Contract Insurance Decoder
Paste the insurance section of a subcontract, bid package or owner agreement. The decoder names the endorsement behind each clause by ISO form number, says whether it is usually blanket or scheduled, and flags the ones contractors find missing when the certificate is rejected.
- Runs in your browser with fixed rules. No AI model reads your contract and nothing is uploaded.
- Reads the contract, not your policy. It says what to ask; a licensed agent confirms what you have.
- Prints as a checklist you can hand to any agent, including us.
A sample exhibit is loaded so you can see how it works. Replace it with yours.
26 requirements recognized, 15 often missing or hard to get.
These results are for the sample exhibit.
Limits read from the text
| General liability, each occurrence | $1,000,000 |
|---|---|
| General aggregate | $2,000,000 |
| Products and completed operations aggregate | $2,000,000 |
| Auto, combined single limit | $1,000,000 |
| Employer’s liability | $1,000,000 |
| Umbrella or excess | $5,000,000 |
| Professional liability | $1,000,000 |
| Deductible or retention cap | $25,000 |
Read automatically. Check each figure against the contract.
/ Limits
- General liability limitsRoutine
In the text: “…EMENTS 1. Subcontractor shall maintain Commercial General Liability insurance on an occurrence form, not claims-made, with limits of not less than $1,000,000 each occurrence, $2,000,000 g…”
The contract sets the minimum your general liability must pay per occurrence and in total for the policy year. Most construction contracts ask for $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 general aggregate, with a separate products and completed operations aggregate.
- CG 00 01 (04 13) Commercial General Liability Coverage Form (occurrence)
Blanket or scheduled: Not an endorsement. The limits are on your declarations page.
Ask your agent: Send the declarations page and confirm each figure the contract names, including the products and completed operations aggregate.
More on general liability limits
/ Additional insured
- Additional insured, ongoing operationsRoutine
In the text: “…roject (ISO CG 25 03 or equivalent). 2. Contractor, Owner, Architect and their respective officers, directors, employees and affiliates shall be included as additional insureds for ongoing and completed operations on ISO forms CG 20 10 11 85 or the combination of CG 20 10 04 13 and CG 20 37 04 13, or their equivalent.…”
The general contractor, the owner or whoever the contract names must be covered by your general liability for claims arising from your work while it is in progress.
- CG 20 10 (12 19, 04 13) Additional Insured, Owners, Lessees Or Contractors, Scheduled Person Or Organization
- CG 20 33 (12 19, 04 13) Additional Insured, Owners, Lessees Or Contractors, Automatic Status When Required In Written Construction Agreement With You
- CG 20 38 (12 19, 04 13) Additional Insured, Owners, Lessees Or Contractors, Automatic Status For Other Parties When Required In Written Construction Agreement
Blanket or scheduled: CG 20 10 is scheduled, one named party per endorsement. CG 20 33 and CG 20 38 are blanket: they add anyone your written construction contract requires, automatically.
Ask your agent: Ask which form your policy carries, and whether it is blanket or needs this party scheduled by name.
More on additional insured, ongoing operations - Additional insured for the owner and other upstream partiesOften missing
In the text: “…roject (ISO CG 25 03 or equivalent). 2. Contractor, Owner, Architect and their respective officers, directors, employees and affiliates shall be included as additional insureds for ongoing and completed operations on ISO forms CG 20 10 11 85 or the combination of CG 20 10 04 13 and CG 20 37 04 13, or their equivalent.…”
The contract lists more than the party you signed with: the owner, the architect, a lender, affiliates or "indemnitees". You have no contract with most of them, which matters to which blanket form covers them.
- CG 20 38 (12 19, 04 13) Additional Insured, Owners, Lessees Or Contractors, Automatic Status For Other Parties When Required In Written Construction Agreement
- CG 20 40 (12 19) Additional Insured, Owners, Lessees Or Contractors, Automatic Status For Other Parties When Required In Written Construction Agreement (Completed Operations)
Blanket or scheduled: CG 20 33 and CG 20 39 reach only the party you have the written contract with. CG 20 38 and CG 20 40 also reach the other parties that contract requires you to add.
Why it is flagged: A blanket CG 20 33 is common and does not reach the owner when your contract is with the general contractor.
Ask your agent: Ask whether your blanket additional insured endorsement covers parties you have no direct contract with (CG 20 38 and CG 20 40 do), or schedule each one by name.
More on additional insured for the owner and other upstream parties - Additional insured, completed operationsOften missing
In the text: “…roject (ISO CG 25 03 or equivalent). 2. Contractor, Owner, Architect and their respective officers, directors, employees and affiliates shall be included as additional insureds for ongoing and completed operations on ISO forms CG 20 10 11 85 or the combination of CG 20 10 04 13 and CG 20 37 04 13, or their equivalent.…”
The same parties must stay covered for claims arising from your finished work, after the job is done. A separate endorsement from ongoing operations.
