Client naming · PII

Additional insured — when your client asks to be named on your PI policy

Reviewed by Matthew Bartlett, Director, Apex Insurance Brokers Limited (FCA FRN 724952) · Published 14 July 2026

‘Please add us as additional insured on your PI policy.’ This request appears in more UK client contracts each year, particularly in corporate and public-sector engagements. This page explains what being named additional insured actually means, what insurers accept, and how a specialist broker structures it.

What ‘additional insured’ actually does

Adds the client as a named insured party on the policy schedule.
Gives the client direct claim rights against the insurer, subject to the policy terms.
Provides notification protections — the insurer must notify the client of certain policy changes.
Not the same as indemnification — the client is not automatically indemnified; policy terms still apply.
May affect wording — some wordings have specific provisions about additional insured that differ from the named-insured position.

Why clients ask for it

Direct claim access. Client can pursue the insurer directly rather than through the supplier.
Notification protection. Client learns of policy changes before they might affect the client's position.
Contractual belt-and-braces. Common in procurement templates alongside indemnity clauses.
Solvency protection. If the supplier is insolvent, additional-insured status may preserve the client's claim.

What insurers typically accept

Named specific client as additional insured on the policy schedule — standard where the engagement is significant.
Waiver of subrogation against the additional insured — often requested alongside.
Notice of cancellation to the additional insured — typically 30 days minimum.
Coverage limited to the specific engagement — not open-ended coverage of all client relationships.
Premium adjustment in some cases where the additional-insured exposure is material.

What insurers typically decline

Open-ended additional insured status covering the client for all its activities — not just those with your firm.
Blanket additional insured on all future contracts without specific naming.
Additional insured with broader rights than the primary insured.
Additional insured on run-off cover in some structures — specific broker discussion needed.

How to handle the request

Read the specific contract clause — what exactly is being requested.
Discuss with broker whether the insurer's standard position accepts the request.
Confirm any premium impact.
Formalise in an endorsement to the policy naming the client and defining the scope.
Provide certificate of insurance to the client evidencing the additional-insured status.
Update the policy at each renewal to maintain the addition.

Alternatives to additional insured

Waiver of subrogation against the client — the insurer waives its right to pursue the client after paying a claim. Often simpler than full additional-insured status.
Contractual indemnity in the underlying agreement — without necessarily naming on the insurance policy.
Loss payee designation — specifies who receives loss payments, without full additional-insured rights.
Certificate of insurance with notice provisions — provides evidence and notification without additional-insured status.

Frequently asked

What does 'additional insured' mean in a UK PI policy?

The additional insured is a named party (typically a client) added to the policy schedule with direct rights against the insurer for claims arising from the engagement with the primary insured. Adding an additional insured typically requires an endorsement.

If my client is additional insured, does that increase my premium?

Sometimes. Where the client's presence materially increases exposure (large corporate client, high-risk engagement), premium may reflect it. Standard corporate-client additions often carry no or nominal premium impact.

Does additional insured status make my client automatically indemnified?

No. Additional insured has direct rights against the insurer, but policy terms still apply — exclusions, limits, aggregation. Client is protected within the policy's response envelope, not beyond it.

Can I refuse a client's request to be added as additional insured?

Commercially, yes — it's a negotiation point. Practically, corporate clients often make it a contract requirement. Discussing alternatives (waiver of subrogation, certificate with notice) may satisfy both parties.

What is waiver of subrogation and how is it different?

Waiver of subrogation means the insurer agrees not to pursue the named party (typically the client) after paying a claim to the primary insured. Simpler than full additional-insured status; commonly acceptable to insurers.

Does additional insured status expose my policy limit?

Yes indirectly. Additional insured shares the same policy limit as the primary insured. Claims by or against the additional insured draw on the same limit. Consider higher cover if the additional insured exposure is material.

What happens on renewal if the additional insured relationship ends?

The endorsement adding the additional insured typically continues until removed. Remove at renewal or by endorsement when the engagement ends.

Can I add my client as additional insured retrospectively?

Not typically for prior-period claims. Additional-insured status applies going forward from the endorsement date. Prior claims fall under the original named-insured position.

What might your PI premium look like?

A guideline range built from the premiums insurers have actually quoted on risks we handle. Pick your profession and enter a few details — it updates instantly.

Profession

Annual fee income — gross, last 12 months

Limit of indemnity

Any claims history?

Any higher-risk work? — e.g. large or overseas projects

Guideline range — this is not a quote

Choose your profession and enter your fee income to see a guideline range.

Get an actual quote →

How these figures are produced

This guide is built from Apex's own market data: the premiums insurers have actually quoted and charged on professional indemnity risks we have handled. Each night that data is aggregated into anonymised rate bands by profession, fee income and limit of indemnity. No client information is published — a band only appears where it contains at least five separate records, and unusually high premiums are excluded so a single atypical risk cannot distort the guide.

The range shown spans the typical spread of recent market outcomes for similar risks. Individual quotes can fall outside it in either direction. Figures exclude insurance premium tax at 12%.

This calculator is not a quote and is not an offer of insurance or advice. Your actual premium depends on full underwriting of your business, including your activities, claims record and insurer appetite at the time.