Question 1

How do I collect and retain certificates of insurance from subcontractors?

Accepted Answer

Ask each subcontractor for a current certificate of insurance (COI), then add or select the subcontractor in Vouchbeam and upload the PDF certificate. Vouchbeam retains the source PDF with the record alongside the policy number, carrier, effective and expiration dates, coverage limits, and workers’ compensation confirmation. Review the stored policy facts against the certificate before relying on the status; Vouchbeam is an administrative tracking workflow, not an automatic substitute for reviewing the document.

Question 2

How do I configure and interpret required coverage?

Accepted Answer

Coverage requirements are workspace settings, not a statement of what your project or state legally requires. The default Vouchbeam setup checks for at least $1,000,000 of general liability, workers’ compensation, and at least $1,000,000 of auto liability; umbrella coverage is optional by default. An administrator can turn each coverage check on or off and change the monetary minimum in Coverage requirements. When a check is optional, Vouchbeam skips the missing-or-below-minimum test for that coverage. Confirm the right requirements with your contract and a licensed insurance professional.

Question 3

How do expiration dates and renewal reminders work?

Accepted Answer

Vouchbeam compares each stored expiration date with today and puts expired, due-today, and upcoming records into the renewal queue through the configured lead-time horizon. The default lead time is 30 days and can be set from 0 to 365 days. If a certificate is approaching expiration, contact the subcontractor and request an updated COI before the date shown. If it is expired, treat the record as needing action, request the renewed certificate, upload the replacement when received, and verify the policy facts again. Reminder drafts use the policy details and known recipients already stored on the record; they do not decide whether coverage is appropriate.

Question 4

What do Vouchbeam’s green, yellow, and red compliance statuses mean?

Accepted Answer

Green means the retained certificate is current and the stored policy facts meet every enabled coverage minimum. Yellow means the record otherwise passes but the certificate expires within the 30-day warning window, including the expiration date. Red means action is required—for example, the source PDF is missing, the certificate is expired or has an invalid or missing expiration date, workers’ compensation is missing when enabled, or an enabled general liability, auto liability, or umbrella limit is missing or below its configured minimum. Open the record’s reasons and review the certificate before deciding what to do next.

Question 5

Is Vouchbeam an insurance adviser or a replacement for coverage review?

Accepted Answer

Vouchbeam is an administrative tracking tool, not an insurance adviser or a replacement for professional coverage review. It helps your team retain certificates, compare stored policy facts with your configured requirements, and organize expiration follow-up. For coverage decisions, contract interpretation, or questions about whether a policy is suitable, consult your licensed insurance professional or other qualified adviser.

COI compliance, made clearer.

Keep the standard visible.