Additional Insured Endorsements: CG 20 10 vs CG 20 37 Explained

Being named as an Additional Insured on a vendor's policy is not a binary proposition. The specific endorsement form determines what you are covered for, when you are covered, and how the coverage responds. A property manager who requires "Additional Insured status" without specifying the endorsement form is leaving the most important details to chance.

This article covers the four most common Additional Insured endorsement forms: CG 20 10, CG 20 37, CG 20 33, and CG 20 26. By the end, you will know which ones to require, why you need more than one, and how to verify them on every certificate.

What Additional Insured Endorsements Actually Do

A standard Commercial General Liability (CGL) policy covers the named insured — the business that purchased the policy. If you are not the named insured, the policy does not cover you. Period.

An Additional Insured endorsement modifies the policy to extend coverage to a specified person or organization. Once endorsed, the Additional Insured has rights under the vendor's policy for claims arising from the vendor's operations. The vendor's insurer will:

• Defend the Additional Insured against covered claims (pay legal fees, hire attorneys)
• Indemnify the Additional Insured for covered losses (pay judgments and settlements)
• Treat the Additional Insured as if they were a policyholder for covered claims

This is the difference between having a piece of paper (certificate holder) and having insurance (Additional Insured). Certificate holders receive informational documents. Additional Insureds receive coverage.

CG 20 10: Ongoing Operations

Full name: Additional Insured — Owners, Lessees or Contractors — Scheduled Person or Organization

CG 20 10 is the most commonly required Additional Insured endorsement. It provides coverage to the Additional Insured for bodily injury or property damage arising out of the named insured's ongoing operations performed for or on behalf of the Additional Insured.

What It Covers

• Claims arising from the vendor's work while that work is in progress
• Bodily injury or property damage caused by the vendor's employees, subcontractors, or operations
• Defense costs for lawsuits alleging the Additional Insured is liable for the vendor's ongoing work

What It Does Not Cover

• Claims arising after the vendor completes its work (completed operations)
• The Additional Insured's own sole negligence
• Claims unrelated to the vendor's operations for the Additional Insured

Edition Matters

CG 20 10 has been revised multiple times. The edition date changes the scope of coverage:

• Pre-2004 editions (10/93 and earlier): Broader coverage. The Additional Insured was covered for liability "arising out of" the named insured's operations. This broad language could encompass the Additional Insured's own partial negligence.
• 2004 edition (07/04) and later: Narrower coverage. The language was changed to "caused, in whole or in part, by" the named insured's acts or omissions. This means the named insured must bear at least some fault for the claim to trigger Additional Insured coverage.

The 2004 change is significant. If a claim is caused entirely by the Additional Insured's own negligence — a defective staircase that the property owner failed to repair, for example — the post-2004 CG 20 10 does not provide coverage because the named insured (vendor) did not cause the injury.

Most current policies use the 2004 or later edition. When reviewing certificates, note the edition date if referenced.

The Critical Gap

CG 20 10 coverage ends when the vendor completes its work. In construction, this is called the "completed operations" cutoff. A general contractor finishes a project. Two years later, a defect in the work causes a building fire. CG 20 10 provides no coverage to the Additional Insured because operations are complete.

This gap is not theoretical. Construction defect claims routinely surface years after project completion. Without completed operations coverage, you are exposed to potentially the largest claims — the ones that emerge after everyone has left the job site.

This is why CG 20 10 alone is insufficient.

CG 20 37: Completed Operations

Full name: Additional Insured — Owners, Lessees or Contractors — Completed Operations

CG 20 37 fills the gap that CG 20 10 leaves. It provides Additional Insured coverage for claims arising out of the named insured's completed operations.

What It Covers

• Claims arising after the vendor completes its work
• Construction defect claims that surface months or years later
• Bodily injury or property damage caused by the vendor's completed work
• Products liability for goods the vendor installed or incorporated

Why You Need Both CG 20 10 AND CG 20 37

Together, these two endorsements provide continuous Additional Insured coverage:

Without both endorsements, there is always a gap — either during operations or after them. Any compliance program that requires Additional Insured status should require both CG 20 10 and CG 20 37 as a pair.

CG 20 33: Automatic Status for Construction

Full name: Additional Insured — Owners, Lessees or Contractors — Automatic Status When Required in Construction Agreement with You

CG 20 33 is a blanket Additional Insured endorsement designed for the construction industry. It automatically grants Additional Insured status to any person or organization that the named insured is required to add under a written construction agreement.

Key Advantages

• Automatic: No need to schedule individual Additional Insureds. Coverage flows from the contract requirement.
• Comprehensive: CG 20 33 covers both ongoing and completed operations in a single endorsement, combining the coverage of CG 20 10 and CG 20 37.
• Administrative simplicity: The insurer does not need to issue individual endorsements for each Additional Insured.

