Reviewed by licensed advisers at Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver (FSP712931) · Updated 11 November 2026

Certificate of Currency NZ: What It Is and How to Get One

A certificate of currency is a one-page document from your insurer or adviser that proves a policy is in force. It shows who is insured, the type of policy, the limit of liability and the period of cover. It does not show the full policy terms. You get one by asking whoever arranged your insurance, and you need a policy in place first.

In short

It proves cover exists today. It is not the policy wording.
Clients check four things: the insurer, the exact name insured, the limit, and the expiry date.
If the limit asked for is higher than yours, the certificate will not satisfy the contract. Fix the cover, not the paperwork. An adviser can talk you through the options for a higher limit.

What a certificate of currency shows

A certificate of currency is a summary. Most show:

The insurer's name.
The name of the insured, which should match your contract or invoice name.
The policy number and type, such as public liability or professional indemnity.
The limit of liability, for example $2m or $5m.
The period of cover, with start and expiry dates.
Sometimes the excess, and any extra interests noted on the policy.

It does not show exclusions, conditions or the premium. A client who wants those can ask to see the policy schedule, though many will not.

If the limit asked for is higher than your cover

This is the most common snag. A sparky holding a $2m public liability policy is asked by a main contractor for $5m. Sending the $2m certificate will be rejected.

Your options:

Ask your insurer or adviser whether the limit can be raised, and what changes in the price and terms.
Ask an adviser what a higher limit would involve, including whether another insurer is worth looking at.
Ask the client whether a lower limit is acceptable. Some will agree in writing. Many will not.

Do not edit a certificate or send one for a different policy. If the cover is not there when a claim happens, the certificate does not make it so. For how limits work, see public liability insurance in NZ.

Who asks for one, and what they check

Main contractors, councils, government agencies, venues, landlords and event organisers all ask. Commercial clients ask because a facilities manager has to show their own insurer or board that visiting trades are covered.

Picture a painter and decorator in Auckland. A commercial client's facilities manager emails: no certificate of currency, no site access. Nothing else on the job moves until it arrives.

Here is what the person reading it looks for:

Check	What they want	Common problem
Limit	Equal to or above the contract amount	Your limit is lower than the contract says
Expiry	Covers the whole job, not just this week	Policy ends mid-project
Name insured	Matches your trading entity	Certificate shows a sole trader name, contract is with your company
Policy type	The cover the contract names	You hold public liability, they asked for professional indemnity too
Principal's interest	Their name noted, where the contract requires it	Not requested at the time of issue

Some contracts ask for the client to be noted as an interested party. Say so when you request the certificate, because it is easier to add at the start than to reissue later.

How to get a certificate of currency

Ask the insurer, the broker or the adviser who arranged the policy. Most can issue one on request.
Give them the details: the name of the party asking, the contract, and any wording the contract requires.
Check the draft before you send it. Look at the name, the limit and the dates.
Send it to the client and keep a copy for your own records.

If you have no cover yet, there is nothing to certify. You need a policy first, and that takes a quote and underwriting. The insurer decides whether to offer cover and on what terms, so do not treat a start date as certain until the policy is confirmed.

Work often cannot start without the certificate. That is the honest reason to sort cover early, ahead of the site date.

Common mistakes

Wrong entity. The certificate names you personally, the contract names your company.
Expired policy. Sending last year's certificate. Diarise your renewal.
Wrong cover. Public liability supplied when the contract asks for professional indemnity, or contract works. See professional indemnity insurance.
Assuming the certificate means the contract is met. Contracts under NZS 3910 can have detailed insurance clauses. Read them in full: NZS 3910 insurance requirements.
Leaving it to the day before. Insurers and advisers need your details first.

What a certificate does not tell the client

It proves a policy exists. It says nothing about whether the policy fits the work. Two legal limits sit behind any certificate:

Health and safety fines cannot be insured in NZ: under Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, s 29, a policy has no effect to the extent it indemnifies a fine under that Act. A certificate showing statutory liability cover does not change that.
ACC bars court claims for damages for personal injury it covers (Accident Compensation Act 2001, s 317), but claims for property damage are still allowed. So public liability claims in NZ are mostly property damage, plus legal costs and some exemplary damages.

A licensed adviser can read your contract and list what it requires. A Smiths adviser will phone you to talk through which covers to look at. Some business covers we refer to another licensed Financial Advice Provider, and we will tell you who, and how they are paid, before your details go to that firm. There is no cost to talk it through. Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver may receive a commission or referral payment if you buy.

Financial advice is provided by Craig Smith Business Services Limited, trading as Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931). Cover and price depend on insurer underwriting and the policy wording.

For the wider picture, see business insurance in NZ. If you work as a contractor, insurance for contractors covers the usual set. If the business depends on you or a co-owner, business protection covers life-based cover for owners.

By industry: Builders, Electricians, Plumbers, Cleaning businesses and Events.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a certificate of currency the same as a policy?

No. It is a short proof that a policy is in force. The policy wording and schedule are separate documents.

How long is a certificate of currency valid?

It is accurate on the date it is issued and only for the period of cover shown. Some clients ask for one issued recently. Check what your contract says.

Do I need one if I work as a sole trader?

Only if a client, contract or venue asks. Public liability cover is not generally compulsory, but many clients make it a condition of the job.

Can my adviser or insurer send it directly to my client?

Often yes. Tell them who the recipient is and ask them to copy you in.

Does it cost anything?

Policies have a premium. Whether a certificate carries a fee depends on the insurer or adviser, so ask.

References

Read the full insurance guides

Tell us how the business trades and a Smiths adviser will phone you to talk through which covers to look at. Check what cover you need. No cost to talk it through.