What's printed on one
In the US most certificates use the ACORD 25 form. A production's certificate for a city permit would look roughly like this:
PRODUCER: Long Drive Productions LLC
INSURER A: (carrier name) INSURER B: (carrier name)
COMMERCIAL GENERAL LIABILITY Policy GL-000000 3/1 to 4/30
Each occurrence $1,000,000 General aggregate $2,000,000
AUTOMOBILE LIABILITY (hired/non-owned) Combined single limit $1,000,000
WORKERS COMPENSATION Statutory limits
MISC: Third-party property damage (rented equipment) $500,000
DESCRIPTION: Filming "THE LONG DRIVE" at 1140 Alvarado St, 3/8 to 3/11.
City of Los Angeles and FilmLA are named as additional insured.
CERTIFICATE HOLDER: City of Los Angeles, c/o FilmLA
The limits above are an example, not a recommendation. The holder sets the minimums.
Who asks for one, and what they want
| Requester | Typical requirement |
|---|---|
| Film permit office | Liability at the office's minimum, with the city named. The City of Los Angeles, through FilmLA, lists $1,000,000 for motion picture filming, with the City and FilmLA added as additional insured (FilmLA). New York City's film office also requires insurance for permitted shoots. |
| Location owner | Liability naming the owner as additional insured, per the location agreement |
| Rental house | Coverage for rented equipment with the house as loss payee |
| Vehicle rental or picture car owner | Auto coverage, sometimes physical damage on the vehicle |
Mistakes coordinators make
The standard ACORD 25 states that the certificate is for information only and doesn't change the policy. So a certificate that lists a party as additional insured without the matching endorsement on the policy may not protect them. Ask your broker to confirm the endorsement exists.
Other common problems: requesting the certificate a day before the permit deadline (FilmLA wants three business days to process City of LA location permits), a holder name that doesn't match exactly what the location or city asked for, and policy dates that end before a pickup day. Keep a log of every COI issued, with holder, date, and location.
Where it fits
The production coordinator usually requests certificates and tracks them. A COI goes out with nearly every film permit application and many location releases. For city-specific requirements, read the Los Angeles film permit guide and the New York City film permit guide.