What are the three endorsements a general contractor typically demands?

The three endorsements a GC exhibits almost always demands are: CG 20 10 (ongoing operations additional insured), CG 20 37 (completed operations), and a waiver of subrogation.

What happens if a COI lists additional insured status without the matching endorsement?

If your COI lists the GC as additional insured but no CG 20 10 or CG 20 37 is actually endorsed onto your policy, you have a certificate that says one thing and a policy that says another. In a dispute, the adjuster reads the policy, not the certificate, which can result in payment being held or a claim being denied.

What is the difference between CG 20 10 and CG 20 37?

CG 20 10 covers the GC for liability arising out of your ongoing operations (work in progress). CG 20 37 covers the GC for completed operations (claims that surface after the job is done, often years later).

Which endorsements do general contractor contracts usually require?

Most GC contracts require CG 20 10 for ongoing operations additional insured status, CG 20 37 for completed operations, and a waiver of subrogation. Many also require the coverage to be primary and non-contributory. Each of these is an endorsement, not a certificate entry.

Certificate of Insurance vs Endorsement

Q: Does a COI prove additional insured status?

No. A COI does not prove additional insured status. The certificate can state that a party is an additional insured, but the words on the ACORD 25 are a description, not a grant of coverage. Only the actual endorsement (CG 20 10 or CG 20 37) attached to your policy creates additional insured status.

Certificate of insurance vs endorsement: COI is informational only, endorsements deliver actual coverage. Learn the critical difference to avoid claim denials.

This content is general information only and is not legal, tax, financial or insurance advice. Speak to an appropriately licensed professional before acting on it.

The difference between a certificate of insurance and an endorsement is proof versus power: a certificate of insurance (COI) is a one-page snapshot that only summarizes your policy, while an endorsement is the actual contract language that changes what the policy does. A COI can say you added a general contractor as an additional insured, but only the endorsement (for example, CG 20 10 or CG 20 37) legally grants that status. Courts and claims adjusters rely on the endorsement, not the certificate. This holds true in every U.S. state.

Last updated: August 2026. Coverage form references verified August 2026 — clause mechanics are national; verify your specific policy before signing.

Methodology: Information ranked by contractual weight, not by vendor affiliation.

TL;DR

A certificate of insurance (COI) is informational only. It confers zero coverage. The ACORD 25 form itself carries a disclaimer to this effect.
An endorsement amends the policy. Additional insured status, waiver of subrogation, and primary and non-contributory all live in endorsements, not the certificate.
The 3 endorsements a GC exhibit almost always demands: CG 20 10 (ongoing operations additional insured), CG 20 37 (completed operations), and a waiver of subrogation.
A COI listing you as "additional insured" without the matching CG 20 10 / CG 20 37 endorsement attached is a gap that gets payment held or a claim denied.

What is the difference between a certificate of insurance and an endorsement?

A certificate of insurance describes coverage; an endorsement delivers it. That is the entire distinction, and it decides whether you get paid.

The COI is a summary produced by your agent, usually on an ACORD 25 form. It lists your carriers, policy numbers, limits, and effective dates. It exists so a certificate holder (your GC or construction manager) can see, at a glance, that you carry insurance. But the ACORD 25 form states in its own header that it "confers no rights upon the certificate holder" and "does not amend, extend or alter the coverage afforded by the policies." Read that line on any certificate you have received. It is printed on every one.

An endorsement is a separate document that physically attaches to your policy and changes its terms. When an endorsement makes your GC an additional insured, that GC now has actual coverage rights under your general liability policy. The certificate can report that this endorsement exists. It cannot create it.

Definition — Endorsement: An endorsement is a written amendment attached to an insurance policy that adds, removes, or modifies coverage. In commercial construction, the key endorsements are additional insured forms (CG 20 10, CG 20 37), waiver of subrogation, and primary and non-contributory. The endorsement is the binding contract language; the certificate of insurance is only a summary of it.

Does a COI prove additional insured status?

No. A COI does not prove additional insured status, and this trips up subcontractors constantly. The certificate can list a party in its "Description of Operations" box or check an "additional insured" indicator, but that notation is descriptive, not operative. If the underlying CG 20 10 or CG 20 37 endorsement was never issued and attached to the policy, the party named on the certificate has no coverage rights at all — regardless of what the paper says.

This is exactly where claims fail. When a loss occurs and the GC tenders the claim to your carrier, the adjuster does not open the certificate. The adjuster pulls the policy and looks for the endorsement. If it is not there, the tender is denied, and the GC's own insurer (or the GC directly) absorbs the cost — then looks to you for indemnity. The certificate you provided becomes evidence of what you promised, not proof of what you delivered.

To confirm additional insured status, request a copy of the actual endorsement — the full CG 20 10 and/or CG 20 37 form — attached to the policy, not just the certificate that references it. A responsible broker will provide it without hesitation.

Which endorsements does a GC contract usually require?

Most general contractor insurance exhibits require three endorsements in combination:

CG 20 10 (Additional Insured — Owners, Lessees or Contractors — Scheduled Person or Organization): Extends additional insured status for ongoing operations — liability arising while the work is in progress.
CG 20 37 (Additional Insured — Completed Operations): Extends the same status to completed operations — claims that arise after the project is finished. CG 20 10 alone does not cover this, which is why contracts typically demand both.
Waiver of subrogation: Prevents your carrier from suing the GC to recover money it paid on a claim, even where the GC contributed to the loss.

Many contracts also require the coverage to be primary and non-contributory, meaning your policy pays first and the GC's own policy is not tapped until yours is exhausted. Each of these lives in an endorsement. None of them is created by the certificate.

How do I verify an endorsement is real and current?

Ask your broker for the endorsement forms themselves, with the correct form numbers and edition dates, attached to your active policy.
Match the named additional insured, project description, and effective dates to your contract's insurance exhibit.
Confirm the edition date is acceptable to the GC — some contracts specify a particular CG 20 10 edition because coverage language has changed across editions.
Keep the endorsements on file alongside each signed subcontract, not just the certificate.

Requirements and dispute procedures vary by jurisdiction. For state-specific rules and to confirm a carrier is admitted where you work, consult your state insurance commissioner through the NAIC state map of insurance departments (accessed August 2026). Standard form language and edition histories for endorsements such as CG 20 10 and CG 20 37 are published by Verisk/ISO commercial lines forms (accessed August 2026), and the certificate disclaimer wording can be checked against the ACORD 25 certificate form reference (accessed August 2026).

Bottom line

Treat the certificate as a receipt and the endorsement as the contract. A COI tells you what someone says is in the policy; the endorsement is what a court and a claims adjuster will actually enforce. If your contract requires additional insured, waiver of subrogation, or primary and non-contributory coverage, get the endorsements in hand — not just a certificate that mentions them.

Verify with your carrier or broker before signing any endorsement or contract that relies on one.