CG 20 33: Additional Insured - Owners, Lessees or Contractors - Automatic Status When Required in Construction Agreement
Current Edition: 12 19 · Full ID: CG 20 33 12 19
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What Is CG 20 33?
This endorsement automatically grants additional-insured status to any person or organization that the named insured is required to add by a written construction agreement. There is no need to list each party individually -- the written contract triggers the coverage. However, it only covers ongoing operations, not claims arising after work is completed.
Technical Summary: Provides blanket automatic additional-insured status for CGL ongoing operations, triggered by a written construction agreement requirement. Eliminates the administrative burden of issuing individual CG 20 10 endorsements for each upstream party. Coverage is limited to ongoing operations; completed operations require a separate endorsement. Subject to the same sole-negligence exclusion and causation limitations as CG 20 10.
What CG 20 33 Covers
- +Bodily injury or property damage arising from the named insured's ongoing operations performed for the additional insured
- +Any person or organization required as AI by a written construction agreement -- no individual scheduling needed
- +Vicarious liability of the additional insured for the named insured's ongoing work
What CG 20 33 Does NOT Cover
- -Products-completed operations hazard
- -Sole negligence of the additional insured
- -Liability not arising from the named insured's ongoing work
- -Agreements that are not in writing or not construction agreements
- -Entities not required to be additional insureds by the contract
Key Provisions
- ●Automatic status is triggered only by a written construction agreement executed prior to the loss
- ●Coverage is limited to ongoing operations -- no completed-operations protection
- ●The 'written contract' must specifically require AI status; general indemnification clauses alone may not trigger coverage
- ●Coverage applies only to liability caused, in whole or in part, by the named insured's acts or omissions
Edition History
- • Minor reference and formatting updates
- • No substantive coverage changes from 04/13
Common Mistakes & E&O Warnings
The blanket nature of CG 20 33 creates a false sense of comprehensive protection. Producers and CSRs commonly assume that because AI status is 'automatic,' the coverage is complete. In reality, it covers ongoing operations only. When a construction defect claim arises post-completion, the additional insured discovers the gap, and the agency faces an E&O claim. The risk is compounded because the blanket format means many additional insureds could be affected by a single missing completed-ops endorsement.
- ⚠Believing 'automatic' AI status means complete coverage including completed operations (it does not)
- ⚠Assuming CG 20 33 replaces the need for CG 20 10 entirely (it serves a similar purpose but with automatic triggering)
- ⚠Thinking any written contract triggers coverage, when it must be specifically a construction agreement
- ⚠Not recognizing that a blanket completed-operations companion is needed alongside CG 20 33
Frequently Asked Questions
Does CG 20 33 cover completed operations?
No. CG 20 33 covers ongoing operations only. A separate completed-operations endorsement is required for claims arising after project completion.
What is the difference between CG 20 33 and CG 20 10?
Both cover ongoing operations for owners, lessees, or contractors. The key difference is that CG 20 33 provides blanket automatic status triggered by a written construction agreement, while CG 20 10 requires each additional insured to be individually scheduled.
Does a verbal agreement trigger CG 20 33?
No. CG 20 33 requires a written construction agreement that specifically mandates additional-insured status. Verbal agreements and non-construction contracts do not qualify.
Can CG 20 33 replace individual CG 20 10 endorsements?
Yes, for ongoing operations in construction. If the named insured has CG 20 33, there is no need to also attach individual CG 20 10 endorsements for each party required by written construction agreements.
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