Certificate of insurance for movers in NYC buildings

A certificate of insurance (COI) is a one- or two-page document from your mover's insurance company or agent that proves the mover carries liability and workers' compensation coverage, and names your building as protected. Most NYC co-ops, condos and professionally managed rentals will not let a moving crew use the elevator or loading area until the managing agent has approved a COI that matches the building's exact requirements.

You don't buy the COI yourself. Your mover requests it from their insurance company or agent once you send them the building's requirements. Your job is to get those requirements early and pass them on word for word.

Why buildings demand a COI

A move is the riskiest day of the year for a building's common areas. Crews prop doors, roll dollies over marble, pad and ride elevators for hours and carry heavy items down narrow stairwells. If a mover cracks a lobby floor or a worker is injured, the building wants that claim to land on the mover's insurance, not the co-op's or condo's policy. Requiring a COI is how the managing agent checks, before move day, that the coverage exists and that the building is named on it.

No city or state law requires a residential building to ask for a COI. It is a building rule, usually written into the co-op's house rules, the condo's rules and regulations, or the lease. That is why the requirements vary so much from one address to the next.

The terms on a COI, in plain English

How to get the COI approved without a last-minute scramble

1. 1

   Ask both buildings for their move rules

   Email the managing agent of the building you are leaving and the one you are moving into. Ask for the moving rules, the sample COI (sometimes called COI requirements), allowed move days and hours, elevator reservation process and any move deposit.
2. 2

   Forward the sample COI to your mover unchanged

   Send the building’s sample as an attachment, not retyped. The certificate holder and additional insured names must match exactly, including “Inc.”, “LLC”, “c/o” lines and the full address.
3. 3

   Confirm the limits before you book

   If the building wants higher limits than the mover carries, ask whether the mover can add umbrella coverage. If not, choose another mover now rather than the week before.
4. 4

   Have the mover send the COI straight to the managing agent

   Agents usually prefer receiving it directly from the mover or the insurer. Ask to be copied so you know it was sent.
5. 5

   Get written approval and book the elevator

   Ask the agent to confirm the COI is approved and your move date and time are reserved. Bring the approval email on move day in case the doorman or super has not seen it.

Timing: when to start

There is no legal deadline. Each building sets its own notice period, and some approve only on weekdays. Work backward from your move date:

1. As soon as you sign

   Request move rules from both buildings

   Ask about notice periods, deposits, permitted hours and the sample COI.

2. When you book movers

   Send the sample COI before paying a deposit

   A mover who hesitates over a standard building COI is a warning sign.

3. At least a week out

   COI sent to both managing agents

   Leaves time to fix a misspelled name or wrong limit.

4. A few days out

   Written approval and elevator booking confirmed

   Print or save the confirmation.

5. Move day

   Crew arrives inside the approved window

   Late arrivals can lose the elevator slot in busy buildings.

The most common reasons a COI gets rejected

• Wrong entity name. The building wants "The Board of Managers of X Condominium" and the COI says "X Condo."
• Missing additional insured. The building is listed only as certificate holder.
• Limits too low. The general liability or umbrella amount is under the building's minimum.
• Expired or future-dated policy that isn't in force on move day.
• No workers' compensation shown, or a mover claiming they are exempt.
• Mover name mismatch. A broker or middleman booked the job, but a different company shows up with a different COI.

Other move-day rules buildings often attach to the COI

• Move deposit or fee held against damage to common areas. Ask if it is refundable and how fast.
• Permitted hours, often weekday business hours only, with no moves on holidays.
• Service elevator only, padded by staff before the crew starts.
• Floor protection in hallways and the lobby.
• Trash removal. Boxes and packing material usually can't be left in the building. Ask how the building handles bulk cardboard, and see getting rid of furniture and trash when you move. City setout times apply to anything placed at the curb.

COI vs your own insurance

The mover's COI protects the building. It doesn't automatically protect your belongings. Ask the mover in writing what liability they accept for your items. Check whether your renters insurance or homeowners policy covers property in transit. If something breaks, follow the steps in filing a claim against your mover.

DIY moves and friends with a van

If you move yourself, ask the managing agent what they require. Some buildings accept a move without a COI if no hired crew is involved. Others still require a deposit or ban DIY moves using the service elevator. Find out before you rent a truck. For a full plan from eight weeks out, use the NYC moving checklist, and price the job with the NYC moving cost estimator.