- CG 20 37 (12 19, 04 13) Additional Insured, Owners, Lessees Or Contractors, Completed Operations
- CG 20 39 (12 19) Additional Insured, Owners, Lessees Or Contractors, Automatic Status When Required In Written Construction Agreement With You (Completed Operations)
- CG 20 40 (12 19) Additional Insured, Owners, Lessees Or Contractors, Automatic Status For Other Parties When Required In Written Construction Agreement (Completed Operations)
Blanket or scheduled: CG 20 37 is scheduled. CG 20 39 and CG 20 40 are the blanket versions, added in the 12 19 edition cycle.
Why it is flagged: The endorsement most often missing. Cheaper contractor policies frequently offer ongoing operations only, and it surfaces years later.
Ask your agent: Ask for the form number that covers completed operations for additional insureds. "Additional insured" on a certificate does not say which.
More on additional insured, completed operations - CG 20 10 11 85 "or equivalent"Hard to get
In the text: “…g and completed operations on ISO forms CG 20 10 11 85 or the combination of CG 20 10 04 13 and CG 20 37 04 13, or their equivalent. Completed operations coverage shall be ma…”
The contract names the 1985 edition of CG 20 10, which covered "your work" and so reached completed operations in one form. Later editions narrowed it to ongoing operations.
- CG 20 10 (11 85) Additional Insured, Owners, Lessees Or Contractors (Form B)
- CG 20 10 (12 19, 04 13) Additional Insured, Owners, Lessees Or Contractors, Scheduled Person Or Organization
- CG 20 37 (12 19, 04 13) Additional Insured, Owners, Lessees Or Contractors, Completed Operations
Blanket or scheduled: The usual answer is a pair: a current CG 20 10 plus CG 20 37, or the blanket CG 20 38 plus CG 20 40.
Why it is flagged: Few carriers issue the 1985 edition today. Whether a pair of current forms is accepted is the general contractor’s call.
Ask your agent: Ask your agent to propose current-edition ongoing plus completed operations forms and to get the general contractor’s written acceptance before you sign.
More on cG 20 10 11 85 "or equivalent"
/ Endorsements
- Per-project or per-location aggregateRoutine
In the text: “…leted operations aggregate. The general aggregate shall apply per project (ISO CG 25 03 or equivalent). 2. Contractor, Owner, Architect and their respective officers, directors, employ…”
Your general aggregate must apply separately to this project, so claims on other jobs cannot use up the limit protecting this one. The per occurrence limit does not change.
- CG 25 03 Designated Construction Project(s) General Aggregate Limit
- CG 25 04 Designated Location(s) General Aggregate Limit
Blanket or scheduled: Often written blanket for all projects; some carriers schedule each project.
Ask your agent: Ask whether your policy carries CG 25 03 or a carrier equivalent, and whether it is blanket.
More on per-project or per-location aggregate - Primary and non-contributoryRoutine
In the text: “…the Project. 3. All required insurance shall be primary and non-contributory with respect to any insurance carried by the additional insureds. 4. Subcontractor waives, and sh…”
Your policy must pay first for the additional insured and must not ask their own insurer to share. Without it, your policy can sit excess over theirs.
- CG 20 01 (12 19, 04 13) Primary And Noncontributory, Other Insurance Condition
Blanket or scheduled: Usually blanket, applying where a written contract requires it. The ISO form also requires the additional insured to be a named insured on the other policy.
Ask your agent: Ask whether CG 20 01 or a carrier equivalent is on the policy, not just typed on the certificate.
More on primary and non-contributory - Waiver of subrogation, general liabilityRoutine
In the text: “…carried by the additional insureds. 4. Subcontractor waives, and shall cause its insurers to waive, all rights of subrogation against the additional insureds under the General Liability, Automobile Liability, Workers Compensation and Umbrella policies. 5. Business Automobile Liability covering any auto, including hi…”
Your insurer gives up its right to recover from the parties named after it pays a claim. The written agreement has to exist before the loss.
- CG 24 04 (12 19, 05 09) Waiver Of Transfer Of Rights Of Recovery Against Others To Us
Blanket or scheduled: Can be blanket ("where required by written contract") or scheduled by name.
Ask your agent: Ask for CG 24 04 or the carrier equivalent, blanket where required by written contract.
More on waiver of subrogation, general liability - Waiver of subrogation, workers compOften missing
In the text: “…carried by the additional insureds. 4. Subcontractor waives, and shall cause its insurers to waive, all rights of subrogation against the additional insureds under the General Liability, Automobile Liability, Workers Compensation and Umbrella policies. 5. Business Automobile Liability covering any auto, including hi…”
Your workers comp insurer gives up its right to recover from the named parties after paying one of your employees’ injuries. A separate endorsement on a separate policy from the general liability waiver.
- WC 00 03 13 Waiver Of Our Right To Recover From Others Endorsement
Blanket or scheduled: The schedule can read "any person or organization with whom you have a written contract requiring this waiver" (blanket) or list one party (specific). Blanket usually costs more.
Why it is flagged: Priced as a percentage of premium by many carriers, governed state by state, and several states use their own form or a state fund that handles it differently.
Ask your agent: Ask for the workers comp waiver, blanket or specific, and the charge. Name the states the work is in.
