One COI. Three Agencies.
A certificate request can expose a fragmented account and a servicing relationship nobody owns end to end.
Construction request: “Please send one certificate showing GL, Commercial Auto, Workers’ Comp, and Umbrella.” The contractor expects one answer; their policies sit with three agencies.
The customer sees one insurance relationship
A mechanical contractor wins a new job. Your agency handles the GL. Another agency handles Auto and Workers’ Comp. A third placed the umbrella. The customer does not care about the org chart—they need the certificate so work can start.
$1M · Agency system available
Current policy evidence required
Underlying coverage must reconcile
The missing policies create the work
Your team can verify the GL. It cannot assume the Auto limits, Workers’ Comp status, or umbrella terms. Another agency may need Agent of Record authority before it can discuss the account or share current evidence.
Someone has to identify the agencies, request the documents, chase replies, and reconcile what comes back against the contract. The original email still says: “Need COI ASAP.”
Split policies create coordination risk
The umbrella may solve a liability-limit requirement, but only if it applies over the right underlying policies and the current program satisfies the contract. When different agencies service different lines, changes in limits or exposures can fall between them because no one sees the complete account.
- 1Identify the policies, carriers, agencies, and contacts missing from the case.
- 2Request current evidence for every required line of coverage.
- 3Follow up until policy documents arrive or the exception remains open.
- 4Reconcile dates, limits, carriers, named insured, and coverage structure.
- 5Escalate only the unresolved decisions to the agency.
Sera should carry the back-and-forth
“Missing Auto” is not a useful endpoint. Sera should identify the source agency, prepare the request for current evidence, follow up, and match each incoming document to the original requirements. The agent receives one consolidated case instead of three email threads and a reminder for tomorrow.
Useful escalation
Leave the agent with the decision
When a policy source does not respond, make the remaining work visible and actionable.
Auto and Workers’ Comp evidence is pending from Meridian. GL is verified. Umbrella source is still required to confirm the $2M contract requirement.It can reveal a servicing opportunity
If the same customer repeatedly asks your agency to coordinate policies held elsewhere, they are treating you as the insurance relationship they trust. That can start an Agent or Broker of Record conversation if the customer wants one.
The insured owns that decision. If they decide to consolidate servicing, Sera can support the operational work: collect policy information, prepare the account for review, track responses, and keep the request moving while the agent owns the relationship conversation.
Send us five COI requests.
See completed work and the judgment calls we surface.