You need one kind of insurance to show a certificate
You are an electrician. A customer or a client just asked for a certificate. If they ask for workers' compensation insurance, that is what UNO sells. Workers' comp is the law in many states for businesses with employees. You are a one-person business. But a client might still want proof that you have coverage. Your checklist has one item: workers' comp insurance.
Ghost policies are a type of workers' comp. They do not cover you, the owner, but they can answer a request for a workers' comp certificate. Your quote takes minutes: start your quote. After you pay by card and sign your documents, Cimarron issues your ghost policy within 24 business hours.
Step 1: Know what your state needs
Every state has its own rules about insurance. Most states require workers' comp once a business has employees. In many states that starts with the first employee; others set a number such as three, four or five, and Texas lets most private employers choose. Your state's workers' compensation office can tell you what your state needs. Start your quote to see the price.
General liability, cyber and other types of insurance are different policies, and UNO does not sell them. If a client asks for a workers' comp certificate, a workers' comp policy is what answers it.
Step 2: Choose the right type of policy for your business
Ghost policies are made for one-person businesses. They show that your business has insurance. But they do not cover you, the owner. They also allow no employees and no subcontractors of any kind, even subs who carry their own insurance or hand you a certificate. If anyone else works for you — an employee, a subcontractor, a 1099 worker, day labor, or a family member who helps — you need regular workers' comp, not a ghost policy.
Ask yourself: Are you working in dangerous places or handling heavy equipment? If yes, remember that a ghost policy pays nothing to you if you get hurt. You decide what is right for your business.
Step 3: Get your quote and policy documents
To get a ghost policy, you need to start your quote. You will answer a few simple questions about your business. The system will give you a real price for your state and the kind of work you do. You can pay for the policy right there, by card. The premium is fully earned, so once the policy is issued there is no refund.
After Cimarron issues your policy, within 24 business hours of your payment and signed documents, you will get two things: the policy documents and a certificate of insurance (COI). The certificate is what you need to send to the person who asked for it. It shows the name of the insurance company, the dates of coverage, and the type of insurance you have. But it does not show all the rules of the policy. If you need more details, look at the full policy documents.
Step 4: Know what your policy covers and what it does not
A ghost policy can answer a request for a workers' comp certificate. But it does not cover you, the owner. You reject coverage for yourself when you buy it. If you are hurt on the job, the policy will not pay for your medical bills or lost wages.
A 👻Ghost Policy never covers the owner; if you want coverage for yourself, you need regular workers' comp.
Work above 15 feet can't be covered by this program. If any of your electrical work goes that high, you need regular workers' comp, not a ghost policy.
Step 5: Keep your certificate and policy documents safe
After you get your policy, you will have two important papers: the policy documents and the certificate of insurance. Keep them in a safe place. You might need to show the certificate again — to a client, a landlord, or a government office.
The policy documents have all the rules of your insurance. Read them carefully. They will tell you what is covered and what is not. If you need help, look at the policy documents or start your quote for more information.
Bonus: What happens if you do not have insurance?
If your state needs workers' comp and you do not have it, you could be fined. In Illinois, for example, an employer that knowingly goes without it can be fined for each day and ordered to stop work. You do not want to get into trouble. If anyone else works for you, a ghost policy cannot meet that rule. You need regular workers' comp, not a ghost policy.
Even if your state does not need workers' comp, a certificate can help you win jobs. Some clients and landlords only work with businesses that have insurance. Having a certificate can help you get more work and grow your business.