More on waiver of subrogation, workers comp - Waiver of subrogation, autoRoutine
In the text: “…carried by the additional insureds. 4. Subcontractor waives, and shall cause its insurers to waive, all rights of subrogation against the additional insureds under the General Liability, Automobile Liability, Workers Compensation and Umbrella policies. 5. Business Automobile Liability covering any auto, including hi…”
The same waiver on your business auto policy.
- CA 04 44 Waiver Of Transfer Of Rights Of Recovery Against Others To Us
Blanket or scheduled: Can be blanket where required by written contract, or scheduled.
Ask your agent: Ask for CA 04 44 or the carrier equivalent on the auto policy.
More on waiver of subrogation, auto
/ Other policies
- Business auto limits, hired and non-ownedRoutine
In the text: “…l insureds under the General Liability, Automobile Liability, Workers Compensation and Umbrella policies. 5. Business Automobile Liability covering any auto, including hired and n…”
You need business auto liability at the stated limit, often $1,000,000 combined single limit, covering any auto or at least owned, hired and non-owned autos.
- CA 00 01 Business Auto Coverage Form
Blanket or scheduled: Not an endorsement. "Any auto" is covered auto symbol 1; hired is symbol 8 and non-owned is symbol 9.
Ask your agent: Ask which covered auto symbols your policy shows, and whether hired and non-owned are included.
More on business auto limits, hired and non-owned - Additional insured on the auto policyRoutine
In the text: “…Compensation and Umbrella policies. 5. Business Automobile Liability covering any auto, including hired and non-owned autos, with a combined single limit of $1,000,000. Contractor and Owner shall be additional insureds. 6. Workers Compensation at statutory limits and Employer's Liability of $1,000,000 each accident,…”
The general contractor wants to be an insured on your auto policy too. On a business auto policy the standard endorsement makes them an insured only for liability arising from what you and your drivers do.
- CA 20 48 Designated Insured For Covered Autos Liability Coverage
Blanket or scheduled: Scheduled by name on the ISO form; some carriers offer a blanket version for parties required by written contract.
Ask your agent: Ask for CA 20 48 or the carrier’s blanket equivalent.
More on additional insured on the auto policy - Workers comp and employer’s liabilityRoutine
In the text: “…eneral Liability, Automobile Liability, Workers Compensation and Umbrella policies. 5. Business Automobile Liability covering any auto, including hired and non-owned autos…”
Statutory workers comp for the states you work in, plus employer’s liability limits, often $1,000,000 each accident, each employee for disease and the policy limit for disease.
- WC 00 00 00 Workers Compensation And Employers Liability Insurance Policy
Blanket or scheduled: Not an endorsement. The states are listed on the information page.
Ask your agent: Confirm the states listed and the employer’s liability limits on the information page.
More on workers comp and employer’s liability - Umbrella or excess liabilityOften missing
In the text: “…ile Liability, Workers Compensation and Umbrella policies. 5. Business Automobile Liability covering any auto, including hired and non-owned autos, with a combined sin…”
A separate policy above your general liability, auto and employer’s liability, at the stated limit. "Follow form" means it takes the terms of the policies beneath it rather than its own.
Blanket or scheduled: Not an endorsement, and largely carrier forms. Some umbrellas follow form; many are written on their own terms with their own exclusions.
Why it is flagged: Umbrella limits are the usual reason a small subcontractor cannot bid a large project.
Ask your agent: Ask whether the umbrella sits over all three underlying policies, and whether it follows form.
More on umbrella or excess liability - Umbrella: additional insured and primary and non-contributoryHard to get
In the text: “…and $1,000,000 disease policy limit. 7. Umbrella Liability of $5,000,000 on a follow-form basis, scheduling the General Liability, Auto and Employer's Liability policies as underlying. The umbrella shall name the additional insureds and be primary and non-contributory to their own excess insurance. 8.…”
The contract wants the umbrella to cover the same additional insureds and to respond before their own excess policies. The ISO umbrella form says it is excess over other insurance and does not contribute.
Blanket or scheduled: Carrier wording. Many umbrellas treat anyone insured on the underlying policy as insured; primary and non-contributory on an umbrella takes specific wording.
Why it is flagged: Varies by carrier and is one of the clauses most often asserted on certificates and missing from policies.
Ask your agent: Ask for the umbrella’s own "who is an insured" and "other insurance" wording, in writing.
More on umbrella: additional insured and primary and non-contributory - Professional liabilityOften missing
In the text: “…itted by law. If Subcontractor performs design-build work it shall carry Professional Liability of $1,000,000. Subcontractor shall carry an installation floater for materia…”
Coverage for design, engineering or advice errors. General liability excludes professional services, so design-build and delegated design work needs its own policy.
Blanket or scheduled: A separate policy, usually claims-made.
Why it is flagged: Usually claims-made, so the retroactive date and how long you must keep it after completion both matter.
Ask your agent: Ask for contractor’s professional liability at the stated limit, and confirm the retroactive date reaches back far enough.
More on professional liability - Installation floater or materials coverageRoutine
In the text: “…1,000,000. Subcontractor shall carry an installation floater for materials stored on or off site.”
