American Tower MSA insurance requirements for subcontractors
American Tower owns approximately 43,000 towers in the US and has MSA requirements that closely mirror Crown Castle, with stricter inland marine and waiver of subrogation provisions.
Infrastructure
~43,000 US towers
Compliance difficulty
Moderate
Vendor type
Tower Owner / Infrastructure Provider
American Tower typical MSA insurance requirements
| Coverage Line | Typical Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| General Liability | $1M occurrence / $2M aggregate | No height exclusion. Completed operations required. |
| Workers Compensation | Statutory limits | All states of operation. |
| Employers Liability | $1M / $1M / $1M | Action-over coverage required for tower erection scope. |
| Commercial Auto | $1M combined single limit | MCS-90 endorsement if HAZMAT transport applicable. |
| Umbrella / Excess | $5M-$10M | $10M for tower erection and structural modification. |
| Inland Marine | $250K+ required | Must include leased and rented equipment. |
| Additional Insured | Blanket required | CG 20 10 + CG 20 37 or equivalent. Scheduled not accepted. |
| Primary & Noncontributory | Required | All applicable liability policies. |
| Waiver of Subrogation | All lines | GL, WC, auto, inland marine, umbrella. |
| Per-Project Aggregate | Required | Dedicated limits per project. |
| Completed Operations | 2-year tail | Coverage must extend 2 years post-completion. |
| Professional Liability | $1M if engineering scope | Required for mount analysis, structural review, RF engineering. |
| Subcontractor Flow-Down | Required | Matching or higher limits. |
Overview
American Tower MSAs closely mirror Crown Castle in most respects but include stricter requirements for inland marine coverage and waiver of subrogation. American Tower requires waiver of subrogation on all lines (not just GL, WC, and auto), and requires inland marine coverage of at least $250K for contractors using equipment on their sites.
American Tower's umbrella requirements range from $5M to $10M depending on project scope, matching Crown Castle. Their additional insured requirement is blanket — scheduled endorsements are not accepted. They require specific endorsement forms (CG 20 10 + CG 20 37 or equivalent) and verify endorsement language during compliance review.
American Tower conducts regular compliance audits and requires 30-day notice of cancellation. Their 2-year completed operations tail matches Crown Castle.
Key points for American Tower compliance
- •American Tower requires inland marine coverage of at least $250K — this is a contractual requirement, not just a recommendation like at Crown Castle or SBA.
- •Waiver of subrogation is required on ALL lines including inland marine and umbrella, making American Tower's waiver requirements the broadest among towercos.
- •American Tower requires specific additional insured endorsement forms (CG 20 10 + CG 20 37). Generic blanket endorsements may be rejected if the language doesn't match.
- •Action-over coverage on employers liability is required for tower erection scope — this is an important distinction from maintenance-only work.
- •American Tower's compliance review process verifies actual endorsement language, not just certificate declarations. Ensure your broker provides endorsement copies.
Frequently asked questions
What are the minimum insurance requirements for American Tower subcontractors?
American Tower requires $1M/$2M GL (no height exclusion), statutory WC, $1M EL, $1M auto CSL, $5M-$10M umbrella, and $250K+ inland marine. Blanket additional insured, primary & noncontributory, and waiver of subrogation on all lines are required.
How does American Tower's MSA compare to Crown Castle's?
American Tower's requirements closely mirror Crown Castle with two key differences: (1) American Tower requires inland marine coverage of at least $250K as a contractual requirement, and (2) waiver of subrogation is required on all lines including inland marine and umbrella, not just GL/WC/auto. Both require 2-year completed ops tail and blanket AI.
Does American Tower require professional liability insurance?
Professional liability is required only when the scope includes engineering services such as mount analysis, structural review, or RF engineering. The minimum is typically $1M. Standard tower erection and maintenance scopes do not require professional liability under American Tower MSAs.
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