A workers comp certificate is a snapshot showing that a policy was in force on the date it was issued; it typically does not change the policy. A waiver of subrogation is different: it is an endorsement on the policy in which the carrier agrees not to seek repayment of claim costs from a named party. A contract may ask for both, and the carrier decides whether to add the waiver.
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A certificate of insurance summarizes a policy for someone who isn't on it. For workers comp, it typically lists the insurance company, the policy number, the policy dates, the states the policy applies to and the employers liability limits. The business or project owner who asked for it is the certificate holder, which means only that they receive the document.
A certificate typically says it is issued for information and doesn't amend or extend the policy. That matters in two directions. When you send one, adding words to the certificate does not add anything to your policy. When you collect one from a sub, it shows coverage on the day it was issued; it doesn't tell you the policy is still in force next month.
For a printable request to send to subs, use the subcontractor insurance checklist for GCs.
| State | Rule | Why a Certificate Matters | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Contractor license and workers comp on file | The CSLB keeps a licensee's workers comp certificate or exemption on record. From January 1, 2028, the law calls for a certificate or self-insurance on file for nearly every licensee, though that rule could still change. | Business and Professions Code 7125 |
| California | Unlicensed workers on licensed work | A sub without the license its work requires is presumed to be your employee, so check the license along with the certificate. | Labor Code 2750.5 |
| Arizona | Statutory employer | A sub's workers can count as yours when you keep supervision or control and the work is part of your trade. | Arizona Revised Statutes 23-902 |
| Nevada | Principal contractor | The principal contractor answers as employer for its subs' crews. | Nevada Revised Statutes 616A.210 |
In California, a contractor who claims an exemption it doesn't qualify for, or leaves employees uncovered, can be fined under SB 291: at least $10,000 for each violation by a sole-owner licensee, and at least $20,000 when the licensee is a company. That is one reason general contractors ask subs for a certificate instead of taking an exemption on trust. The California workers comp for contractors and restaurants page covers the exemption and its end date.
In Arizona and Nevada, the hiring contractor's exposure for an uninsured sub comes from the statutory employer and principal contractor rules. Nevada calls the coverage industrial insurance, and the certificate you collect is proof of that policy.
When a workers comp carrier pays a claim, it may try to recover what it paid from someone else whose actions caused the injury, such as another contractor on the site. That right to recover is subrogation. A waiver of subrogation is an endorsement in which the carrier gives up that right against a party named in the endorsement or described by your contract.
The endorsement changes your policy, not just the paperwork, so it is the carrier's decision whether to add it. Carriers typically offer two forms:
Either form may carry a charge, set by the carrier and often tied to the premium for the job or the policy. Some carriers may decline a waiver for certain work or require it to be requested before the job starts. Ask before you sign a contract that requires one.
Promising a Waiver That Isn't on the Policy
Signing a contract that requires a waiver of subrogation doesn't put one on your policy, and neither does a note on a certificate. If the endorsement isn't there when someone on the job is hurt, the gap is between you and the party you made the promise to. Confirm the waiver is endorsed before the certificate goes out.
Audit charges for uninsured subs and other contract questions are in the workers comp guides for contractors and restaurants.
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It shows a policy was in force on the date the certificate was issued. It doesn't show that the policy stayed in force for the whole job. Ask for a new certificate when the sub's policy renews, and keep each one with the payment records for that sub.
It is an endorsement that typically applies to any party you agreed in a written contract to waive subrogation against, instead of naming each party. The exact reach depends on the carrier's wording, so read whether it requires the contract to be signed before the injury and which kinds of contracts it reaches.
It may. Carriers often charge for a waiver, and the charge is set by the carrier, sometimes as a share of the premium for the job or the policy. The amount varies by carrier and policy, so ask for it in writing before you agree to the contract term.
Additional insured status is mainly a general liability idea and often doesn't fit workers comp, which pays your own employees' injury benefits. A contract asking for it on workers comp may really want a waiver of subrogation or a certificate. Ask the party requesting it what they need, and ask the carrier what it can provide.
The carrier. A contract can require you to provide one, but only the carrier can add the endorsement, and it may decline it or set conditions. Check with the carrier before you sign, so you aren't promising something your policy can't carry.
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Reviewed by David Gleason, Principal, on .
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Know what the certificate proves and what the waiver changes before you sign.
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