Coverage for your materials and equipment while in transit, stored on or off site and being installed, until the owner accepts the work.
Blanket or scheduled: An inland marine policy, usually blanket with a per-job and per-location limit.
Ask your agent: Ask for an installation floater with a per-job limit at least the value of the materials on your largest job.
More on installation floater or materials coverage
/ Exclusions to look for
- No residential, tract or condominium exclusionHard to get
In the text: “…utory to their own excess insurance. 8. No policy shall contain an exclusion for residential, tract housing or condominium work, an action-over or injury to employee exclusion, or a subcontractor warranty or independent contractors exclusion. 9. Deductibles or self-insured retentions above $25,000 must be disclosed a…”
The contract forbids an exclusion for the kind of project this is: residential, tract homes, condominiums, townhomes or multi-unit buildings.
Blanket or scheduled: Carrier exclusion endorsements. The fix is a carrier whose appetite includes the work.
Why it is flagged: On more contractor policies than not, and it voids every other endorsement on the job.
Ask your agent: Ask your agent to read every exclusion endorsement for residential, tract, condominium or multi-unit wording.
More on no residential, tract or condominium exclusion - Action-over and employee injury claimsHard to get
In the text: “…, tract housing or condominium work, an action-over or injury to employee exclusion, or a subcontractor warranty or independent contractors exclusion. 9. Deductibles or s…”
The contract forbids exclusions that remove coverage when your own employee is hurt, sues the general contractor or owner, and they pass the claim back to you under the indemnity.
- CG 21 39 Contractual Liability Limitation
- CG 24 26 (04 13) Amendment Of Insured Contract Definition
Blanket or scheduled: Carrier exclusions, usually titled action over, injury to employee or employer’s liability limitation.
Why it is flagged: Common on New York and other high-hazard contractor policies, and invisible on a certificate.
Ask your agent: Ask whether any endorsement limits the insured contract definition or excludes injury to your own employees.
More on action-over and employee injury claims - Your own subcontractors: warranty or exclusionHard to get
In the text: “…r or injury to employee exclusion, or a subcontractor warranty or independent contractors exclusion. 9. Deductibles or self-insured retentions above $25,000 must be disclosed and ap…”
The contract makes you collect insurance from your own subcontractors, or forbids an exclusion for work they do. Some policies exclude or condition coverage for work by independent contractors.
Blanket or scheduled: Carrier conditions and exclusions, often called a subcontractor warranty or independent contractors exclusion.
Why it is flagged: A warranty you did not meet on one sub can remove coverage for the whole claim. Wording varies by carrier.
Ask your agent: Ask whether your policy has a subcontractor warranty or independent contractors exclusion, and what certificates and limits it requires you to collect.
More on your own subcontractors: warranty or exclusion
/ Contract terms
- Completed operations maintained for years after completionHard to get10 years after completion
In the text: “…ations coverage shall be maintained for ten (10) years following final completion of the Project. 3. All required insurance shall be primary and non-contributory with respect to any insurance carried…”
You must keep completed operations coverage, with the additional insured endorsement, in force for a stated number of years after the work is finished. The commitment outlives this policy and binds every renewal in that period.
- CG 20 37 (12 19, 04 13) Additional Insured, Owners, Lessees Or Contractors, Completed Operations
- CG 20 40 (12 19) Additional Insured, Owners, Lessees Or Contractors, Automatic Status For Other Parties When Required In Written Construction Agreement (Completed Operations)
Blanket or scheduled: Not a separate form. It is a promise to renew the same coverage without a gap or a new exclusion.
Why it is flagged: Breached quietly by a later renewal that adds an exclusion, drops the endorsement or lapses after you close.
Ask your agent: Diary the end date, and ask at every renewal whether completed operations and the additional insured endorsement are unchanged.
More on completed operations maintained for years after completion - Occurrence form, not claims-madeRoutine
In the text: “…rcial General Liability insurance on an occurrence form, not claims-made, with limits of not less than $1,000,000 each occurrence, $2,000,000 general aggregate and $2,000,000…”
Your general liability must be written on an occurrence form, which responds to injury or damage that happens during the policy period whenever the claim is made.
- CG 00 01 (04 13) Commercial General Liability Coverage Form (occurrence)
Blanket or scheduled: Not an endorsement. The declarations show the form.
Ask your agent: Confirm the general liability form is occurrence. If anything is claims-made, ask about the retroactive date and tail.
More on occurrence form, not claims-made - Deductible or self-insured retention capOften missing
In the text: “…independent contractors exclusion. 9. Deductibles or self-insured retentions above $25,000 must be disclosed and approved. Insurers shall be rated A- VII or better by A…”
The contract caps how large a deductible or self-insured retention you may carry, or makes you responsible for it. A retention has to be paid before the insurer responds at all, including for the additional insured.
Blanket or scheduled: Not an endorsement. The deductible or retention is on the declarations or an endorsement.
Why it is flagged: Hard-to-place and excess and surplus policies often carry retentions that exceed contract caps.
Ask your agent: Ask whether your policy has a deductible or a self-insured retention, the amount, and whether it applies to defense costs.
