Read your policy, not your certificate. Look at the list of forms at the front of your policy (the declarations page) for an additional insured endorsement, the one page change that lets your general contractor (GC) use your liability policy if they get sued because of your work. Open that page. It should either name your GC or cover any customer your signed contract requires. If you cannot find it in ten minutes, ask your broker to point to it or send you a copy. Who this is for: subcontractors who were told the GC is covered and want to be sure before the GC checks.
The short version
- The certificate check box is not proof. It only claims your policy was changed to cover your GC.
- The summary pages at the front of your policy list every form on it. The page that adds your GC must be on that list.
- Open that page itself. It either names your GC, or covers the customer your written contract requires.
- Check for two things: coverage during the job and coverage after the job is finished. The second is missing most often.
- If your broker cannot send you a copy of that page within a day or two, that is a warning sign.
Why isn't my certificate enough?
A certificate of insurance is a one page summary of your policies, limits, and dates. The "additional insured" box on it is a claim that a matching endorsement exists on the policy. The certificate does not change your policy. If the endorsement is not there, the box is wrong and your GC has nothing. That is why the people who check subcontractor insurance paperwork for GCs (their compliance desk) now ask for the endorsement pages, not just the certificate. More here: why a certificate is not coverage.
Where in my policy do I look?
Work through these three places in order. Most owners find the answer at step two.
| Step | Where | What you are looking for |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Forms schedule | The last page or two of your declarations page, titled "Forms and Endorsements" | A form number and title with the words "Additional Insured" in it. Common ones: CG 20 10 (customers listed by name, during the job), CG 20 33 or CG 20 38 (blanket, during the job; CG 20 38 also covers the owner and others your contract makes you add), CG 20 37 (after the job, either with names typed in or with blanket wording typed in), or an insurance company blanket form that says completed operations. |
| 2. The endorsement page | Further back in the policy, in form number order | Either a schedule box with your GC's exact legal name typed in, or blanket wording such as "any person or organization you are required by written contract to add as an additional insured." |
| 3. Your broker's copy | Ask by email | The same endorsement pages, plus confirmation of which ones apply to this GC and this project. |
If step one shows an additional insured form but you cannot find the page in step two, ask your broker. Sometimes the insurance company sent the forms schedule without attaching every form. Deeper reading: certificate vs declarations page.
What should that policy page say?
Two kinds of wording pass the test. A scheduled endorsement has a box where the GC's name is typed. Check the spelling against the contract, including "LLC" or "Inc." A blanket endorsement has no names. Instead it covers any customer you have agreed in a written contract to name. For blanket wording, your proof is the endorsement plus your signed subcontract.
Then check the timing. Does the form cover the GC only while you are working, or also after the job is finished? Most GC contracts want both. The "after" piece, called completed operations, is the one most often missing. If your only additional insured form is an ongoing operations form, your GC is not listed for the claims that show up later. See additional insured endorsements explained.
What are the signs that my GC is not really covered?
- No additional insured form on the forms list.
- A form naming an old customer and nothing for this GC.
- Blanket wording for ongoing operations only.
- A contract that was never signed.
- A policy that expired or was replaced and dropped the forms.
What do I do if my GC is not listed?
Call your broker the same day. Ask for blanket additional insured wording covering both during the job and after, or at minimum an endorsement naming this GC for both. Insurance companies usually issue it in one to three business days. Illustrative costs: blanket wording is often free, an endorsement naming one GC runs roughly $50 to $300, and the completed operations piece sometimes adds a modest premium. Your price depends on your trade, payroll, state, and insurance company.
Then send the GC a corrected certificate with the endorsement pages attached.
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 concrete subcontractor in Arizona is three weeks into a $410,000 foundation package. The GC's new paperwork checker asks for copies of the additional insured endorsements behind the certificate the sub sent in month one.
What went wrong: The sub pulls up the policy. The forms schedule lists a scheduled additional insured form with the name of a homebuilder from two years ago. Nothing names the current GC, and there is no blanket wording. The certificate box had been checked by an assistant at the old agency.
What it cost: The GC held a $52,000 progress payment for nine days until a corrected endorsement arrived. The endorsement itself cost about $200 (illustrative). The cash crunch cost the sub roughly $1,800 in late fees to a ready mix supplier.
The fix: Check the forms schedule against the GC's name the day you issue the certificate, not the day someone audits it. Ten minutes of reading would have flagged this before the job started.
Frequently asked questions
Q: How do I check whether my GC is actually listed as an additional insured?
Look at the forms list on your declarations page for an additional insured endorsement, then open that page. It should either name your GC exactly or have blanket wording covering any customer your written contract requires. If you cannot find it, ask your broker for a copy.
Q: Is the additional insured box on my certificate enough proof?
No. The box is a claim that an endorsement exists. Only the endorsement page itself proves your GC is covered, which is why GCs ask for it.
Q: What is a forms schedule?
It is the list of every form and endorsement attached to your policy, printed on or right after your declarations page. If an additional insured endorsement is not on that list, it is not on your policy.
Q: The additional insured page does not name my GC. Is that a problem?
Not if it is a blanket endorsement. Blanket wording covers any customer your signed contract requires without naming them. Your proof is the endorsement plus the contract. If it is a scheduled form with someone else's name, then yes, it is a problem.
Q: How do I know if my GC is covered after the job is finished?
Look for a second additional insured form that mentions completed operations, or blanket wording that says it applies to your completed work. If the only form covers ongoing operations, the protection ends when you finish.
Q: What if my broker will not send me the additional insured page?
Ask again in writing and give a deadline. You are entitled to a copy of your own policy. If it still does not come, ask the insurance company directly.
How Morrow helps
Morrow is a licensed independent commercial insurance brokerage that works with contractors and trades every day. Reading a policy's forms schedule and confirming that a general contractor is really covered is a ten minute job we do for subcontractor clients before their certificates go out.
- 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.