Additional insured is one of the most-requested and least-understood items in business insurance. If a landlord or client has asked for it, here is what it actually means.
What additional insured means
An additional insured endorsement adds another party, often a landlord, client, or general contractor, to your liability policy for claims connected to your work or your tenancy. If they are pulled into a claim arising from what you did, your policy can respond on their behalf, within the terms of the endorsement.
Additional insured vs certificate holder
These are not the same. A certificate holder simply receives proof of your coverage. An additional insured is actually added to the policy. A contract can ask for both, and meeting the additional insured requirement takes a specific endorsement, not just listing them on a certificate.
Why contracts require it
Landlords and clients require additional insured status so that if they are sued over something connected to your work, your insurance, not theirs, responds first. It shifts the right risk to the right party, which is reasonable, but it means your policy has to actually carry the endorsement on the terms the contract requires.
What to do
When a contract asks for additional insured status, confirm the endorsement is issued and that its wording matches the requirement, including whether it must be primary and noncontributory. A certificate alone does not prove the endorsement exists.