Gaining ISNetworld® compliance is a great way to set yourself apart from the competition and access a growing number of contractors, suppliers, and businesses. However, there’s no denying that earning and maintaining your membership will require time and money. The lengthy, in-depth application process alone can stall progress tremendously and leave some members feeling stuck.
If you’re familiar with ISNetworld®, you’re likely already aware of the headaches that can come from trying to gain approval. One of the biggest hurdles contractors and businesses face is the insurance review process.
Although these steps may feel overwhelming, we’ve broken down the ISNetworld® insurance review process into key sections to help you earn compliance as quickly as possible.
What Does the ISNetworld® Insurance Review Process Entail?
Starting your application for membership is only the first step in earning ISNetworld® compliance. After your preliminary questionnaire, you’ll need to complete the insurance verification process, or I-RAVS®, to meet liability insurance requirements and potentially grant a waiver of subrogation. If you are an owner of multiple organizations, you will need to provide insurance information for each individual business.
ISNetworld® performs additional reviews of insurance submitted by or on behalf of Contractors to ensure it is consistent with the agreed-upon insurance or risk management requirements established by the Hiring Client. So, it’s important for both contractors and hiring businesses to continuously update their insurance information on their ISNetworld® accounts, even after membership has been approved.
Common Reasons for Rejected Certificates of Insurance
The ISNetworld® I-RAVS® process is very strict and will require careful review of your certificates of insurance. Therefore, there are several issues that can result in a rejection of your certificates of insurance, including:
- Misspelled company names
- Incorrect or improperly listed company address
- Name of the contractor registered with ISNetworld® does not exactly match the name listed on the insurance certificate
- Requirement to notify owner-operator of policy cancelation was not stated on the certificate of insurance
- Missing policy types
- Inadequate policy limits
- Language of the waiver of subrogation does not exactly match the requirements
Luckily, ISNetworld® does allow you to access help from an insurance agent to make sure the information on your certificate of insurance is correctly listed. Insurance agents are able to log in directly to the ISNetworld® site with your permission, and can upload insurance certificates on your behalf.
8 Tips for a Smooth Insurance Review Process
After all the time, money, and effort that goes into completing ISNetworld® applications, getting your certificate of insurance rejected at the last step can be very frustrating. Here are our top 8 tips to avoid having your certificates of insurance rejected by ISNetworld®:
- Review and understand ISNetworld®'s insurance requirements.
Before you submit your certificates of insurance, make sure you understand the specific requirements set by ISNetworld®. Review the requirements and ensure your insurance coverage meets or exceeds them. Depending on the type of work and contractor you require, your standard liability insurance may not be up to snuff. Find out if you need to upgrade before submitting for review. - Use a standard ISO certificate of insurance.
ISNetworld® accepts standard ISO certificates of insurance. Make sure that the certificates you submit are in the correct format and include all the necessary information, including correctly spelled names and up-to-date addresses. - Submit only valid and current certificates.
Make sure the certificates of insurance you submit are valid and current. Expired or invalid certificates will be rejected. Most certificates of insurance expire at the end of the policy period, so make sure you have a system in place to monitor when these deadlines are approaching. - Provide the correct named insured.
ISNetworld® requires that the name of the insured on the certificate of insurance matches the name of the contractor or company that is submitting the certificate. Double check the contractor or business’s ISNetworld® account and confirm that they are listed on your certificate as they are listed on the ISNetworld® site. - Provide the correct policy number and effective date.
Make sure the policy number and effective date on the certificate of insurance match the information on the policy. Double check the effective date is prior to or the same as the start date of work between yourself and the insured. - Provide additional endorsements if required.
ISNetworld® may require certain endorsements, such as a Waiver of Subrogation or Additional Insured endorsement. Make sure to include these endorsements if they are required. - Communicate with your insurance provider.
If you have questions about your insurance coverage or need help obtaining the necessary endorsements, reach out to your insurance provider for assistance. Remember, insurance agents are able to log in to your ISNetworld® account and assist with uploading documentation. - Send the certificates of insurance to the right contact.
ISNetworld® allows different users to have different access to the system. It’s important to confirm who the right contact person is to ensure they can access the documents you send.
Hire an ISNetworld® Consultant for Fast Approval
Even after following these key tips, it’s possible to face a rejected certificate of insurance, especially if you and your team are unfamiliar with ISNetworld® and how to best use the site.
An ISNetworld® consultant can help you avoid having your insurance certificates rejected and make essential working connections quickly. This consultant’s services include:
- Reviewing your insurance coverage.
While an insurance agent can help make sure your ducks are in a row and that all the paperwork is filled out correctly, they’re still missing a fundamental understanding of ISNetworld® requirements. The consultant will review your current insurance coverage to ensure it meets or exceeds any essential prerequisites. - Identifying missing endorsements.
The consultant will check to see if any required endorsements, such as a Waiver of Subrogation or Additional Insured endorsement, are missing from your certificates of insurance. Since these additional endorsements are required on a case-by-case basis, it’s important to have someone checking for them consistently. - Helping you obtain missing endorsements.
If any required endorsements are missing, the consultant can work with you to obtain them. - Reviewing and formatting your certificates of insurance.
The consultant will review your certificates of insurance to ensure they are in the correct format and include all the necessary information, including correctly spelled names and properly listed addresses. - Reviewing the named insured and policy number.
The consultant will verify the name of the insured on the certificate of insurance matches the name of the contractor or company submitting the certificate, and the policy number and effective date are correct. - Communicating with ISNetworld®.
Having already developed a working relationship with the company, the consultant can communicate with ISNetworld® on your behalf if there are any issues or questions regarding your insurance certificates. - Staying up-to-date with ISNetworld®’s insurance requirements.
The consultant will stay informed of any changes to ISNetworld®’s insurance requirements and ensure that your insurance coverage continues to meet these requirements.
Additionally, ISNetworld® consultants maintain expertise surrounding the entirety of the compliance site, and can extend help beyond an approved certificate of insurance. ISNetworld® consultants are a great tool for completing your initial application for ISN membership, determining how you can earn compliance, and connecting you with approved contractors and suppliers.
Related Content: Why You Need an ISNetworld® Consultant
Takeaway
ISNetworld® is an incredible way for businesses, suppliers, and contractors to connect over relevant projects in a safe way. Having access to a database of professionals who have already been vetted and approved for compliance takes a lot of the guesswork and uneasiness out of hiring for new projects.
However, maintaining your spot as an ISNetworld® member requires a fair amount of work, including getting a certificate of insurance approved. Thankfully, expert ISNetworld® consultants are capable of aiding in any stage of developing an ISN account or gaining I-RAVS® approval.
By working with an ISNetworld® consultant, you can ensure your insurance certificates meet ISNetworld®’s requirements and reduce the chances of them being rejected.
