KEN KIRSCHENBAUM, ESQ ALARM - SECURITY INDUSTRY LEGAL EMAIL NEWSLETTER / THE ALARM EXCHANGE You can read all of our articles on our website. Having trouble getting our emails? Change your spam controls and whitelist ken@kirschenbaumesq.com ****************************** Additional Insured discussion from experts continued August 22, 2026 ********************** Additional Insured discussion from experts continued ********************** Today we hear from another expert alarm insurance broker on this important topic. After reading this you should have a clear understanding of this issue, and even if you don't, I do. Be careful not to agree in any contract you sign to deliver insurance coverage that you do not have and won't be providing; you leave yourself open to plenty of liability if you do, and it's unnecessary because the insurance provision in the contracts can almost always be negotiated. Keep in mind whoever gives you the contract demanding additional insured coverage is not likely to understand what is being asked for, why or what it means, only that it's in their contract and they need to get it signed. Don't be foolish; be careful. join the Concierge Program for your protection, save time consuming back and forth with your subscriber or GC, and piece of mind when signing someone else's contract. Of course, it's best to use the appropriate K&K contract, which does not require you to name anyone as an additional insured but does limit your liability for damages to your insurance coverage for certain levels of wrongdoing. Here is what may be final advice for now on this topic. **************** Ken This is a great discussion and one that I think every alarm company should take seriously. From an insurance broker’s perspective, there are a few important points I’d add. First, a Certificate of Insurance doesn’t create or change coverage. It’s simply evidence of the insurance in place at the time it’s issued. Whether a customer is an Additional Insured is determined by the policy and its actual endorsements—not by wording added to the certificate. Most brokers have authority from their carrier partners to issue certificates that accurately reflect the policy, but a broker can’t create Additional Insured coverage simply by issuing a certificate. If the policy doesn’t provide that coverage through a blanket or scheduled Additional Insured endorsement, putting it on the certificate doesn’t change the policy. Alarm companies shouldn’t automatically accept every insurance requirement that gets put in front of them. Additional Insured status, Primary & Noncontributory wording, Waiver of Subrogation, and similar requirements should be reviewed before the contract is signed—not when the customer asks for a certificate afterward. That said, I wouldn’t go so far as to say alarm companies should never provide Additional Insured status. In today’s commercial insurance environment, it’s a very common requirement across different industries and geographic areas. The bigger issue is understanding exactly what you’re agreeing to and making sure your insurance policy can support it. At the end of the day, I think the best approach is simple: review the contract and insurance requirements before signing. Get your attorney and insurance broker involved when necessary and make sure the contractual obligations line up with the coverage you have. Thanks, Jeff Schulz, CIC, CRM Principal J. Krug Insurance o.847.818.7508 / c. 708.790.8514 ********************* STANDARD FORMS Alarm / Security / Fire and related Agreements. click here: www.alarmcontracts.com *************************** CONCIERGE LAWYER SERVICE PROGRAM FOR THE ALARM INDUSTRY - You can check out the program and sign up here: https://www.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/concierge or contact our Program Coordinator Stacy Spector, Esq at 516 747 6700 x 304. *********************** ALARM ARTICLES: You can always read our Articles on our website at ww.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/alarm-articles updated daily ******************** THE ALARM EXCHANGE - the alarm industries leading classified and business exchange - updated daily ************************* Wondering how much your alarm company is worth? Click here: https://www.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/what-is-my-alarm-company-worth ****************************** Getting on our Email List / Email Articles archived: Many of you are forwarding these emails to friends or asking that others be added to the list. Sign up for our daily newsletter here: Sign Up. You can read articles and order alarm contracts on our web site www.alarmcontracts.com ************************** Ken Kirschenbaum,Esq Kirschenbaum & Kirschenbaum PC Attorneys at Law 200 Garden City Plaza Garden City, NY 11530 516 747 6700 x 301 ken@kirschenbaumesq.com www.KirschenbaumEsq.com
