Which of the following is commonly included as supporting due diligence artifacts?

• A. Certificate of Insurance
• B. Marketing brochures
• C. Customer testimonials
• D. Press releases

Answer: (A)

In due diligence for third-party risk management, you want documents that prove safeguards and contractual protections are in place. A certificate of insurance is a standard artifact because it provides verifiable evidence that the vendor has active insurance coverage—such as general liability, workers’ compensation, and possibly professional liability—with specified limits and current validity. It also often includes endorsements like additional insured status and notification provisions, ensuring your organization is protected if the vendor’s policy lapses or changes. This directly reduces financial and operational risk during the contract term and supports claims handling if something goes wrong.

Promotional materials like marketing brochures, customer testimonials, and press releases don’t reliably demonstrate risk controls or contractual protections. They reflect claims about capabilities or reputation but aren’t evidence of insurance, compliance, or risk transfer necessary for rigorous due diligence.