How often do you review both the additional insured language in the contract and the insurance policy provided by a subcontractor?  My guess is, unless the project has gone off the rails, NEVER.  Well, perhaps you should to make absolutely sure the extent of the subcontractor’s insurance obligations and whether those obligations are being fulfilled. This point was recently addressed in a recent DRI article analyzing the Deepwater Horizon/BP lawsuit.  [...]

Additional Insured language is contained in nearly every construction contract. But how many of you are actually reviewing the additional insured endorsement? And, does it provide the coverage that you are required to provide? Nearly every construction contract requires that general contractors add owners as additional insureds and subcontractors must add the general contractor as an additional insured. Sometimes, the subcontractors must also list the owner as an additional insured. [...]

Now a days, nearly every construction subcontract requires upstream contractors be named as an additional insured on the subcontractor’s general liability insurance.  But, simply being named as an additional insured in a certificate of insurance is not enough.  General contractors need to make sure that their subcontractors have obtained the proper additional insured endorsements. Why isn't a certificate of insurance enough? A certificate of insurance, which is a document issued by or [...]