Switching broker · Procurement · 2026

Failed a client's insurance due-diligence check?

More clients now vet suppliers' insurance before they'll trade. A fail isn't the end — but it needs fixing quickly, and properly.

Part of: When to switch business insurance broker

In short

Procurement and supplier-onboarding checks now routinely ask for certificates and reject anything that doesn't meet the client's minimum. The usual reasons for a fail: a limit lower than the client requires, a cover you don't hold at all (often cyber or professional indemnity), Employers' Liability not evidenced, a certificate that's out of date, or the client not being named where the contract requires it. Almost all of these can be fixed in days once a broker sees the client's requirement. The mistake is treating it as paperwork — it's a cover gap the client happened to find first.

Why businesses fail these checks

A limit below the client's stated minimum — often on professional indemnity or public liability.
A required cover that isn't held: cyber, PI, or product liability are the common ones.
Employers' Liability not evidenced, even though it's legally required with staff.
An expired certificate, or one that doesn't name the client as an interested party where required.

How to fix it fast

Get the client's exact insurance requirement in writing and send it to a broker the same day.
Increase limits or add the missing cover — most can be arranged within a few days.
Have certificates issued in the form the client's portal or procurement team will accept.
Keep the higher standard: if one client asks, the next one will too.

The client that rejected you did you a favour. The gap was real; they just found it before a claim did.

Frequently asked

My client says my public liability limit is too low. Can I increase it quickly?

Usually yes. A broker can arrange a higher limit, often within a day or two, and issue the certificate the client needs.

What is a certificate of insurance and how do I get one?

It's a document from your insurer or broker confirming the cover, limits and dates. Your broker issues it, and can add the client's name where the contract requires it.

Do I need cyber insurance to pass a supplier check?

Increasingly, yes, especially where you handle the client's data or connect to their systems. Many procurement checks now require it or Cyber Essentials.

Will meeting one client's requirement cover me for others?

Often it will, because requirements are broadly similar, but each client sets its own. A broker sets a standard that satisfies the demanding ones so you're not fixing it every time.

Failed a supplier check? Send us the requirement.

Forward the client's insurance requirement and a named Apex broker will close the gap and get the certificate issued — fast enough to keep the work.

Fix the gap → Request a callback

Apex Insurance Brokers is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 724952). This page is general information, not advice.