An additional insured is a person or organization — other than the named insured — who is granted coverage under someone else's insurance policy, typically through a written endorsement. When a contractor, vendor, or tenant adds your business to their policy as an additional insured, their insurer defends and indemnifies you for covered claims arising from the named insured's operations.
Who this is for: Any business that hires contractors, signs leases, or enters vendor agreements and needs to verify or request additional insured status.
TL;DR / Key Takeaways
- An additional insured is NOT the same as a certificate holder — a certificate only proves coverage exists; additional insured status gives you actual coverage rights.
- Coverage is added by endorsement to the named insured's policy, most commonly their Commercial General Liability (CGL) policy.
- The most common ISO endorsements are CG 20 10 (ongoing operations) and CG 20 37 (completed operations) — contracts often require BOTH.
- "Primary and non-contributory" language ensures the additional insured's own policy is not tapped first before the named insured's policy pays.
- Failing to verify you are correctly listed as an additional insured — not just as a certificate holder — is one of the most common and costly contract compliance mistakes.
What Is an Additional Insured, Exactly?
An additional insured is a party that receives coverage protections under a policy it did not purchase. This status is created by an endorsement — a written amendment to the named insured's policy. The endorsement either names the specific party ("scheduled additional insured") or uses broad language that covers any party required by contract ("blanket additional insured endorsement").
The additional insured's coverage is generally limited to liability arising out of the named insured's operations, products, or work — not the additional insured's own independent negligence (though some endorsements extend coverage to partial negligence).
Named Insured vs. Additional Insured vs. Certificate Holder
| Role | Who They Are | What They Get |
|---|---|---|
| Named Insured | The policyholder who purchased coverage | Full policy rights: file claims, cancel/modify policy, receive return premium |
| Additional Insured | A third party added by endorsement | Covered for claims arising from the named insured's work; can be defended; can receive indemnification |
| Certificate Holder | A party listed on a Certificate of Insurance (COI) | Proof that a policy exists; may receive notice of cancellation; NO coverage rights |
| Loss Payee | A lender or lienholder on covered property | First right to property-loss proceeds up to their financial interest; most common on commercial property and auto |
Critical distinction: A certificate of insurance is not a guarantee of coverage and does not confer additional insured status. Always verify the endorsement is in place.
Which Policies Can Include Additional Insureds?
Additional insured status is most commonly added to:
- Commercial General Liability (CGL) — by far the most requested; covers bodily injury and property damage from the named insured's operations
- Commercial Auto — for vehicles used by a contractor on your premises or project
- Umbrella / Excess Liability — many contracts require the additional insured be listed here as well to maintain continuity across the tower
- Professional Liability (E&O) — less common; some owner-architect agreements require it
Workers' compensation policies do not allow additional insureds; instead, contracts typically require a Waiver of Subrogation on the WC policy.
The Most Important ISO Endorsements
The Insurance Services Office (ISO) publishes standardized endorsements widely used across carriers:
| Endorsement | ISO Form | What It Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Additional Insured – Owners, Lessees or Contractors – Ongoing Operations | CG 20 10 | Bodily injury/property damage arising from the named insured's ongoing work |
| Additional Insured – Owners, Lessees or Contractors – Completed Operations | CG 20 37 | Claims arising after work is finished (latent defects, post-project injuries) |
| Additional Insured – Lessor of Leased Equipment | CG 20 28 | Covers the equipment owner for liability from use of their leased equipment |
| Additional Insured – Managers or Lessors of Premises | CG 20 11 | Covers landlords for liability arising from a tenant's use of the leased premises |
| Blanket Additional Insured | Varies by carrier | Automatically adds any party required by written contract — no scheduling required |
Most commercial construction and real estate contracts require BOTH CG 20 10 and CG 20 37. Requesting only one of these is a common gap.
How to Get Additional Insured Status in 6 Steps
- Review the contract. Identify the specific insurance requirements clause — it will specify the policy type, ISO form numbers, limits required, and whether "primary and non-contributory" language is required.