Limitations

• Construction only: CG 20 33 is limited to construction agreements. It does not apply to service contracts, lease agreements, or other non-construction relationships.
• Contract required: Like all blanket endorsements, CG 20 33 requires a written construction agreement with an insurance requirement. No contract, no coverage.

If you see CG 20 33 on a certificate for a construction vendor, it effectively replaces the need for both CG 20 10 and CG 20 37 — but only for that construction relationship.

CG 20 26: Designated Person or Organization

Full name: Additional Insured — Designated Person or Organization

CG 20 26 is the broadest Additional Insured endorsement. It adds a designated person or organization as an Additional Insured without limiting coverage to operations "performed by or on behalf of" the named insured.

When CG 20 26 Is Used

CG 20 26 is typically used in relationships where the Additional Insured needs coverage that extends beyond the named insured's specific operations — for example, a franchisor added to a franchisee's policy, or a parent company added to a subsidiary's policy.

In standard vendor compliance programs, CG 20 26 is less common because most organizations want Additional Insured coverage tied specifically to the vendor's contracted work. CG 20 10/20 37 or CG 20 33 provide more precisely scoped coverage.

Accepting CG 20 26

If a vendor's certificate references CG 20 26 instead of CG 20 10/20 37, this is generally acceptable because the coverage is broader. However, verify that the broader scope aligns with your program's intent. You may want to understand why the endorsement differs from your standard requirement.

Blanket vs. Scheduled Endorsements

Regardless of which form is used, Additional Insured endorsements are either blanket or scheduled.

Blanket (Automatic)

Blanket endorsements use language such as:

• "Any person or organization that the named insured is required to add as an Additional Insured by written contract"
• "As required by written contract or written agreement"
• "Automatic Additional Insured status when required in a contract or agreement"

Blanket endorsements are the industry standard for commercial insurance. They eliminate the need to individually schedule each Additional Insured, which would be impractical for vendors who work for dozens or hundreds of clients.

How blanket endorsements activate: Your contract with the vendor must require Additional Insured status. The blanket endorsement on the vendor's policy says "we cover anyone the named insured is contractually required to cover." Your contract says "the vendor is required to cover us." The two documents together create your Additional Insured status.

Scheduled (Named)

Scheduled endorsements list specific persons or organizations by name. "Smith Property Management, LLC, 123 Main Street, Suite 400" appears on the endorsement.

Scheduled endorsements provide greater certainty — you can see your name on the policy document. They are sometimes used for high-value or high-risk vendor relationships where the certificate holder wants documentary proof beyond a blanket reference.

The disadvantage is administrative: any change to the Additional Insured list requires the insurer to issue an updated endorsement.

Which to Accept

Both blanket and scheduled endorsements are standard and acceptable. Most compliance programs accept either form. If you have a preference, specify it in your contract — but understand that blanket endorsements are overwhelmingly standard in commercial practice.

How to Verify on the ACORD 25

Step 1: Check the Coverage Section

In the General Liability section of the ACORD 25, look for the "Addl Insd" checkbox. If checked, it indicates the producer believes Additional Insured coverage exists on the policy.

Step 2: Read the Description of Operations

This is where the real verification happens. Look for:

• Your organization name (or blanket language)
• "Additional Insured" explicitly stated
• Endorsement form numbers: CG 20 10, CG 20 37, CG 20 33, or CG 20 26
• Edition dates: (07/04), (04/13), etc.
• "As required by written contract" for blanket coverage

Example of complete language:

"ABC Property Management, LLC is included as Additional Insured with respect to General Liability per endorsement CG 20 10 (07/04) and CG 20 37 (07/04) as required by written contract."

Step 3: Cross-Reference the Certificate Holder Section

The certificate holder section may include notations confirming Additional Insured status. While the Description of Operations is the primary verification location, consistency between sections reinforces confidence.

Practical Recommendations

For your compliance program: Require both CG 20 10 and CG 20 37 (or CG 20 33 for construction vendors). Accept blanket or scheduled. Require endorsement form numbers in the Description of Operations.

For your contracts: Include explicit insurance requirements that specify Additional Insured endorsement forms by name. "Vendor shall name Client as Additional Insured for ongoing operations (CG 20 10 or equivalent) and completed operations (CG 20 37 or equivalent)." This contract language activates blanket endorsements and eliminates ambiguity.

For your audit process: Do not accept Additional Insured claims that lack endorsement form references. The Addl Insd checkbox plus generic "Additional Insured" language in the Description is a minimum — but form numbers provide the verification that the right endorsement actually exists on the policy.