What is a certificate of insurance?

A document issued under a policy or open cover evidencing that a specific consignment is insured, and on what terms. It is evidence of cover under a policy — it is not the policy, and the wording the policy incorporates is what governs a claim.

What is the difference between a certificate and a policy?

The policy is the contract. The certificate says that this shipment falls under it and states the variables — route, goods, sum insured, conditions, deductible. Under UCP 600 a policy is acceptable in place of a certificate, but a cover note is not acceptable in place of either.

What does "blank endorsed" mean?

Endorsed on the reverse without naming a transferee, so that the benefit passes to whoever holds the document. It is what lets the right to claim travel with the goods and documents through a sale chain, and letters of credit routinely require it.

How do I check a certificate is genuine?

Certificates issued here carry a QR code and a verification address. Scanning it, or entering the certificate number, returns the status, the insured, the route, the sum insured and the conditions — enough for a bank or a buyer to confirm, and nothing more. The verification page is not indexed by search engines, because the number itself is the capability.

The certificate: evidence of cover, not the cover itself

A certificate says that this consignment falls under a policy and states the variables. The wording the policy incorporates is what decides a claim — which is why a certificate that names neither a clause level nor an edition is not telling you what you bought.

Evidence, not contractAssignableUCP 600 acceptable

What has to be on it

Certificate number: Identifies this consignment's cover under the policy. Ours carry a random suffix so a number cannot be guessed from another one.
Insured: Who holds the cover. Where the certificate is endorsed, the benefit passes to the holder.
Policy or open cover reference: What the certificate is issued under. The wording attached to that policy is what governs a claim.
Conveyance and transit: Origin, destination and the journey covered. Under a letter of credit it must span at least the journey the credit names.
Goods and marks: What is insured, and the marks and numbers that tie it to the transport document.
Sum insured and currency: The agreed value. Under a credit it must be in the currency of the credit and at least 110% of the CIF or CIP value.
Conditions: The clause level and any attached clauses — Institute Cargo Clauses (A), (B) or (C), war, strikes, and any special conditions.
Deductible: The first slice of every claim, and whether it applies per event or per consignment.
Claims contact: Who to notify, and where. The first notification should not require a search.

How the right to claim travels

A marine cargo certificate is transferable. Endorsing it — commonly in blank, by signing the reverse without naming a transferee — passes the benefit of the cover to whoever holds it. That is what makes CIF work: the seller buys the policy, the buyer bears the risk from loading, and the endorsed certificate puts the claim in the hands of the party who actually lost something.

Assignment and blank endorsement →

Under a letter of credit

UCP 600 Article 28 governs what the bank will accept: issued and signed by an insurer, underwriter or their agent; not a cover note; all originals presented; dated no later than shipment; in the currency of the credit; for at least 110% of the CIF or CIP value where the credit is silent; and covering at least the journey the credit names.

The full document-examination list →

Verification

Certificates issued here carry a QR code and a verification address. A bank, buyer or counterparty can scan it or type the certificate number and see the status, the insured, the route, the sum insured and the conditions — the fields a verifier needs, and nothing internal: no premium, no account identifiers.

The number itself is the capability, so it carries a random suffix that cannot be enumerated, and the verification pages are excluded from search engines. Until cover is actually placed with an underwriter, certificates generated here print as SPECIMEN and say on their face that they are not evidence of insurance.

Common questions

What is a certificate of insurance?: A document issued under a policy or open cover evidencing that a specific consignment is insured, and on what terms. It is evidence of cover under a policy — it is not the policy, and the wording the policy incorporates is what governs a claim.
What is the difference between a certificate and a policy?: The policy is the contract. The certificate says that this shipment falls under it and states the variables — route, goods, sum insured, conditions, deductible. Under UCP 600 a policy is acceptable in place of a certificate, but a cover note is not acceptable in place of either.
What does "blank endorsed" mean?: Endorsed on the reverse without naming a transferee, so that the benefit passes to whoever holds the document. It is what lets the right to claim travel with the goods and documents through a sale chain, and letters of credit routinely require it.
How do I check a certificate is genuine?: Certificates issued here carry a QR code and a verification address. Scanning it, or entering the certificate number, returns the status, the insured, the route, the sum insured and the conditions — enough for a bank or a buyer to confirm, and nothing more. The verification page is not indexed by search engines, because the number itself is the capability.

Certificates under an open cover Which conditions to ask for

Sources

This page summarises the instruments above. It is not the wording, and it is not legal advice. Where a summary conflicts with a convention text, a policy wording or a certificate, that document governs.

InsuranceScanner is an insurance intermediary, not an insurer — see the Terms for our role. Nothing here is a personal recommendation that a particular cover, sum insured or deductible is suitable for you. Where anything on this page conflicts with the certificate, policy schedule or wording issued by an insurer, that document governs.