More on deductible or self-insured retention cap - Notice of cancellation to the certificate holderHard to get
In the text: “…y A.M. Best. 10. Policies shall not be cancelled without thirty (30) days prior written notice to Contractor. 11. Subcontractor shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless Contractor and Owner t…”
The general contractor wants written notice, often 30 days, before your policy is cancelled. The standard policy sends cancellation notice to you, the first named insured, not to certificate holders.
Blanket or scheduled: Carrier endorsements, where offered, are usually blanket to parties you are required by written contract to notify.
Why it is flagged: We know of no standard ISO endorsement that guarantees notice to a certificate holder. Carrier versions vary on days, nonpayment and what happens if the notice is not sent.
Ask your agent: Ask whether the carrier offers a notice-to-others endorsement, and read what it promises for nonpayment.
More on notice of cancellation to the certificate holder - Carrier rating or admitted carrierOften missing
In the text: “…d and approved. Insurers shall be rated A- VII or better by A.M. Best. 10. Policies shall not be cancelled without thirty (30) days prior written notice to Contracto…”
The insurer must hold a minimum AM Best rating, often A- VII or better, and sometimes must be admitted (licensed) in the state rather than a surplus lines carrier.
Blanket or scheduled: Not an endorsement. A fact about the carrier.
Why it is flagged: An "admitted only" clause can exclude the surplus lines markets that write hard-to-place trades.
Ask your agent: Ask for each carrier’s AM Best rating and whether it is admitted or surplus lines in the project state.
More on carrier rating or admitted carrier - Indemnity or hold harmlessOften missing
In the text: “…to Contractor. 11. Subcontractor shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless Contractor and Owner to the fullest extent permitted by law. If Subcontractor performs design-build w…”
You agree to defend and pay for claims against the general contractor or owner arising from your work. Your general liability covers that promise as an "insured contract", to the extent the law allows it.
- CG 00 01 (04 13) Commercial General Liability Coverage Form, "insured contract" definition
Blanket or scheduled: Built into the standard form. Endorsements such as CG 24 26 or CG 21 39 narrow it.
Why it is flagged: A broad-form indemnity can promise more than any policy covers, and state anti-indemnity laws void some of it.
Ask your agent: Ask whether any endorsement narrows the insured contract definition, and have an attorney read the indemnity itself.
More on indemnity or hold harmless
Your checklist for your agent
- Send the whole insurance exhibit and your current policies with every endorsement, not certificates.
- Ask whether your blanket additional insured endorsement covers parties you have no direct contract with (CG 20 38 and CG 20 40 do), or schedule each one by name.
- Ask for the form number that covers completed operations for additional insureds. "Additional insured" on a certificate does not say which.
- Ask your agent to propose current-edition ongoing plus completed operations forms and to get the general contractor’s written acceptance before you sign.
- Diary the end date, and ask at every renewal whether completed operations and the additional insured endorsement are unchanged.
- Ask for the workers comp waiver, blanket or specific, and the charge. Name the states the work is in.
- Ask whether the umbrella sits over all three underlying policies, and whether it follows form.
- Ask for the umbrella’s own "who is an insured" and "other insurance" wording, in writing.
- Ask whether your policy has a deductible or a self-insured retention, the amount, and whether it applies to defense costs.
- Ask whether the carrier offers a notice-to-others endorsement, and read what it promises for nonpayment.
- Ask for each carrier’s AM Best rating and whether it is admitted or surplus lines in the project state.
- Ask for contractor’s professional liability at the stated limit, and confirm the retroactive date reaches back far enough.
- Ask your agent to read every exclusion endorsement for residential, tract, condominium or multi-unit wording.
- Ask whether any endorsement limits the insured contract definition or excludes injury to your own employees.
- Ask whether your policy has a subcontractor warranty or independent contractors exclusion, and what certificates and limits it requires you to collect.
- Ask whether any endorsement narrows the insured contract definition, and have an attorney read the indemnity itself.
- Confirm the routine items are on the policy by form number: general liability limits; per-project or per-location aggregate; additional insured, ongoing operations; primary and non-contributory; waiver of subrogation, general liability; waiver of subrogation, auto; business auto limits, hired and non-owned; additional insured on the auto policy; workers comp and employer’s liability; occurrence form, not claims-made; installation floater or materials coverage.
- Get any change the general contractor agrees to, such as substitute forms, in writing before you sign.
Not recognized in this text (5)
Contractor’s pollution liability; Builder’s risk; New York Labor Law 240 and 241; Wrap-up program (OCIP or CCIP); Separation of insureds (cross liability). Absence here means the decoder did not find the words, not that the contract does not require it.
