# Blanket vs scheduled additional insured endorsements

> How blanket and scheduled additional insured endorsements differ, why the written contract trigger matters, the common ISO forms, and what to ask your sub for.

A scheduled additional insured endorsement names the specific person or organization that gets coverage. A blanket endorsement names no one: it automatically adds any party the policyholder agreed in a written contract to cover. Blanket forms save time for subcontractors and agents, but they only apply when a written contract requires the coverage, which is why a signed subcontract before work starts matters.

## What is a scheduled endorsement?

A scheduled endorsement has a schedule, a box that lists each additional insured by name and sometimes the project or location. ISO's standard construction forms of this type are CG 20 10 for ongoing operations and CG 20 37 for completed operations. See [CG 20 10 vs CG 20 37](https://complysub.agntwrk.com/guides/additional-insured-cg-20-10-vs-cg-20-37).

The advantage is clarity: if your entity is on the schedule, you can see it. The drawback is that the agent may need a new endorsement for each new party, which takes time and sometimes costs extra.

## What is a blanket endorsement?

A blanket, or automatic, endorsement replaces the name with a condition. It covers any person or organization the named insured has agreed in writing to add as an additional insured. Your name appears nowhere on the endorsement, and often only in the description of operations on the certificate.

## Common ISO forms

| Form | Type | Who it covers | Work covered |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CG 20 10 | Scheduled | Parties named in the schedule | Ongoing operations |
| CG 20 37 | Scheduled | Parties named in the schedule | Completed operations |
| CG 20 33 | Blanket | Parties the insured contracted with directly, when a written construction agreement requires it | Ongoing operations |
| CG 20 38 | Blanket | Those parties plus others the same written agreement requires, such as the owner | Ongoing operations |
| CG 20 39 | Blanket | Parties the insured contracted with directly | Completed operations |
| CG 20 40 | Blanket | Direct parties plus others the agreement requires | Completed operations |

ISO added CG 20 39 and CG 20 40 in its 12 19 edition. Before that, completed operations coverage under ISO forms generally meant a scheduled CG 20 37. The two newer forms also exclude claims arising from professional services, such as architectural or engineering work, which CG 20 37 does not.

The difference between CG 20 33 and CG 20 38 matters to owners. CG 20 33 covers only the party the subcontractor signed with. If your subcontract also requires the sub to cover the owner, the owner needs CG 20 38 or a carrier form with the same reach.

## Why the written contract matters

Every blanket form turns on a written contract or agreement. Recent ISO editions also cap coverage at what the contract requires: the additional insured gets no broader coverage, and no higher limit, than the contract asks for. In practice:

- **No written contract, no coverage.** A verbal agreement, a purchase order with no insurance terms, or an unsigned draft may not trigger the endorsement.
- **Timing.** Some carrier blanket forms apply only to injury or damage after the contract is signed, or to contracts executed before the loss. In one case discussed by IRMI, a court read executed to mean a written, signed agreement. A crew that starts before the subcontract is signed may be working with no additional insured coverage for you.
- **The contract sets the scope.** If the subcontract only requires ongoing operations coverage, a blanket form will not give you completed operations.

Get the subcontract signed before mobilization, and name the coverage, the parties, and the forms in it. See [writing subcontract insurance requirements](https://complysub.agntwrk.com/guides/writing-subcontract-insurance-requirements).

## Carrier and manuscript forms

Many insurers use their own blanket forms instead of ISO's, and some contractors carry manuscript endorsements written for their policy. These can be broader or narrower than ISO forms. Common differences are whether upstream parties are covered, whether completed operations are included, whether the contract must be signed before the loss, and exclusions such as professional services. A form number alone will not tell you, so read the wording.

## What should you ask for?

1. In the subcontract, require additional insured status for ongoing and completed operations, for you, the owner, and any other party your prime contract names.
2. Accept blanket or scheduled forms, but name the ISO forms you expect or equivalent wording, such as CG 20 38 and CG 20 40, or CG 20 10 and CG 20 37.
3. Ask the agent for copies of the actual endorsements, with form numbers and edition dates, not only a Y on the certificate.
4. Check that the policy number on each endorsement matches the certificate.
5. Ask for the endorsements again at each renewal.

Coverage turns on policy wording and state law, so ask an insurance professional or attorney about your contract. See also [primary and non-contributory](https://complysub.agntwrk.com/guides/primary-and-non-contributory).

## Check this automatically

ComplySub checks each subcontractor certificate against your additional insured requirement, flags it when the certificate does not show it, and reminds the vendor and their agent. It reads the certificate, not the endorsement, so keep asking for endorsement copies on large jobs. Plans are on the [pricing](https://complysub.agntwrk.com/pricing) page.

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_This guide is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Insurance and licensing rules vary by state, carrier, and contract; confirm what applies to you with your insurance professional, attorney, or licensing board._