The practical issue.
A contract may require one party to name another as an additional insured and provide a certificate of insurance. Those are related requests, but they are not the same thing. Additional insured status normally depends on the policy wording or an endorsement; a certificate generally summarizes evidence of insurance and does not rewrite the policy.
Questions that change the answer.
- Which coverage line must include the additional insured?
- Does the policy use a scheduled or blanket endorsement?
- Does the endorsement require a written contract executed before the work begins?
- Is the requested status limited to liability arising from the named insured’s work?
- Is a certificate sufficient evidence, or does the contract require the endorsement?
Common decision positions.
- Keep the status requirement separate from the evidence requirement.
- Name the intended parties and applicable coverage lines precisely.
- Avoid certificate wording that attempts to expand, amend or certify unavailable coverage.
- Escalate when the contract and endorsement trigger do not align.