Have us check your current policy against this
31 clauses, and the endorsement behind each
Form editions are given only where we read them on the form. Where carriers write their own wording, the answer is that it varies by carrier, and the thing to ask for is the wording itself.
| Clause | Forms | Blanket or scheduled | Difficulty | Ask your agent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General liability limitsThe contract sets the minimum your general liability must pay per occurrence and in total for the policy year. Most construction contracts ask for $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 general aggregate, with a separate products and completed operations aggregate. | CG 00 01 (04 13) | Not an endorsement. The limits are on your declarations page. | Routine | Send the declarations page and confirm each figure the contract names, including the products and completed operations aggregate. |
| Per-project or per-location aggregateYour general aggregate must apply separately to this project, so claims on other jobs cannot use up the limit protecting this one. The per occurrence limit does not change. | CG 25 03; CG 25 04 | Often written blanket for all projects; some carriers schedule each project. | Routine | Ask whether your policy carries CG 25 03 or a carrier equivalent, and whether it is blanket. |
| Additional insured, ongoing operationsThe general contractor, the owner or whoever the contract names must be covered by your general liability for claims arising from your work while it is in progress. | CG 20 10 (12 19, 04 13); CG 20 33 (12 19, 04 13); CG 20 38 (12 19, 04 13) | CG 20 10 is scheduled, one named party per endorsement. CG 20 33 and CG 20 38 are blanket: they add anyone your written construction contract requires, automatically. | Routine | Ask which form your policy carries, and whether it is blanket or needs this party scheduled by name. |
| Additional insured for the owner and other upstream partiesThe contract lists more than the party you signed with: the owner, the architect, a lender, affiliates or "indemnitees". You have no contract with most of them, which matters to which blanket form covers them. | CG 20 38 (12 19, 04 13); CG 20 40 (12 19) | CG 20 33 and CG 20 39 reach only the party you have the written contract with. CG 20 38 and CG 20 40 also reach the other parties that contract requires you to add. | Often missingA blanket CG 20 33 is common and does not reach the owner when your contract is with the general contractor. | Ask whether your blanket additional insured endorsement covers parties you have no direct contract with (CG 20 38 and CG 20 40 do), or schedule each one by name. |
| Additional insured, completed operationsThe same parties must stay covered for claims arising from your finished work, after the job is done. A separate endorsement from ongoing operations. | CG 20 37 (12 19, 04 13); CG 20 39 (12 19); CG 20 40 (12 19) | CG 20 37 is scheduled. CG 20 39 and CG 20 40 are the blanket versions, added in the 12 19 edition cycle. | Often missingThe endorsement most often missing. Cheaper contractor policies frequently offer ongoing operations only, and it surfaces years later. | Ask for the form number that covers completed operations for additional insureds. "Additional insured" on a certificate does not say which. |
| CG 20 10 11 85 "or equivalent"The contract names the 1985 edition of CG 20 10, which covered "your work" and so reached completed operations in one form. Later editions narrowed it to ongoing operations. | CG 20 10 (11 85); CG 20 10 (12 19, 04 13); CG 20 37 (12 19, 04 13) | The usual answer is a pair: a current CG 20 10 plus CG 20 37, or the blanket CG 20 38 plus CG 20 40. | Hard to getFew carriers issue the 1985 edition today. Whether a pair of current forms is accepted is the general contractor’s call. | Ask your agent to propose current-edition ongoing plus completed operations forms and to get the general contractor’s written acceptance before you sign. |
| Completed operations maintained for years after completionYou must keep completed operations coverage, with the additional insured endorsement, in force for a stated number of years after the work is finished. The commitment outlives this policy and binds every renewal in that period. | CG 20 37 (12 19, 04 13); CG 20 40 (12 19) | Not a separate form. It is a promise to renew the same coverage without a gap or a new exclusion. | Hard to getBreached quietly by a later renewal that adds an exclusion, drops the endorsement or lapses after you close. | Diary the end date, and ask at every renewal whether completed operations and the additional insured endorsement are unchanged. |
| Primary and non-contributoryYour policy must pay first for the additional insured and must not ask their own insurer to share. Without it, your policy can sit excess over theirs. | CG 20 01 (12 19, 04 13) | Usually blanket, applying where a written contract requires it. The ISO form also requires the additional insured to be a named insured on the other policy. | Routine | Ask whether CG 20 01 or a carrier equivalent is on the policy, not just typed on the certificate. |
| Waiver of subrogation, general liabilityYour insurer gives up its right to recover from the parties named after it pays a claim. The written agreement has to exist before the loss. | CG 24 04 (12 19, 05 09) | Can be blanket ("where required by written contract") or scheduled by name. | Routine | Ask for CG 24 04 or the carrier equivalent, blanket where required by written contract. |
| Waiver of subrogation, workers compYour workers comp insurer gives up its right to recover from the named parties after paying one of your employees’ injuries. A separate endorsement on a separate policy from the general liability waiver. | WC 00 03 13 | The schedule can read "any person or organization with whom you have a written contract requiring this waiver" (blanket) or list one party (specific). Blanket usually costs more. | Often missingPriced as a percentage of premium by many carriers, governed state by state, and several states use their own form or a state fund that handles it differently. | Ask for the workers comp waiver, blanket or specific, and the charge. Name the states the work is in. |
