The Small Automation with Outsized Returns: Certificates of Insurance

Why Certificates of Insurance (COIs) Should Be Your First Digital Worker

Every construction company fights the same fire. Hundreds of certificates of insurance land in an inbox. Someone opens each one, checks the dates, keys the numbers into Sage, and then sets a reminder to chase the subcontractor when the policy runs out. The work never stops. It only compounds as the vendor list grows.

That makes COI tracking the perfect proving ground for automation.

The manual reality

A mid‑size contractor might manage 250 subcontractors a year. Most policies renew annually, and each renewal touches at least four steps:

1. Receive the certificate.

2. Read the effective and expiration dates.

3. Update a system of record (this could be the ERP for many companies).

4. Remind the vendor—often three or four times—to update their documentation once a certificate has expired.

If this process is manual today, think about the manual efforts that go into pure administrative work. Depending on the number of subcontractors and the timing of COIs expiring, this manual workflow could take one hundred, two hundred, perhaps even four hundred hours every year to maintain. 

In addition to the wasted hours of data entry, there’s another hidden, more dangerous risk to a manual workflow like this. If a COI lapses, or if a vendor falls out of compliance without a human noticing, it could potentially cost the company millions of dollars.

Here’s how this workflow would look when automated with a software robot:

1. A robot receives the COI. The robot opens and reads the PDF the moment it hits an email inbox or a shared drive.

2. The robot extracts the data. The robot extracts the relevant data from the document, including the vendor’s name, the expiration date, or any policy limits notes.

3. Updates the ERP. Based on the data from the document, the robot logs into the ERP and creates or updates a record with the relevant information for that vendor.

4. Handles the chase. Thirty days before expiration, the robot begins reaching out to the vendor via email. When it reaches seven days before expiration, it follows up daily. The reminders stop the second a fresh certificate arrives.

5. Management by exception. Each day, a human will receive a report that shows all of their current vendors and their compliance status, sorted by vendors whose COIs are set to expire soonest. If needed, a human can step in to make a few phone calls when needed.

Why should contractors start automating this process more? 

Fast payback. Most teams see positive ROI in under 90 days. Over time, contractors could save hundreds of hours out of the back office. The math speaks for itself.

Low change management. This doesn’t require the implementation of a new software, a new workflow, or new training. Vendors can keep the same inbox, administrative teams keep the same ERP workflow, and none of the insurance requirements change. The workflow remains the same.

Clear risk reduction. Lapsed insurance can expose a GC to six or even seven-figure liability on a single claim. Automated tracking closes that gap.

High morale boost. No one was hired to nag vendors. Free them for tasks that grow the business.

Scalable pattern. COI processing is a classic “read, write, remind” loop. Nail it once and the template repeats for pay applications, lien waivers, and even certified payroll.

Getting started

Deployment of a software robot is massively easier and less expensive than rolling out new software. Define your current workflow, forward your insurance inbox to the robot, and map the ERP fields required to be updated. Finally, set the reminder cadence—most firms choose 30, 14, and 7 days. Turn the key and the robot handles the rest. 

A small step. A big signal.

COI workflows are repetitive, rule‑bound, and high‑volume– these are perfect conditions for a software robot. Once leaders see a robot keeping vendors compliant without human oversight, their view of what else is possible changes overnight. The future belongs to teams who let software do the clerical work so people can do the strategic work.

Ready to see what this workflow looks like after the robots move in? Set up a call with Briq.