Endorsements are the one or two page changes added to your policy, and you find them in three steps. The list of forms at the front of your policy (the declarations page) tells you which ones are attached, the endorsement pages sit further back in the same order, and your broker can send copies of anything you cannot find. Most contractors can pull the pages a general contractor (GC) asks for in about ten minutes with the policy PDF open. Who this is for: contractors who have a policy PDF and need to pull specific endorsement pages out of it.
The short version
- Start with the summary pages at the front of your policy. The last page or two lists every form on it.
- Each endorsement has a form number and a title. The title tells you what it does in plain English.
- The endorsement pages sit behind those summary pages, in the same order as the list.
- If a form is on the list but the page is missing, ask your broker for a copy.
- Save each endorsement as its own PDF so you can send it with certificates.
What does an endorsement look like?
A page or two, with a form number in the header or footer and a title near the top. The title says what it does: "Additional Insured, Owners, Lessees or Contractors" (your customer can use your liability policy if they get sued because of your work), "Waiver of Transfer of Rights of Recovery Against Others to Us" (your insurance company agrees not to go after your customer to recover money it paid), "Primary and Noncontributory" (your policy pays first). Below the title there is often a schedule box where names are typed in, then the wording that changes the policy. See what an endorsement is.
Where do I start?
With the declarations page, the front section with your business name, policy number, dates, limits, and premium. At the end of it is the list you need.
| Step | Where to look | What you will find |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The forms list | Last page or two of the declarations, titled "Forms and Endorsements" or "Schedule of Forms" | Every form number with its title. If a form is not here, it is not on your policy. |
| 2. The endorsement pages | After the declarations and the main policy form, usually in the same order as the list | The actual pages. Match the form number in the header to the list. |
| 3. Your broker's copy | Email or the broker's client portal | The same pages, plus help reading them. Ask for them as separate PDFs. |
Some insurance companies send the forms list on a separate page called the "policy jacket" or "schedule of forms." Same thing, different label. More here: certificate vs declarations page.
Which form numbers should I be looking for?
Most GC requests come down to a handful of forms. The plain English meaning is what matters.
| Form number on the list | What it does in plain English |
|---|---|
| CG 20 10 | Customers listed by name can use your liability policy for claims while you are working |
| CG 20 33 | Same thing, blanket, for any customer you sign a contract with |
| CG 20 38 | Blanket, while you are working, and it also covers the owner and others your contract makes you add |
| CG 20 37 | Customers listed by name, or blanket wording typed into the schedule, stay covered after the job is finished |
| CG 24 04 | Your insurance company will not go after the customer to recover money it paid (waiver of subrogation) |
| CG 20 01 | Your policy pays first and the customer's policy does not chip in (primary and noncontributory) |
| WC 00 03 13 | The same waiver promise, on your workers comp policy |
| Insurance company forms (letters and numbers unique to that company) | Read the title. Many combine several of the above in one "contractors extension" form. |
What if I cannot find a page that is on the list?
It happens. Insurance companies sometimes send the forms list without the endorsement pages, or your agency sent only the declarations. Email your broker the form number and title and ask for that page as a PDF. Most send it the same day.
If the form is not on the list at all, no page exists. The coverage is not on your policy, no matter what a certificate says. If a GC needs it, your broker asks the insurance company to add it, usually one to three business days.
What do I do with the endorsements once I find them?
- Save each one as its own PDF, named by what it does, not by its form number.
- Keep the forms list page with them. It ties the endorsements to your policy number and dates.
- Read the schedule box. If a form names one customer, check it is the GC on this job. If it says "as required by written contract," keep the signed contract with it.
- Attach them to every certificate for a GC. Sending the endorsement pages alongside is what gets the certificate accepted the first time.
- Repeat at renewal. A new policy term means a new forms list. Check that nothing dropped off.
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 landscaping contractor in Texas is asked by a GC on a $145,000 site package to send "the endorsements behind your certificate." She has a 60 page policy PDF and has never opened it past page one.
What went wrong: She spends an evening scrolling and gives up. She sends the whole 60 page PDF to the GC's paperwork checker, which rejects it and asks for the specific endorsement pages. The start date is four days away.
What it cost: Her broker sent the three pages the next morning. The two day delay cost her nothing this time, but a $4,800 crew and equipment start would have slipped a week if the broker had been slower.
The fix: Open the declarations, find the forms list, and match the numbers. Ten minutes once, and every future certificate request is a two minute job.
Frequently asked questions
Q: How do I find the endorsements in my insurance policy?
Open your declarations page and go to its last page or two, where every form is listed by number and title. The endorsement pages are further back in the policy in the same order. If you cannot find a page, ask your broker.
Q: What is the summary page at the front of my policy?
The front section of your policy, called the declarations page. It carries your business name, policy number, dates, limits, and premium, and ends with a list of every form attached.
Q: The form numbers mean nothing to me. How do I know what each one does?
Read the title next to the number on the forms list. Titles are in plain English, like Additional Insured or Waiver of Transfer of Rights. If one is unclear, ask your broker to explain that form.
Q: What if the endorsement is listed but the page is not in my PDF?
Ask your broker for that page by form number. Your broker has the full policy on file and can usually send it the same day.
Q: What if the endorsement my GC wants is not on the list?
Then it is not on your policy. Your broker can ask the insurance company to add it, usually one to three business days, and then you will have a page to send.
Q: Can my broker just find and send them for me?
Yes, and many contractors do it that way. Tell your broker which GC is asking and what the contract requires, and the broker pulls the right pages and sends them.
How Morrow helps
Morrow is a licensed independent commercial insurance brokerage that works with contractors and trades every day. Finding the right endorsement pages in a policy and getting them to a general contractor is a ten minute task we do for contractor clients every day.
- 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.