| Waiver of subrogation, autoThe same waiver on your business auto policy. | CA 04 44 | Can be blanket where required by written contract, or scheduled. | Routine | Ask for CA 04 44 or the carrier equivalent on the auto policy. |
| Business auto limits, hired and non-ownedYou need business auto liability at the stated limit, often $1,000,000 combined single limit, covering any auto or at least owned, hired and non-owned autos. | CA 00 01 | Not an endorsement. "Any auto" is covered auto symbol 1; hired is symbol 8 and non-owned is symbol 9. | Routine | Ask which covered auto symbols your policy shows, and whether hired and non-owned are included. |
| Additional insured on the auto policyThe general contractor wants to be an insured on your auto policy too. On a business auto policy the standard endorsement makes them an insured only for liability arising from what you and your drivers do. | CA 20 48 | Scheduled by name on the ISO form; some carriers offer a blanket version for parties required by written contract. | Routine | Ask for CA 20 48 or the carrier’s blanket equivalent. |
| Workers comp and employer’s liabilityStatutory workers comp for the states you work in, plus employer’s liability limits, often $1,000,000 each accident, each employee for disease and the policy limit for disease. | WC 00 00 00 | Not an endorsement. The states are listed on the information page. | Routine | Confirm the states listed and the employer’s liability limits on the information page. |
| Umbrella or excess liabilityA separate policy above your general liability, auto and employer’s liability, at the stated limit. "Follow form" means it takes the terms of the policies beneath it rather than its own. | Carrier wording | Not an endorsement, and largely carrier forms. Some umbrellas follow form; many are written on their own terms with their own exclusions. | Often missingUmbrella limits are the usual reason a small subcontractor cannot bid a large project. | Ask whether the umbrella sits over all three underlying policies, and whether it follows form. |
| Umbrella: additional insured and primary and non-contributoryThe contract wants the umbrella to cover the same additional insureds and to respond before their own excess policies. The ISO umbrella form says it is excess over other insurance and does not contribute. | Carrier wording | Carrier wording. Many umbrellas treat anyone insured on the underlying policy as insured; primary and non-contributory on an umbrella takes specific wording. | Hard to getVaries by carrier and is one of the clauses most often asserted on certificates and missing from policies. | Ask for the umbrella’s own "who is an insured" and "other insurance" wording, in writing. |
| Occurrence form, not claims-madeYour general liability must be written on an occurrence form, which responds to injury or damage that happens during the policy period whenever the claim is made. | CG 00 01 (04 13) | Not an endorsement. The declarations show the form. | Routine | Confirm the general liability form is occurrence. If anything is claims-made, ask about the retroactive date and tail. |
| Deductible or self-insured retention capThe contract caps how large a deductible or self-insured retention you may carry, or makes you responsible for it. A retention has to be paid before the insurer responds at all, including for the additional insured. | Carrier wording | Not an endorsement. The deductible or retention is on the declarations or an endorsement. | Often missingHard-to-place and excess and surplus policies often carry retentions that exceed contract caps. | Ask whether your policy has a deductible or a self-insured retention, the amount, and whether it applies to defense costs. |
| Notice of cancellation to the certificate holderThe general contractor wants written notice, often 30 days, before your policy is cancelled. The standard policy sends cancellation notice to you, the first named insured, not to certificate holders. | Carrier wording | Carrier endorsements, where offered, are usually blanket to parties you are required by written contract to notify. | Hard to getWe know of no standard ISO endorsement that guarantees notice to a certificate holder. Carrier versions vary on days, nonpayment and what happens if the notice is not sent. | Ask whether the carrier offers a notice-to-others endorsement, and read what it promises for nonpayment. |
| Carrier rating or admitted carrierThe insurer must hold a minimum AM Best rating, often A- VII or better, and sometimes must be admitted (licensed) in the state rather than a surplus lines carrier. | Carrier wording | Not an endorsement. A fact about the carrier. | Often missingAn "admitted only" clause can exclude the surplus lines markets that write hard-to-place trades. | Ask for each carrier’s AM Best rating and whether it is admitted or surplus lines in the project state. |
| Professional liabilityCoverage for design, engineering or advice errors. General liability excludes professional services, so design-build and delegated design work needs its own policy. | Carrier wording | A separate policy, usually claims-made. | Often missingUsually claims-made, so the retroactive date and how long you must keep it after completion both matter. | Ask for contractor’s professional liability at the stated limit, and confirm the retroactive date reaches back far enough. |
| Contractor’s pollution liabilityCoverage for pollution your work causes: mold, fuel, silica, lead, a release during demolition. Standard general liability excludes most pollution. | CG 21 49 | A separate policy or a carrier endorsement adding it to general liability. CG 21 49 is the exclusion to look for. | Often missingNot on a standard contractor package. Additional insured and primary wording must be requested on it separately. | Ask for contractor’s pollution liability at the stated limit, occurrence or claims-made, with the same additional insured terms. |
| Builder’s riskProperty coverage on the building while it is under construction. The contract says who buys it; usually the owner or the general contractor, sometimes you on smaller jobs. | Carrier wording | Written per project or on an annual reporting form. | Routine | Check who the contract makes responsible, and whether that policy covers your materials before installation. |
