We read the published vendor-insurance rules of 163 US wedding and event venues across 37 states to answer a simple question: what do venues actually require from their vendors? Here's what their public policies say.
The data
| Published requirement | Venues | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Ask vendors for a certificate of insurance or proof of insurance | 65 | 40% |
| Say outside vendors must be "licensed and insured" | 61 | 37% |
| Explicitly require the venue named as additional insured | 36 | 22% |
| Have specific rules for bartenders or alcohol service | 34 | 21% |
| State a dollar limit of $1 million | 23 | 14% |
| State a deadline for the certificate | 23 | 14% |
| …and when a deadline is stated, it's 30 days before the event | 16 of 23 | 70% |
Method: we reviewed the public FAQ, vendor-policy or contract pages of 163 US wedding and event venues in September–October 2026. Counts are venues whose published policy explicitly mentions each requirement. Many venues have stricter rules in their private contracts, so treat these as minimums.
What it means
The headline isn't that venues don't care about insurance — it's that published requirements are often vague. Twice as many venues say "licensed and insured" as state an actual dollar limit. Only about 1 in 5 explicitly ask to be named as additional insured, which is the wording that actually extends a vendor's policy to the venue.
For a venue, the takeaway is practical: write down exactly what you require — a general liability limit, additional insured wording, liquor liability where alcohol is served, and a deadline. Specific requirements get correct certificates the first time. See our vendor liability insurance guide for a baseline by vendor type, and how to get a COI from vendors for a copy-paste request.
Using this data
You're welcome to cite these figures — please credit VenueCOI and link to this page. The numbers reflect published venue policies as of October 2026.