Updated 2026-11-01
Before you can park at a festival, brewery or farmers market, the organizer will usually ask for a certificate of insurance. Getting it right the first time avoids last-minute stress.
Read the insurance section of the vendor agreement
Look for:
- The type of coverage required, usually general liability and sometimes commercial auto or workers comp
- The limits per occurrence and in aggregate
- Who must be named as additional insured, with the exact legal names
- Whether a waiver of subrogation or primary and non-contributory wording is required
- The deadline for submitting the certificate
Additional insured
Naming the organizer, venue owner or city as additional insured extends your liability coverage to them for claims arising from your operations. Some policies include blanket additional insured wording; others need an endorsement for each name.
Getting certificates fast
Send your agent the vendor agreement, not just the organizer's email. Ask whether your policy allows certificates to be issued online. Keep a list of upcoming events so certificates can be prepared in batches.
Short-term events
If you vend only a few times a year, some insurers offer event-specific coverage. Compare it with an annual policy once your calendar fills up. The coverage overview explains how the pieces fit.