General liability (GL) limits on a vendor COI tell you how much coverage exists if someone is injured or property is damaged during work. Property managers often require “$1M GL” in contracts — but certificates arrive with $500K, $2M aggregate-only limits, or expired policies. Here is how to set and enforce minimum GL requirements.
Common minimum GL requirements
- Standard trades (landscaping, cleaning, HVAC, plumbing): $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate
- Higher-risk trades (roofing, structural, demolition, pool): $2M per occurrence; umbrella often required
- HOA and commercial properties: often $1M minimum; some insurers require $2M for common-area contractors
- Government or institutional clients: may require $5M+ with umbrella — rare for small PM firms
Per occurrence vs aggregate
Each occurrence is the maximum paid for a single claim. General aggregate is the total the policy pays across all claims in the policy term. A vendor can hit their aggregate mid-year and effectively have no coverage left — track both and request renewal COIs promptly.
Valid COI, wrong limits
This is the most overlooked compliance gap. A certificate can show active dates and still fail your requirements because GL limits are too low. CertGuard’s compliance rules flag these automatically — e.g., rule: “Minimum $1M GL per occurrence” → vendor with $500K shows red on your dashboard.
How to document your standards
- Add GL minimums to vendor contracts and RFPs
- Maintain a trade-specific requirements sheet (roofers ≠ painters)
- Collect COIs before work starts — not after
- Re-verify at renewal; limits can drop on new policies
- Export compliance reports for board or insurer audits
Enforce limits without manual review
Set your minimum GL rule once in CertGuard. Every uploaded COI is checked against it. Start free with up to 5 vendors — no credit card, 14-day Pro trial included.