A signed vendor agreement is what turns your insurance requirements from a request into a rule — and it's what makes "additional insured where required by written contract" actually apply to your venue. Here's a free template to start from.
Download the venue vendor agreement template (Word .docx) — open it in Word or Google Docs, then edit it for your venue.
What the template covers
| Section | What it does |
|---|---|
| Services | What the vendor is providing and when |
| Insurance requirements | Limits, additional insured, and role-specific coverage |
| COI deadline | When the certificate is due (commonly 30 days out) |
| Alcohol | Responsibilities and liquor liability, where applicable |
| Load-in / load-out | Access times and points |
| Cleanup | What the vendor must remove and by when |
| Damage & indemnity | Who's responsible for damage and claims |
| Conduct | Rules, noise and end-time expectations |
Why the insurance section matters most
Endorsements like additional insured, waiver of subrogation and primary and non-contributory frequently apply only "where required by written contract." If you rely on a vendor's blanket endorsement without a signed agreement that requires those things, the wording may not extend to your venue. The agreement closes that gap.
Pair the agreement with a clear request — see how to request a COI from vendors — and a way to track what's come in.
What this means for your venue
The template gets your requirements in writing; the work after that is collecting and checking each vendor's certificate against those requirements. You can track it manually with our COI tracking spreadsheet, or let VenueCOI collect, check and chase certificates automatically. Start by checking a COI free.
This template is general information, not legal advice. Have your attorney review and adapt it for your state and contracts.