What Is an Endorsement?
An endorsement is a tool for customizing an insurance policy. It updates an existing policy to add, modify, or exclude coverage.
Endorsements, also known as riders, change an insurance contract. Policyholders can choose which endorsements they want, while insurance companies may automatically include others in a policy.
For example, homeowners insurance companies offer the following optional endorsements:
- Scheduled Personal Property
- Credit card, fund transfer card, forgery, and counterfeit money coverage
- Increased special limits of liability
- Identity fraud expense coverage
- Other members of your household coverage
- Limited fungi, wet or dry rot, or bacteria coverage
- Supplemental loss assessment coverage
- Water back-up and sump discharge or overflow coverage
- Earthquake coverage
Some insurers may provide one or more of these coverages automatically with the policy. In general, offering these coverages as endorsements allows insurance companies to charge lower premiums for the unendorsed policy.
Auto insurance companies may offer the following endorsements:
- Gap insurance
- Transportation expense reimbursement
- Roadside assistance
- Trailer/camper body coverage
- Transportation network company rideshare endorsement
A policy’s endorsements are listed on the declarations page, and information about each endorsement is included in the policy documents.
Additionally, if you request changes to your policy during your policy term, you may receive a notification that an endorsement has been applied to your policy.