COIs in NYC Buildings: What Your Cleaner Must Provide

What a COI actually is

A certificate of insurance is a one-page document from a vendor's insurance carrier proving active general liability coverage — and in most NYC co-ops, condos, and managed rental buildings, no vendor gets past the lobby without one. Buildings typically require $1–2 million in coverage with the building corporation and managing agent named as additional insureds, in exact legal language your management company specifies.

Why buildings are strict about it

One burst hose on the 14th floor can damage a dozen apartments below. Without a COI naming the building, that liability lands on the building — which is why supers are trained to turn away uninsured vendors at the door, even ones the resident hired. It protects you too: a cleaner who can't produce a COI is telling you they're uninsured in your home.

How the process should work

You give us your management company's COI requirements (or just the managing agent's name — we likely have them on file), our office requests the certificate from our carrier with the exact additional-insured language, and it's emailed to your building — typically the same day. You shouldn't have to chase anyone: if a cleaning company treats the COI as your problem, they don't work in Manhattan much.

Freight elevators and service windows

The COI is half the logistics; the other half is building access. Most doorman buildings require freight elevator booking and confine vendor work to service hours (commonly 9 AM–5 PM weekdays). Our office coordinates both with your resident manager before the crew arrives — it's routine on every Upper East Side, Battery Park City, and Long Island City job we run.

The bottom line

In NYC, insurance paperwork is part of the service. Any quote that doesn't include free, fast COI handling isn't a complete quote — ours does, for homes and for commercial accounts alike.