What notice of cancellation do MSAs typically require?

Most turf vendor MSAs require 30 days advance written notice of cancellation to the certificate holder (the turf vendor/tower owner). This means if your policy is being cancelled or non-renewed, the additional insured must receive notice with enough time to take protective action, such as suspending your work or requiring you to obtain replacement coverage. However, there is a critical distinction between what the MSA requires and what insurance policies actually provide. Standard ISO policies provide 30 days notice of cancellation to the first named insured, but only 10 days for non-payment cancellation. The notice of cancellation to additional insureds or certificate holders is not guaranteed by most policies unless a specific endorsement is added. The standard ACORD certificate of insurance includes disclaimer language stating the certificate does not amend the policy and the certificate holder's notification is a courtesy, not a contractual obligation of the carrier. To actually comply with MSA cancellation notice requirements, you may need an endorsement specifically providing 30-day cancellation notice to scheduled or blanket additional insureds. Discuss this with your broker, as not all carriers offer this endorsement.