Blanket Additional Insured vs Scheduled: Which Does Your MSA Require?

Additional insured status is a cornerstone of every tower contractor MSA. Your client — whether a wireless carrier, turf vendor, or tower owner — requires your insurance policy to extend coverage to them for claims arising from your work. But how that coverage is structured matters enormously, and the distinction between blanket and scheduled additional insured endorsements is one of the most frequently misunderstood concepts in tower contractor insurance. <h2>What Is a Scheduled Additional Insured?</h2> <p>A scheduled additional insured endorsement names specific entities on the policy. Each client, tower owner, or project partner is individually listed by name and address on the endorsement. When you sign a new MSA or begin work for a new client, your broker must request an endorsement change from the carrier to add that entity to the schedule. The carrier processes the endorsement, often charging a fee of $25 to $100 per addition, and issues an updated policy document.</p> <p>The scheduled approach provides clarity — there is no ambiguity about who is covered because each additional insured is explicitly named. However, it creates operational friction for tower contractors who work for multiple clients simultaneously or onboard new clients frequently. If your broker is slow to process the endorsement or the carrier has a backlog, you may not have the endorsement in place when the client needs a certificate, delaying site access and revenue.</p> <h2>What Is a Blanket Additional Insured?</h2> <p>A blanket additional insured endorsement provides additional insured status automatically to any party you are required to add by written contract, without naming them individually. The triggering mechanism is the existence of a signed contract (your MSA) that requires additional insured status. As long as the MSA is executed, the entity is covered as an additional insured under your policy without any endorsement change or carrier notification.</p> <p>The blanket approach is operationally superior for tower contractors. You can onboard a new client, sign the MSA, and immediately issue a certificate evidencing additional insured status without waiting for a policy endorsement. There are no per-addition fees, no processing delays, and no risk of a gap between contract execution and coverage activation.</p> <h2>Which Do MSAs Require?</h2> <p>Most turf vendor and wireless carrier MSAs require additional insured status but do not specify whether it must be blanket or scheduled. The MSA language typically reads something like: "Contractor shall name Company as an additional insured on Contractor's commercial general liability and <a href="/coverage/umbrella-excess-liability">umbrella liability</a> policies." This language is satisfied by either approach.</p> <p>However, some MSAs go further and require specific ISO endorsement forms. The most common are CG 20 10 (additional insured — owners, lessees, or contractors — scheduled person or organization) and CG 20 37 (additional insured — owners, lessees, or contractors — completed operations). If the MSA names these specific forms, a blanket endorsement using different form numbers may technically not comply, even though the coverage provided is equivalent or broader. In these cases, discuss with your broker whether the carrier's blanket form satisfies the MSA intent or whether scheduled endorsements using the specified forms are necessary.</p> <h2>Which Carriers Offer Blanket?</h2> <p>Most specialty tower contractor markets offer blanket additional insured endorsements as a standard feature of their programs. They understand that tower contractors work for multiple clients and need the operational flexibility blanket coverage provides. Standard market carriers are more variable — some offer blanket endorsements, others only provide scheduled, and some offer blanket at an additional premium.</p> <p>When evaluating carrier options, blanket additional insured availability should be a selection criterion. The operational efficiency and reduced administrative burden justify any modest additional premium the blanket endorsement may carry.</p> <h2>The Completed Operations Question</h2> <p>Regardless of whether you use blanket or scheduled, ensure your additional insured coverage extends to completed operations. Many standard endorsements only provide AI status for ongoing operations, meaning the client loses coverage after your work is finished. Since many liability claims surface months or years after project completion, completed operations AI coverage is essential and required by virtually every tower MSA.</p> <h2>Practical Recommendations</h2> <p>Request blanket additional insured endorsements on both your <a href="/coverage/general-liability">GL</a> and umbrella policies. Confirm the blanket endorsement covers both ongoing and completed operations. Keep signed copies of all MSAs on file as documentation that the blanket coverage is triggered. When a client's MSA specifies particular endorsement form numbers, have your broker confirm whether your carrier's blanket form satisfies the requirement.</p> <p>If you are unsure whether your current policy provides blanket or scheduled AI coverage, <a href="/contact">request a free coverage review</a> and we will clarify your endorsement structure.</p>