| Installation floater or materials coverageCoverage for your materials and equipment while in transit, stored on or off site and being installed, until the owner accepts the work. | Carrier wording | An inland marine policy, usually blanket with a per-job and per-location limit. | Routine | Ask for an installation floater with a per-job limit at least the value of the materials on your largest job. |
| No residential, tract or condominium exclusionThe contract forbids an exclusion for the kind of project this is: residential, tract homes, condominiums, townhomes or multi-unit buildings. | Carrier wording | Carrier exclusion endorsements. The fix is a carrier whose appetite includes the work. | Hard to getOn more contractor policies than not, and it voids every other endorsement on the job. | Ask your agent to read every exclusion endorsement for residential, tract, condominium or multi-unit wording. |
| Action-over and employee injury claimsThe contract forbids exclusions that remove coverage when your own employee is hurt, sues the general contractor or owner, and they pass the claim back to you under the indemnity. | CG 21 39; CG 24 26 (04 13) | Carrier exclusions, usually titled action over, injury to employee or employer’s liability limitation. | Hard to getCommon on New York and other high-hazard contractor policies, and invisible on a certificate. | Ask whether any endorsement limits the insured contract definition or excludes injury to your own employees. |
| New York Labor Law 240 and 241Work in New York, where owners and contractors carry heavy liability for gravity-related injuries under Labor Law section 240 and for safety code violations under section 241. The contract will forbid a Labor Law or height exclusion. | Carrier wording | Carrier exclusions; the fix is a market that writes Labor Law exposure. | Hard to getMany New York policies exclude it outright, above a height or in the five boroughs. | Ask whether the policy has any Labor Law, height, scaffold or New York exclusion, and whether action over is covered. |
| Your own subcontractors: warranty or exclusionThe contract makes you collect insurance from your own subcontractors, or forbids an exclusion for work they do. Some policies exclude or condition coverage for work by independent contractors. | Carrier wording | Carrier conditions and exclusions, often called a subcontractor warranty or independent contractors exclusion. | Hard to getA warranty you did not meet on one sub can remove coverage for the whole claim. Wording varies by carrier. | Ask whether your policy has a subcontractor warranty or independent contractors exclusion, and what certificates and limits it requires you to collect. |
| Wrap-up program (OCIP or CCIP)The owner or the general contractor buys one program covering enrolled contractors on site. You still need your own insurance for everything outside it, and your policy may exclude the wrap-up project. | CG 21 54 | CG 21 54 is scheduled to the wrap-up project. | Hard to getThe trap is the completed operations period after the wrap-up ends, and work off site. | Send the wrap-up manual. Ask what it covers, for how long after completion, and whether your own policy excludes the project. |
| Indemnity or hold harmlessYou agree to defend and pay for claims against the general contractor or owner arising from your work. Your general liability covers that promise as an "insured contract", to the extent the law allows it. | CG 00 01 (04 13) | Built into the standard form. Endorsements such as CG 24 26 or CG 21 39 narrow it. | Often missingA broad-form indemnity can promise more than any policy covers, and state anti-indemnity laws void some of it. | Ask whether any endorsement narrows the insured contract definition, and have an attorney read the indemnity itself. |
| Separation of insureds (cross liability)The policy must treat each insured as if it were the only one, so a claim by one insured against another is not excluded for that reason alone. | CG 00 01 (04 13) | Built into the standard form. | Routine | Ask whether any insured versus insured or cross-suits exclusion is on the policy. |
Editions read on ISO endorsements reproduced in Risk & Insurance Education Alliance, "Certificates of Insurance and Additional Insureds" course materials (2019), checked 2026-10-05.
Common questions
- Does my contract text leave my browser?
- No. The decoder runs entirely in your browser with fixed rules, not an AI model. If you choose to send your checklist to a licensed agent, we receive the list of requirements found and the limits read, never the contract text.
- Does the decoder tell me whether my policy complies?
- No. It reads the contract, not your policy. It tells you what each clause asks for and what to ask your agent. Whether a policy complies takes a person reading both documents, which we do free for contractors.
- Which endorsements are hardest to get?
- The ones flagged "hard to get" in the results: the 1985 CG 20 10 edition, completed operations held for years after completion, notice of cancellation to the certificate holder, primary and non-contributory on the umbrella, and policies with no residential, action-over or subcontractor exclusion. Each usually means choosing a carrier rather than adding a form.
- My contract is not a construction contract. Is there a decoder for that?
- Yes. The COI Requirements Decoder reads leases, venue agreements, property manager vendor packets, client contracts and certificates for any type of business, and adds notes for yours, such as liquor liability for a restaurant or a bond for a cleaning company.
- Open the COI Requirements Decoder
- Who checks my policy if I send it?
- A licensed agent at Boring Insurance Agency, a California-based agency licensed across the US. We read the exhibit against your policy and endorsements, and where the policy falls short we place the endorsements or the coverage that meets it.
Information, not legal advice and not a coverage determination. Your policy’s own forms and endorsements decide what it covers. Indemnity clauses are legal questions for your attorney.
Built by Kevin Kelsey, founder and principal agent, CA License #6011822. Last updated 2026-10-05. Every contract insurance requirement, explained.