Insurance Defense and Coverage
Policy Anatomy
An endorsement amends the standard policy form. It may add an insured, schedule a location, raise or lower a limit, add an exclusion, or replace a definition. Every endorsement should be listed on the declarations page schedule.
Where an endorsement conflicts with the base form, the endorsement governs, because it reflects the parties' more specific and later agreement.
Alternative Names:
Rider, Policy Endorsement
Why it Matters?
Coverage positions are frequently won or lost on an endorsement that neither side read carefully. Additional insured endorsements determine whether an upstream party gets a defense, and manuscript exclusions added by endorsement can eliminate coverage for the exact exposure at issue. Any coverage opinion prepared without the full endorsement set is provisional at best.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Does an endorsement override the main policy language?
How do I know which endorsements apply?
