Verifying Additional Insured Practical steps for endorsement review
This guide provides a practical, repeatable workflow for verifying that vendor insurance endorsements correctly name your organization as an additional insured, helping you maintain consistent compliance records.
Why is verifying endorsements critical?
Verifying endorsements is critical because a Certificate of Insurance is not the policy; it is a summary. Only the underlying policy and applicable endorsements actually define and grant additional insured status, which is vital for risk management and ensuring vendors meet your specific contractual insurance obligations effectively.
Verification Workflow
Practical Endorsement Review Steps
- 1
Request the Endorsement
Always ask for the specific endorsement form mentioned on the COI, such as CG 20 10 or CG 20 37, rather than relying solely on the COI.
- 2
Match to Contract
Check that the endorsement wording matches your organization's specific requirements found in the vendor service agreement.
- 3
Validate Schedule of Entities
Ensure your organization's name appears on the 'Schedule' of the endorsement if it is not a blanket endorsement.
- 4
Document Verification
Record the review status in your compliance software to maintain a clear audit trail of your verification process.
Review Checklist
Additional Insured Verification Checklist
Form Identification
Verify the endorsement form number (e.g., CG 20 10 04 13) is current and approved.
Named Entity Accuracy
Ensure your legal entity name is spelled exactly as specified in your contract.
Policy Number Match
Confirm the endorsement matches the policy number listed on the COI.
Coverage Scope
Determine if the endorsement provides 'ongoing operations' or 'completed operations' coverage as required.
Comparison
Blanket vs. Scheduled Endorsements
| Feature | Blanket Endorsement | Scheduled Endorsement | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document Requirement | Usually one general form | Requires specific list of names | |
| Flexibility | High, covers many partners | Low, requires updates for new names |
Reliance on COI Data
A common gap we observe is relying exclusively on the 'Description of Operations' section of a COI to confirm additional insured status. This section is often updated by agents but does not legally modify the policy. Always secure and review the underlying endorsement pages.