A waiver of subrogation is your insurance company's promise not to go after your customer to recover money it paid on a claim. Your policy has one only if a waiver endorsement (a one page change to your policy) is listed on it, and that is common on contractor general liability policies but rare on workers comp unless someone asked. The waiver can also be written into a broader endorsement, so check there too. Who this is for: owners staring at a certificate request that asks for a waiver, who are not sure what their policy already has.
The short version
- Look at the list of forms on the front page or two of your policy. If a waiver is on the policy, it is listed there.
- "Blanket" wording covers any customer you agreed to waive for in a written contract. A "scheduled" waiver covers only the names typed on the page.
- General liability often has a blanket waiver built in. Workers comp usually does not.
- A checked box on an old certificate is not proof. Only the waiver page in your policy is.
- If the waiver is missing, your broker can add one in one to three business days.
Where in my policy do I look?
Your policy has three places to check. The first one usually answers it in five minutes.
- The declarations page. This is the front page or two of your policy. Near the bottom, or on the page after it, is a list titled "Forms and Endorsements" or "Schedule of Forms." Every page in your policy is listed there. Look for the word "waiver" or the phrase "transfer of rights of recovery."
- The endorsement pages. These sit behind the main policy wording. Flip through the titles. The waiver page has "Waiver" in its title.
- Your broker. If you cannot find your policy, ask. They have it on file.
What will the waiver page say?
Here is what each one means.
| What you see on the page | What it means |
|---|---|
| General liability form CG 24 04, "Waiver of Transfer of Rights of Recovery Against Others to Us" | This is the general liability waiver. Your insurance company gives up its right to recover from whoever is named or described in the box. |
| A box that says "Any person or organization when you have agreed in a written contract" or the word "Blanket" | Blanket wording. It covers any customer you promised a waiver to in a signed contract. No names needed. |
| A box with one or more company names typed in | Scheduled wording. Only the customers listed are covered. A new customer needs a new entry. |
| Workers comp form WC 00 03 13, "Waiver of Our Right to Recover From Others" | This is the workers comp waiver. It can be blanket or scheduled, depending on what is typed in its box. Texas uses its own form, WC 42 03 04. |
| Nothing with "waiver" or "recovery" in the title | You probably do not have a waiver, but check one more place first. Some insurance companies put the waiver inside a "contractors enhancement" or "broadening" endorsement with a plain title. Have your broker confirm before you pay for one. |
Does my waiver cover every customer, or only the ones named?
Read the box on the waiver page. If it names a company, the waiver is scheduled. It only works for that company. If it describes a type of customer, such as anyone you signed a contract with, it is blanket. A blanket waiver is what you want if you sign more than a couple of contracts a year. See a waiver for just one job for how the two compare on cost.
One catch with blanket wording. It applies only when a written contract requires the waiver, and usually only if that contract was signed before the loss. A handshake deal does not count. Keep the signed contract.
Why is my general liability more likely to have one than my workers comp?
Contractor general liability policies are often sold as a package that includes a blanket waiver at no separate charge. Workers comp is different. The waiver there costs the insurance company real money on injury claims, so it is priced and added only on request. See how to check your workers comp policy.
Is the check box on my certificate proof?
No. A certificate of insurance is a one page summary of your policies, limits, and dates. The waiver column only says the endorsement exists. It is not proof. Whoever filled it in may have checked the box by habit. If your customer asks for the endorsement page and there is none, the certificate is wrong and you are the one who broke the contract. More at waiver of subrogation on a certificate.
What if my policy does not have one?
Ask your broker to add it. On general liability the change is routine and often free. On workers comp it is priced, usually as a small percentage of the premium for the payroll on that job. Either way, allow one to three business days. The full steps are in what to do when your GC asks for a waiver.
What this looks like in real life
Illustrative example. It is typical of what we see and is not a promise of how any specific situation would be handled.
The setup: A heating and cooling subcontractor in Arizona bids a $96,000 job for a general contractor (GC). The GC's certificate request asks for a waiver on general liability and workers comp. The owner remembers his broker saying his policy "has blanket everything," so he tells the GC he is all set.
What went wrong: The GC asks for the endorsement pages. The general liability policy does have a blanket waiver. The workers comp policy has no waiver at all. The GC holds the start date until it arrives.
What it cost: Two days of delay while the workers comp waiver was added, plus a charge of about $190 (illustrative), and an awkward first call with a new customer.
The fix: "Blanket" usually describes one policy, not all of them. Check the forms list on each policy the customer named before you tell a customer you have it.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Does my insurance policy already include a waiver of subrogation?
Only if a waiver endorsement is listed on the forms schedule of your declarations page. Many contractor general liability policies include a blanket waiver. Workers comp policies rarely do unless you asked for one.
Q: What does a waiver actually do for my customer?
It stops your insurance company from suing your customer to get back money it paid on a claim tied to your work. The claim stops with your policy. It does not reduce your own coverage.
Q: What is the difference between a blanket waiver and a scheduled one?
A blanket waiver covers any customer you agreed to waive for in a written contract, with no names needed. A scheduled waiver covers only the companies typed on the page. Blanket is better if you sign several contracts a year.
Q: Where is the forms list on my policy?
On or right after the front page of your policy. It is usually titled "Forms and Endorsements" or "Schedule of Forms," and it lists each form by number and title.
Q: My certificate shows the waiver box checked. Is that enough?
Not by itself. The box only says the endorsement exists; it is not proof. If a customer asks for the endorsement page and there is none, the certificate is wrong. Match the certificate to the policy.
Q: Can my broker just check for me?
Yes. Your broker has the policy on file and can read the forms list in a couple of minutes. Ask for a copy of the waiver page at the same time.
How Morrow helps
Morrow is a licensed independent commercial insurance brokerage that works with contractors and trades every day. Reading a policy's forms list and telling an owner exactly which waivers it has, and which it does not, is a ten minute job we do all the time.
- Free contract review. Send us the contract or bid documents and we mark up the insurance section in plain English, whether or not you buy anything from us.
- Free, instant certificates. Clients issue their own certificates of insurance online in about a minute, any hour, any day, at no charge.
- Markets you cannot reach online. One application, shopped across many insurance companies for general liability, workers comp, auto, umbrella, and pollution coverage.
One more thing. This article is general information and is not legal advice or a statement of coverage. Your contract and your policy wording control in every case. Requirements vary by customer, by state, and by insurance company, so have a licensed advisor review your own contract and your own policy before relying on any of it.
Last updated: Reviewed by the Morrow commercial lines team. Last updated September 2026.