How-To Guides & Resources

An endorsement changes what the policy actually covers. A certificate is a summary document that reflects what's already on the policy — it can't create coverage on its own, so if a certificate needs to show additional insured status, that endorsement has to be requested and issued first.

It depends on whether the certificate needs a new endorsement. One that doesn't can often be issued the same day, though same-day is never guaranteed, since it depends on workload and what time of day the request comes in. One that does usually cannot, since the carrier has to process that endorsement first. If you need a certificate the same day, say so upfront so we can tell you right away whether that's realistic.

They're not the same thing, even though both often appear on the same certificate. A certificate holder simply receives the document; an additional insured has actual coverage under your policy for claims arising from your work, which requires a real endorsement — not just a line on the certificate.

Most lines can be added mid-term without waiting for your renewal date — useful when new work, a larger contract, or a specific project requirement comes up outside your current coverage.

It depends on the carrier accepting the addition, the driver's MVR results, and whether that carrier requires underwriting review before adding certain vehicles or drivers — coverage isn't added the moment a request is submitted. A straightforward addition can sometimes move quickly once we have the VIN/value for a vehicle or the license number and MVR authorization for a driver, but if you need coverage in place by a specific date, tell us upfront so we can tell you what's realistic rather than assume it'll happen right away.

Tell us about any changes to your operations, payroll, staff, equipment, or subcontractor relationships before the renewal date — a renewal built on current information is far less likely to need a correction after it's already bound.

Submit our full quote form with as much detail as you have — coverage needed, current policy status, and any prior claims by line. A complete submission the first time avoids the back-and-forth that slows a partial one down.

This almost always traces back to a summarized request instead of the exact contract language — for example, "add them as additional insured" doesn't specify ongoing operations, completed operations, or both, which are different endorsements. Sending the exact clause avoids this.

If you already have an active policy with us, adding a line, an endorsement, an additional insured, or a certificate is a service request, not a new quote — reach out directly rather than resubmitting through the quote form.

Not necessarily — many commercial insurance policies do not renew automatically. While Gleason Insurance Brokers reaches out ahead of your renewal date, it's ultimately your responsibility as the insured to respond in time and confirm your current operations, payroll, and other rating information are accurate. Missing that window can result in a lapse in coverage or a renewal that's rated on outdated information.

Notify Gleason Insurance Brokers and your carrier immediately of any change to your mailing address, phone number, or email. Renewal notices and other time-sensitive communications are sent to the contact information on file, so outdated information can result in a missed notice or a gap in coverage.

Drag the page into our Coverage Align Tool and it will identify the coverage types, endorsements and dollar limits it references, in plain language, with links to learn more about each one. It's general information, not a substitute for sending us the exact language — but it's a fast way to see what you're dealing with before reaching out.

The requirement is normally written down before bids are invited. On public works it sits in the bid package as an insurance exhibit or special provision; on private commercial work it is a section of the contract or subcontract; on a leased space it is in the lease. Where a permit is involved the issuing agency often publishes its own terms separately, so a single job can carry two sets at once. Reading that section before the number is committed is the cheapest point to discover a gap. If you have the documents, send them through for review; if you do not have them yet, the type of work alone is usually enough to say whether higher limits are likely.

Yes, and two published examples are more useful than a summary because they ask for different things. The City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering states a commercial minimum of $1 million with a $2 million aggregate, a thirty-day written cancellation notice, and the City named both as certificate holder and as additional insured. The Caltrans Encroachment Permits Manual instead asks for an endorsement naming the State, the Department and its officers as additional named insureds, with both the certificate and the endorsement furnished. Both are linked in the section above. What any particular project asks for is set by its own documents.