- Contact the named insured or their broker. Request the endorsement in writing, referencing the contract's specific requirements (form numbers, limits).
- Confirm the endorsement is issued. Ask for a copy of the actual endorsement, not just the certificate. Many carriers attach the endorsement to the certificate but some do not.
- Review the certificate of insurance (COI). Verify your organization is listed as an additional insured in the Description of Operations section, and that the form numbers match what the contract requires.
- Check "primary and non-contributory" language. If your contract requires it, confirm this wording appears in the endorsement or on the certificate.
- Calendar the expiration date. Diarize the policy expiration to request a renewal certificate before coverage lapses.
Primary and Non-Contributory: Why It Matters
Without "primary and non-contributory" language, if both you (the additional insured) and the named insured have applicable policies, insurers may try to share the defense and indemnification costs proportionally. The "primary" designation means the named insured's policy responds first; "non-contributory" means it pays regardless of other coverage you carry. Most property owners, developers, and general contractors require this language in their subcontracts.
Waiver of Subrogation vs. Additional Insured Status
These two contract requirements often appear together but serve different purposes:
| Provision | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Additional Insured | Gives the upstream party direct rights under the downstream party's liability policy |
| Waiver of Subrogation | Prevents the downstream party's insurer from suing the upstream party to recover what it paid out |
A waiver of subrogation without additional insured status means the insurer cannot sue you — but you have no coverage if a third party sues you for the contractor's work. A waiver of subrogation on workers' compensation is the mechanism used in lieu of additional insured status on WC policies, because WC policies do not permit additional insureds.
Real-World Example: General Contractor and Subcontractor
Scenario (illustrative — not a guarantee of coverage):
A commercial general contractor in Texas hires a framing subcontractor for a $2.4 million office build-out. The GC's contract requires the sub to carry:
- CGL with limits of $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate
- Additional insured status for the GC on both CG 20 10 and CG 20 37
- "Primary and non-contributory" language
- Waiver of subrogation on the workers' compensation policy
- Umbrella of $3M with the GC listed as additional insured
Six months after project completion, a building occupant trips on a door threshold and sues both the GC and the framing sub for $380,000, alleging improper installation.
Because the GC was correctly listed as an additional insured under CG 20 37 (completed operations) with primary and non-contributory language:
- The sub's CGL carrier defends the GC first, before the GC's own policy is accessed.
- The sub's insurer pays the $380,000 settlement within the sub's $1M per-occurrence limit.
- The GC's own CGL policy is not eroded.
Had the GC only obtained a certificate of insurance without verifying the CG 20 37 endorsement, the GC's own insurer would have been forced to respond — potentially triggering the GC's deductible (commonly $2,500–$10,000 on a commercial policy) and eroding the GC's own aggregate.
Typical costs to add an additional insured endorsement: Most carriers charge $0–$250 per endorsement for a scheduled additional insured when added at policy inception. Mid-term additions may carry a flat fee of $50–$150. Blanket additional insured endorsements added at inception typically add $100–$500 to annual CGL premium depending on trade and carrier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the difference between an additional insured and a certificate holder? A certificate holder is simply a party that receives a certificate of insurance (COI) as proof that coverage exists. A certificate holder has no coverage rights under the policy. An additional insured is a party that has been added to the policy by endorsement and can actually be defended and indemnified under that policy for covered claims.
Q: Does being an additional insured give me full policy rights? No. Additional insured status is limited. You cannot cancel the policy, receive a return premium, or typically file claims for your own independent negligence (absent specific endorsement language). Your coverage is tied to claims arising from the named insured's operations, products, or work.
Q: Can I be added as an additional insured on a workers' compensation policy? No. Workers' compensation policies do not permit additional insureds. The mechanism used instead is a Waiver of Subrogation endorsement on the WC policy, which prevents the WC insurer from suing you to recover benefits paid to an injured worker.
Q: What does "blanket additional insured" mean? A blanket additional insured endorsement automatically extends additional insured status to any party required by a written contract — without naming each party individually. This is more efficient for businesses with many contracts, but the coverage still requires a valid written contract to trigger.
