Why 700,000 small contractors still use spreadsheets to track insurance (and how I'm fixing it)

Hey Product Hunt

I'm the solo founder of COI Shield Buddy a tool that helps small general contractors track subcontractor insurance certificates (COIs) and get automatic reminders before policies expire.

The problem:

Every general contractor has to collect proof of insurance from every subcontractor before they start work. If a sub's policy lapses and something goes wrong — an injury, property damage — the GC can be held liable. One missed expiration can turn into a six-figure lawsuit.

Most small contractors track this in Excel, email folders, or just their memory. The tools that exist (myCOI, TrustLayer, COI Rocket) cost $5,000–$20,000/year and require a minimum of 200 certificates to even onboard. A 5 person contractor can't use them.

What I built:

· Upload a COI PDF Gemini AI extracts the policy number, insurer, and expiration date automatically

· A red/yellow/green dashboard shows who's covered at a glance

· Automatic email reminders go to subs 30, 15, and 7 days before expiration

· A document vault for W-9s, licenses, and safety certs

· An AI project estimator that turns a description like "Kitchen remodel, 200 sq ft, Houston" into a full line-item estimate in 30 seconds

· Referral system: users earn 10% commission when they invite other contractors

Pricing: $499/year or

$999 lifetime. Free for the first 10 contractors.

What I'd love from the PH community:

1. Feedback on the landing page —does it clearly explain the value?

2. Any contractors in your network who might find this useful?

3. Honest take: is $499/year the right price for this market?

Try it free: https://coishieldbuddy.site

Thanks for any feedback I'll be

in the comments all day. 🙏