Operational Risk Management

Certificate of Insurance (COI)

It is commonplace for contracting organizations to exchange Certificates of Insurance to demonstrate that they have insurance coverage.  George Mason University Operational Risk Management will provide such certificates on behalf of the Commonwealth.  (Certificates of Insurance for Workers Compensation Coverage are provided by Human Resources.) Requests should be submitted via email five (5) business days in advance of the date the certificate is needed. 

Complete and forward a Certificate of Insurance Request and supporting contract or agreement via email to risk@gmu.edu.  The Certificate will be prepared and forwarded in accordance with the routing information provided on the request form.

Certificates of Insurance may be submitted by George Mason Department’s when requesting accommodations from George Mason Housing & Residence Life, such as for camps or events. For these requests please complete the Inter-Department Certificate of Insurance Request and submit via email to risk@gmu.edu.

Contract Review for Certificates of Insurance:

The use of outside facilities must be for official George Mason business or be an approved event in order to receive a Certificate of Insurance.

As a public agency, George Mason is not permitted to add other entities as an additional insured to the Commonwealth’s self-insurance comprehensive liability program, nor can we provide contractual liability coverage that would assume contractual indemnification or hold harmless provisions. If you encounter a purchasing agreement under $5,000, a contractor’s addendum may be used when agreements have prohibited language that George Mason cannot agree to. Purchasing has provided the contract addendum and instructions on their website.

University faculty, staff, and students are not permitted to sign contracts or make obligations on behalf of the University for purchases that exceed $5,000. All contracts and agreements over $5,000 must be signed by George Mason employees who have expressly been delegated signature authority by official Memo of Delegation of Signature Authority.  Otherwise, no employee has legal authority to bind the University.