordered
A COI is separate from the delivery service level
At this time, eligible COI-required deliveries may be coordinated with threshold or room-of-choice service. Totally Home Furniture is not currently offering white-glove service for these deliveries.
Threshold delivery
Generally means delivery to the first dry area or door specified in the assigned provider’s service confirmation. It does not include unpacking or debris removal.
Room-of-choice delivery
Generally includes an appointment and placement of the packaged furniture in an eligible room. It does not include unpacking, assembly, or debris removal.
Exact appointment, stair, elevator, access, carrying-distance, parking, and room-placement terms depend on the assigned provider and confirmed service. Review our Shipping Information and the service details provided for your order.
A COI does not upgrade threshold service to room-of-choice service or add unpacking, assembly, debris removal, extra stair carries, or special delivery windows.
A liability COI is not insurance on the furniture
The building normally asks for evidence of liability insurance connected to the delivery provider’s operations. That is different from cargo, transit, or shipping protection addressing loss or damage to the furniture itself.
The statement on our Shipping Information page that furniture is shipped with protection against delivery damage should not be read as a promise that every delivery can meet every building’s liability-insurance requirements. COI eligibility requires a separate review.
Special requirements, fees, approval, and returns
Some buildings request higher limits, resident additional-insured status, primary and noncontributory wording, waiver of subrogation, special cancellation notice, indemnity agreements, or supporting endorsements. These requests may require additional time, documentation, or fees. They may also be unavailable under the insurance terms that apply.
The assigned delivery provider and its insurer or insurance representative must decide whether requested insurance terms can be supported. Building management must decide whether the resulting documentation is acceptable.
Customer responsibility for charges and building approval
COI issuance fees may apply depending on the assigned provider and building request. Any COI issuance fee is the customer’s responsibility and will be communicated when known. Storage, trip, redelivery, waiting-time, access, or other carrier charges may also result if approval or access is delayed, a scheduled delivery cannot be completed, or the delivery team is denied entry. These charges are also the customer’s responsibility.
If management rejects the certificate or asks for a correction, promptly email sales@thebeanbagstore.com or call (800) 976-0102. Include the building’s exact written response rather than paraphrasing it.
What if the building does not approve the delivery?
Totally Home Furniture and the delivery provider cannot overrule building management. If the building will not approve the documentation or otherwise permit delivery, the carrier cannot complete the delivery.
An order that cannot be delivered because required COI or building approval was not obtained may become an undeliverable or refused shipment and be handled as a return. Return shipping, original shipping—including shipping incorporated into a “free shipping” promotion—restocking fees, storage, trip, redelivery, and other applicable charges may be deducted or billed under the current Returns, Exchanges and Cancellations policy and carrier terms.
This is why customers should verify the building’s requirements and contact Totally Home before ordering whenever possible.
Frequently asked questions
Does every apartment or condo delivery need a COI?
No. The building owner, management company, association, or co-op determines whether a COI is required. Ask management before ordering, particularly if the property controls delivery hours, loading access, or elevator use.
Can Totally Home Furniture provide a COI?
Totally Home can help coordinate the request for eligible threshold and room-of-choice deliveries. A COI is a separate building requirement and is not automatically included with either service. The certificate is generally issued for the assigned delivery provider through its insurance representative. Availability depends on the provider, destination, service, building requirements, and applicable insurance terms.
Who should request the building’s requirements?
The customer or resident should ask building management for written instructions or a sample form. Management—not the customer or Totally Home—should identify the legal names, addresses, limits, endorsements, wording, submission method, and deadline it requires.
How early should I request a furniture-delivery COI?
Contact Totally Home before ordering when possible, or immediately after ordering. There is no guaranteed turnaround. Nonstandard limits, endorsements, additional insureds, correction requests, and building review can take additional time.
Is there a fee for a COI?
A fee may apply depending on the assigned provider and whether the request is routine or requires additional insurance review or documentation. The customer is responsible for applicable COI issuance fees, which Totally Home will communicate when known. Customers are also responsible for applicable carrier charges caused by delayed approval, denied access, storage, unsuccessful delivery attempts, or redelivery.
Is the certificate holder automatically an additional insured?
No. A certificate holder receives evidence of insurance. Additional-insured status must be supported by the underlying policy or an endorsement; typing a name on the certificate does not create that status.
What happens if my building rejects the certificate?
Ask management to state the reason and requested correction in writing. Send the exact response to sales@thebeanbagstore.com promptly. The provider or its insurance representative will determine whether a correction or requested term can be supplied. Approval is not guaranteed.
Does a COI cover damage to my furniture?
Not necessarily. The building generally requests a liability COI for the delivery provider. Cargo or transit protection for the furniture is a separate type of coverage or shipping protection.
Contact Totally Home about a COI-required delivery
Email sales@thebeanbagstore.com or call (800) 976-0102 before ordering or as soon as you learn that your building requires a COI.
Attach the building’s written requirements or sample form and include the delivery address, unit information, and order number if you have one.
Learn more about our furniture shipping and delivery process, contact Totally Home Furniture with other order questions, or read more about our more than 40 years of furniture experience.
Insurance information sources
This page provides general delivery-planning information, not legal or insurance advice. Building management and the assigned delivery provider’s insurer or insurance representative determine whether requested documentation and insurance terms are acceptable.
