Limit comparison
Client Requires $1M Each Occurrence and $2M Aggregate: What Should the COI Show?
The two figures usually answer different numeric questions, so they should not be combined into a single “$2 million policy” label. Compare the written requirement with the matching certificate field, policy line, scope, and supporting evidence—then send any uncertainty to the licensed agent.
Prepared by COI Workbench Editorial Desk · Reviewed September 2026 · General U.S. guidance
When a client requires $1 million each occurrence and $2 million general aggregate for commercial general liability, compare $1 million with the Each Occurrence field and $2 million with the General Aggregate field. A match in those two boxes does not by itself prove every contract requirement is satisfied. You may also need to check the policy line, effective dates, products-completed operations aggregate, whether the aggregate is per policy, per project, or per location, additional-insured evidence, umbrella or excess treatment, and the client’s required documents.
Why $1 million and $2 million are not automatically inconsistent
Each occurrence and general aggregate are different limit labels. The first is associated with a single occurrence subject to the policy terms; the second is associated with an aggregate over the applicable policy scope and period. A requirement can legitimately list a lower each-occurrence figure and a higher aggregate figure because it is asking two separate questions.
Public contractor requirements commonly illustrate this format. The University of Oregon publishes an example requiring $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate for commercial general liability. The University of Nevada, Reno likewise lists $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate among its contractor requirements. These are examples of those institutions’ requirements, not universal limits for every project.
Build a field-by-field comparison
| Written requirement | COI field to inspect | Administrative question |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial general liability | Commercial General Liability policy row | Are you comparing the correct policy line rather than auto, umbrella, or professional liability? |
| $1,000,000 each occurrence | Each Occurrence | Does the displayed value meet the required value? |
| $2,000,000 general aggregate | General Aggregate | Does the displayed value meet the required value, and what scope does the client require? |
| Products and completed operations | Products-Comp/Op Aggregate | Is there a separate requested value and evidence period? |
| Per-project aggregate | May require separate policy or endorsement evidence | Does the contract ask how the aggregate applies, not merely the dollar amount? |
| Additional insured or waiver | Indicators plus applicable issued evidence | What endorsement or policy provision supports the request? |
| Umbrella or excess permitted | Umbrella/Excess row and underlying relationship | Does the client accept combined evidence and has the agent confirmed the structure? |
Seven checks before marking the limits as matched
1. Confirm the coverage line
A $1 million limit appearing under automobile liability cannot be used as the commercial general liability each-occurrence result. Preserve one row for every policy line. Do not compare the highest number anywhere on the certificate with every requirement.
2. Match labels, not just numbers
Compare Each Occurrence to each occurrence, General Aggregate to general aggregate, Products-Completed Operations Aggregate to its own request, and each employers-liability field separately. A numerical match under the wrong label remains an unresolved comparison.
3. Record the requirement scope
Identify whether the client asks for an aggregate applying generally, per project, per location, per policy, or under another stated basis. A certificate displaying $2 million General Aggregate does not necessarily answer a separate per-project endorsement request. The actual policy and issued endorsement control.
4. Check dates against the project
The displayed policy period may meet the values today but expire during the work. Compare every relevant effective and expiration date with mobilization, active work, completion, and any later evidence period. Create a renewal checkpoint where needed.
5. Keep primary and excess layers distinct
A contractor may have general liability plus umbrella or excess insurance. Do not add numbers automatically. Ask the agent how the policies are structured and what accurate evidence is available. Ask the client whether its written requirement permits the proposed evidence.
6. Review endorsements and supporting documents separately
The limit boxes do not answer every request for additional-insured status, waiver of subrogation, primary-and-noncontributory treatment, completed operations, or aggregate application. Create a separate evidence row for every requested document or policy feature.
7. Distinguish comparison from acceptance
A tool can classify user-entered numbers as equal, short, missing, or unclear. It cannot verify the certificate, determine coverage, interpret the contract, or approve the package. Preserve the result as a preparation record and route decisions to the authorized parties.
