The Answer in 60 Seconds

A Certificate of Insurance (COI) is a one-page summary issued by your insurer (or broker) that proves to a third party — typically your landlord — that your policy is in force, with stated limits, perils, and named insureds. Per IRMI and standard Singapore practice, a COI is proof of insurance only — it does not amend the policy or grant rights. To give the landlord actual rights under the policy, the lease must require, and the policy must be endorsed to include, the landlord as additional insured (or "indemnity to principal") — a separate endorsement, not the COI itself. Request the COI from your insurer/broker with the landlord's exact name, address, and any specific wording from the lease's insurance clause.

The Step-by-Step

Step 1 — Read the lease's insurance clause carefully. Look for:

  • Required policy types (Public Liability, Property, Plate Glass, Tenant's Improvements, Workers Compensation/WICA).
  • Minimum limits (e.g., PL S$1m, S$3m, or S$5m per occurrence).
  • "Landlord to be named as additional insured" or "indemnity to principal" wording.
  • "Waiver of subrogation in favour of landlord."
  • "Insurance to be primary and non-contributory."
  • Required notice of cancellation (often 30 days written notice to landlord).
  • Required jurisdiction (Singapore).

Step 2 — Identify the gap between your policy and the lease. Common mismatches:

  • Lease requires S$3m PL; your policy is S$1m → you need to top up.
  • Lease requires landlord as additional insured; your policy doesn't have the endorsement → request from insurer.
  • Lease requires waiver of subrogation; not standard on most PL → request endorsement.

Step 3 — Request the COI from your insurer or broker. Provide:

  • Landlord's exact legal name and address (must match the lease).
  • Address of the leased premises.
  • Lease commencement and expiry dates.
  • Specific lease clauses (forward the relevant page).

Step 4 — Verify the COI wording matches the lease. The COI typically states:

  • Named insured (you) and policy number.
  • Insurer.
  • Policy period.
  • Coverages and limits.
  • Whether landlord is named as additional insured (and on which policy).
  • Whether waiver of subrogation applies.
  • Whether the insurance is primary and non-contributory.

If the lease says "additional insured" and the COI only lists the landlord as "certificate holder," that's not enough. Per Seyfarth Shaw's note on lease insurance: "A certificate that merely states that the property owner or landlord is a 'certificate holder' does not make the owner/landlord an additional insured. Without being named as an additional insured, a certificate holder is not entitled to any rights under the insurance policy referenced." Push the broker to add the AI endorsement.

Step 5 — Submit the COI to the landlord before move-in or lease commencement. Most landlords require the COI before handing over keys. Build this into your fit-out timeline.

Step 6 — Renew the COI annually with the policy. Send the renewed COI to the landlord within 7 days of policy renewal. If the policy lapses or you change insurers, send the new COI immediately.

Step 7 — If the lease requires notice of cancellation: confirm the insurer will provide it. Some Singapore insurers don't automatically notify landlords of cancellation. If the lease requires it, confirm in writing with the insurer that they will notify the landlord at the address on the COI.

Common Mistakes / What Goes Wrong

  1. Treating "certificate holder" as equivalent to "additional insured." Materially different. The certificate holder gets a courtesy copy; the additional insured has rights under the policy.
  2. Sending an outdated COI. A COI dated 18 months ago means nothing. Renew on policy renewal.
  3. Ignoring waiver of subrogation requirements. Without it, the insurer can pay the landlord on your loss and then sue you to recover. The lease's waiver clause prevents this.
  4. Using one PL policy COI for multiple leased premises without listing each address. Most PL policies cover a specified premises. New location = new disclosure.
  5. Letting the COI use a generic landlord name instead of the legal entity in the lease. "ABC Properties" vs "ABC Properties Pte Ltd" can cause disputes at claim time.

What This Means for Your Business

The COI is the most-misunderstood document in commercial leasing. Treat it as a contractual deliverable, not a piece of insurance admin. Three SME-grade habits:

  1. Assemble a "lease compliance pack" for each leased site: lease, COI, additional insured endorsement, waiver of subrogation endorsement, FC/FSC where the tenant is responsible. Keep electronic copies.
  2. Calendar lease-driven insurance dates. COI renewal date, lease renewal date, FC renewal date often diverge.
  3. For multi-site SMEs , push for blanket additional insured endorsements (covers all "premises leased to the named insured") rather than scheduled (one specific address) — easier to administer.

If your landlord enforces the lease and you cannot produce a valid COI matching the lease's insurance clause, you can be in technical breach of lease — sometimes a termination event. The COI itself is usually issued at no extra charge once the underlying endorsements are in place; the consequence of not having it can be a forced termination of tenancy.

Questions to Ask Your Adviser

  1. Does my policy already include a blanket additional insured endorsement for "any party I am required by written contract to add"?
  2. Is the waiver of subrogation in favour of the landlord/principals automatic or scheduled?
  3. How quickly can the broker issue an updated COI when I sign a new lease?
  4. Does my insurer notify additional insureds of cancellation or non-renewal?
  5. If the lease requires "primary and non-contributory" wording, does my policy support it?

Related Information

  • How to read your commercial insurance policy schedule
  • Public Liability for tenants: lease vs. statutory minimums
  • "Additional insured" vs. "certificate holder": what each means

Published 3 May 2026. Source verified 3 May 2026. COVA is an introducer under MAS Notice FAA-N02. We do not recommend insurance products. We provide factual information sourced from primary regulators and route you to a licensed IFA who can match a policy to your specific situation.