Q: Do I need to be listed as an additional insured on the umbrella policy too? Many commercial contracts require it, and for good reason. If the underlying CGL limit is exhausted, the umbrella pays excess — but only for parties who are insured under the umbrella. Without being listed, your coverage stops at the underlying limit even if the umbrella has capacity. Always check the contract's insurance requirements carefully.
Q: What is "completed operations" coverage and why does it matter for additional insureds? Completed operations coverage (addressed by ISO form CG 20 37) covers claims that arise after a contractor's work is finished — for example, a structural defect discovered months or years later. If a contract only requires ongoing operations coverage (CG 20 10), you may have no additional insured protection once the project is complete.
Q: How long does it take to get added as an additional insured? When a contractor requests the endorsement from their broker, a certificate showing additional insured status can typically be issued within 1–2 business days. In urgent situations (a project starting the next day), many brokers can issue same-day. Blanket endorsements already in place can result in a certificate within hours.
Q: Can a landlord require a tenant to name them as an additional insured? Yes, and this is standard commercial lease practice. Landlords typically require tenants to name them as additional insureds on the tenant's CGL policy (ISO form CG 20 11 — Additional Insured, Managers or Lessors of Premises) to protect against liability arising from the tenant's use of the space.
Why Morrow for Additional Insured Certificates and Policy Compliance
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Independent agency, multiple carriers. Morrow places business with a broad panel of admitted and surplus lines carriers, which means we can find subcontractors or vendors policies that include blanket additional insured endorsements and the exact ISO form numbers your contract requires — not a one-size-fits-all policy.
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Fast certificate and COI turnaround. We know that projects don't wait. Morrow's account team can typically produce or verify certificates — including confirming the actual endorsement is in place, not just a certificate — within one business day, and same-day in most cases.
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Contract insurance requirement review. If you send us a subcontract or vendor agreement, we can read the insurance requirements section and tell you whether your current coverage (or your contractor's coverage) meets what is required, flagging gaps like missing CG 20 37, absent umbrella listing, or no primary/non-contributory wording.
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Claims advocacy when it counts. If a claim arises and the additional insured endorsement is disputed by a carrier, Morrow advocates on your behalf — providing documentation, escalating with the carrier, and connecting you with coverage counsel if needed.
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Specialized in commercial trades and real estate. From general contractors and specialty subcontractors to commercial property owners and lessors, we understand the insurance requirements embedded in AIA contracts, NEC agreements, and standard commercial leases.
Get Your Certificates and Coverage Right
Don't assume a certificate of insurance is enough. If you manage contractor relationships, vendor agreements, or commercial leases, verifying additional insured status is a straightforward step that can save six figures or more when a claim hits.
Request a certificate review or commercial insurance quote →
Trust strip: Morrow (Afthonea Inc, DBA Morrow) is a licensed independent insurance agency. [Morrow to confirm: licensed states, NPN, carrier panel.] We work with A-rated admitted carriers and select surplus lines markets. Client reviews available on Google and Trustpilot.
Related Pages
- Commercial General Liability Insurance — the policy where additional insured status is most commonly added
- Certificate of Insurance (COI): What It Is and What It Isn't — understand the difference between a certificate and an endorsement
- Waiver of Subrogation Explained — the companion provision that prevents your insurer from suing upstream parties
- General Contractor Insurance: Coverage and Costs — how AI requirements flow through GC-subcontractor relationships
- Commercial Insurance Requirements in Construction Contracts — how to read and fulfill the insurance clause in your contracts
Author: Written by the Morrow Commercial Insurance Editorial Team, reviewed by a licensed P&C insurance professional. Published: June 2026 Last updated: June 2026
Sources: - Insurance Services Office (ISO) — CGL endorsement forms CG 20 10, CG 20 37, CG 20 11, CG 20 28 - National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) — Commercial lines policy standards - Insurance Information Institute (III) — Commercial General Liability coverage explanations - American Institute of Architects (AIA) — Standard contract insurance requirements (AIA A201) - Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (Big "I") — Certificate of insurance guidance