As insurance carriers finalize renewals and policy adjustments for the new year, December is historically the period when Certificates of Insurance (COIs) experience the highest rate of discrepancies, lags, and expirations. This year is no exception—in fact, 2025 has produced some of the most volatile COI management conditions in recent memory.
Factors, lenders, and commercial finance providers are reporting increased issues in:
- Missing endorsements
- Outdated ACORD forms
- Carrier-issued mid-term policy changes
- Mismatched policy limits
- Gaps between certificate data and carrier verification
- Fraudulent or manipulated insurance documents
Compounding these issues is the year-end surge in volume. Borrowers, transportation groups, carriers, brokers, and vendors all make policy adjustments before January 1. Internal teams often struggle to keep pace with the volume, especially when working with limited staffing during the holiday season.
From a compliance standpoint, COI mismanagement creates serious exposure. Regulators and auditors are flagging incomplete renewals and inconsistent documentation as key weaknesses in back-office risk management. A single missed renewal or unverifiable certificate can create uninsured exposure—leaving institutions liable for losses tied to equipment damage, cargo issues, or liability claims.
Year-end bottlenecks are prompting many organizations to re-evaluate the sustainability of their COI processes. Institutions that rely solely on internal teams often encounter backlogs, delays, and avoidable verification gaps—particularly in December, when the risk curve is at its peak.
This is why organizations are increasingly partnering with third-party operational specialists to stabilize their insurance verification process.
24×7 Synergy’s COI management model delivers:
- Real-time tracking of renewals
- Comprehensive verification of coverage details
- Carrier-level confirmation when necessary
- Documentation retention aligned with audit standards
- Accurate reconciliation between certificates and policies
- Detailed follow-up on discrepancies and missing documents
In an environment where risk can escalate overnight, outsourcing COI management is becoming an essential strategy—not only to maintain compliance, but also to protect portfolios heading into 2026.
December is the month when COI risk peaks. Institutions that reinforce their verification workflows now will prevent exposure, strengthen audit readiness, and eliminate operational bottlenecks before the new year.