Four results the contractor can record
Numeric match
The user-entered required and displayed values match under the corresponding label.
Shortfall
The displayed value entered is lower than the written requirement entered.
Missing
No value is available in the expected field or source.
Unresolved
The values may match, but scope, policy structure, evidence, or source meaning still needs review.
Preserve the source used for every result. A reviewer email, contract exhibit, portal field, certificate, endorsement, and agent response have different roles and dates. If a later revision changes the required limit, do not overwrite the first comparison. Create a new version, identify the effective instruction, and reconnect any affected evidence or open question. That history makes a corrected submission understandable without implying that an earlier package was fraudulent or that a numeric match proved coverage.
Example: the numbers match but the package is rejected
A subcontract requires $1 million each occurrence, $2 million general aggregate, and a per-project aggregate endorsement. The certificate displays $1 million Each Occurrence and $2 million General Aggregate, so the numeric comparison has two matches. The client still rejects the package because no requested evidence addresses how the aggregate applies.
The contractor should not change the certificate description to say “per project.” It records the two numeric matches, keeps the per-project item open, sends the exact requirement to the licensed agent, and asks what issued policy evidence is available. If the required endorsement is unavailable, the contractor uses a separate exception proposal and seeks an authorized client decision.
Example: the general liability row is low but an umbrella appears
The client requires $2 million each occurrence. The commercial general liability row displays $1 million Each Occurrence, and the certificate also displays a $1 million umbrella limit. It may be tempting to declare a $2 million match. That conclusion depends on policy structure, the umbrella terms, underlying coverage, the client’s requirement, and the evidence it accepts.
The preparation record should show the general liability value, umbrella value, and apparent difference separately. Ask the agent to explain the structure and provide accurate evidence. Ask the client whether that structure and evidence address its written requirement. Until then, classify the item as unresolved rather than matched.
Questions for the client and licensed agent
| Question | Best route |
|---|---|
| Which version of the insurance exhibit controls? | Authorized client or contract contact |
| Does “$2M aggregate” mean general, per project, per location, or another scope? | Client clarifies the requirement; qualified legal review may be needed |
| What does the current policy and issued endorsement provide? | Licensed agent, broker, insurer, or authorized issuer |
| Can umbrella or excess evidence be used to address the requested limit? | Agent explains the policy structure; client decides what it accepts |
| Which document should be submitted? | Agent identifies issued evidence; client identifies delivery requirements |
| Has the package completed review? | Client or authorized reviewer |
Compare the exact fields
Enter required and displayed values side by side.
The browser-only comparator separates matches, shortfalls, missing fields, and follow-up questions without uploading a certificate or contract.
Frequently asked questions
Is $1 million per occurrence plus $2 million aggregate a $3 million policy?
Do not add the labels together. They describe different limits and how they apply is governed by the policy. Ask the licensed agent to explain the specific policy.
Does a $2 million aggregate satisfy a $2 million each-occurrence requirement?
Not as a field-by-field comparison. Each Occurrence and General Aggregate are separate labels. Record the apparent difference and ask the agent and client about the specific requirement and available evidence.
Can umbrella insurance fix a shortfall?
It may be relevant, but no automatic conclusion is appropriate. The agent must explain the policy structure and accurate evidence; the client determines whether that structure addresses its written requirement.
Where does a per-project aggregate appear?
The certificate’s general aggregate box may not establish the requested application. Ask the licensed issuer which policy or endorsement evidence addresses the question and follow the client’s document instruction.
Sources and limits
- University of Oregon: published certificate and contractor limit requirements
- University of Nevada, Reno: contractor insurance guide
- Texas Department of Insurance: Certificates of Insurance FAQ
This guide provides an administrative comparison method. It does not interpret policy or contract language, determine how limits apply, combine primary and excess coverage, verify a certificate, or approve a submission. Use the licensed agent or insurer for policy-backed answers and the authorized client for requirement and acceptance decisions.