You land a new drone job. The client is ready, budget confirmed, flight date set. Then comes the email: "Can you send us a certificate of insurance before we get started?"
For a lot of commercial operators, that's where things get complicated. Not because they don't have coverage, but because they're not sure what the client needs or whether their current policy can satisfy it.
What a COI actually is
A Certificate of Insurance, or COI, is a one-page document summarizing your coverage. It shows the policy type, limits, effective dates, and insurer. It's not the policy itself. It's proof that a valid policy exists at the time of the job.
Clients request it because they want confirmation that if something goes wrong during your flight, they're not left financially exposed.
What clients are looking at
Most commercial clients in construction, real estate, film, and infrastructure have their own risk management requirements. When they review your COI, they check that you carry commercial drone liability insurance, that your limits meet their minimum (often $1M or $2M per occurrence), that the policy was active on the job date, and whether they need to be listed as an additional insured.
That last one trips up a lot of operators. Some clients, especially municipalities, require being named as an additional insured on your policy. If your insurance can't accommodate that request quickly, it creates a real problem when a job is 48 hours away.
Coverage limits by job type
- Standard commercial clients: $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate
- Government or municipal projects: $2M to $5M per occurrence
- Telecommunications and utilities: $5M to $10M or more
- Film and production: usually $1M to $2M, sometimes with equipment requirements
For general commercial work, $1M in liability covers most private contracts. For infrastructure or government work, verify the specific requirement before submitting your proposal.
The problem with slow COI delivery
A lot of operators have annual policies through traditional brokers. The client needs a COI with additional insured added. The operator emails the broker. The broker is out. The job is in two days.
With a digital-first policy, you generate a COI from your account, add an additional insured in real time, and have documentation in the client's inbox within minutes. You can get a quote and set this up in a few minutes, and delivering documentation fast is increasingly part of what clients expect.
Frequently asked questions
Do all commercial drone clients require a COI?
Not all, but many do, especially in real estate, construction, film, and government work. Having one ready speeds up contracting and signals a professional operation.
What's the difference between per occurrence and aggregate limits?
Per occurrence is the maximum your insurer pays for a single claim. Aggregate is the total paid across all claims in a policy period. A $1M/$2M policy means $1M per incident and $2M total for the year.
Can I add a client as additional insured on a per-flight policy?
Yes. With SkyWatch, you can add additional insured parties on an annual policy or single-flight coverage. The designation appears directly on your COI.
Does the FAA require commercial drone operators to carry insurance?
The FAA does not currently require liability insurance for commercial drone operations. The requirement comes from clients and job sites. Operating without it leaves your personal and business assets exposed if a claim arises.
How quickly can I get a COI through SkyWatch?
Once your policy is active, you generate a COI from your account in real time. Adding an additional insured happens at the same time. The whole process takes a few minutes.
