Your declarations page ("dec page") is the summary at the front of a commercial policy that lists the named insured, policy period, limits, deductibles, forms, and endorsements. For contractors, small errors on the dec page or missing endorsements are a common source of denied claims and failed COI requests.

This is buyer guidance for Canadian contractors. It reflects common market practice, not regulator-prescribed rules. Your policy wording and any endorsements govern coverage; a licensed broker should confirm specifics for your operation.

1) Classification and described operations

Check that the dec page (or the underlying application/schedule) describes what you actually do.

• Is the class code / description consistent with your real trade mix? A roofer written as "general carpentry" is a red flag.

• Are all trades you perform listed, including subcontracted work?

• Are height, depth, hot work, or residential/commercial splits accurately reflected if the insurer asked about them?

• Any operations excluded (e.g., excavation over a certain depth, roofing, demolition, work on high-rises) that you actually perform?

A mis-classified policy can be voided or claims denied. Fix classification before you need to rely on the policy.

2) Named insured

• Is the legal entity name exact — matching your incorporation documents, WSIB/WorkSafe account, and the entity signing contracts?

• If you operate through multiple entities (holdco, opco, numbered company, JV), are all relevant ones listed?

• Is the mailing address current?

Mismatched named-insured is a frequent COI rejection reason.

3) Limits vs contract requirements

• Does the CGL per-occurrence limit meet or exceed what your customer contracts require (commonly $2M or $5M in Canadian construction contracts — check each contract)?

• Are aggregate limits high enough for your annual volume of work?

• Are Products & Completed Operations limits shown and adequate?

• Are separate limits (auto liability, umbrella/excess, tools & equipment, installation floater / builder's risk, pollution) present where your work requires them?

A dec page that meets one contract's limits but not another's is a common red flag when you're bidding new work.

4) Additional insured wording

Additional insured (AI) status is added by endorsement, not by the COI. On the dec page / endorsement schedule:

• Is an AI endorsement listed? What form or wording?

• Is it blanket AI where required by written contract, or scheduled to specific parties only?

• Does it include completed operations where the contract requires it (important on projects with warranty/tail exposure)?

• Does "arising out of the operations of the Named Insured" match what the contract actually requires?

If the COI shows AI status but no AI endorsement is on the policy, that is a red flag.

5) Primary & Non-Contributory (P&NC)

• Is a P&NC endorsement present when contracts require your coverage to respond first?

• P&NC on a COI without a matching endorsement in the policy is a red flag.

6) Waiver of Subrogation

• Is a waiver-of-subrogation endorsement on the policy where a written contract requires it?

• Waiver typically must be agreed before a loss and endorsed — not added after the fact.

7) Endorsements and exclusions to scrutinize

Common items to look for in a Canadian contractor's CGL dec page and endorsement schedule:

• Subcontractor warranty / conditions: many policies require written contracts with subs and evidence of equivalent insurance. Non-compliance can void coverage on sub-related claims.

• Residential / condominium exclusion: material for anyone touching new residential or condo work.

• Height / depth restrictions: check the numbers against real jobsite conditions.

• Hot work / roofing / EIFS exclusions: often specific and easy to miss.

• Cross-liability / severability of interests: usually expected; confirm it is present.

• Broad-form named insured / newly acquired entities: relevant if you add legal entities during the term.

• Contractual liability: standard on CGL but confirm no unusual carve-outs.

• Pollution: standard CGL pollution exclusions are broad; a contractors' pollution endorsement or standalone policy may be needed.

• Professional services exclusion: relevant if you offer design-build, consulting, or engineering-adjacent services.

8) Deductibles and self-insured retentions

• Are deductibles at a level the business can actually fund on a claim?

• Are per-claim vs aggregate deductibles clear?

• Does any endorsement carry its own higher deductible (e.g., water damage, EIFS)?

Common red-flag questions to ask your broker

• "Can you send me the actual AI, P&NC, and waiver-of-subrogation endorsements — not just the COI?"

• "Does my classification match what I actually do on site?"

• "Are Products & Completed Operations limits and aggregates enough for the projects I'm bidding?"

• "Which exclusions on my policy could apply to the work I'm quoting this year?"

• "If I add a new trade or entity mid-term, what changes on the dec page?"

How Summit approaches this

Summit is a Canadian commercial brokerage ("Tech-enabled. Human-led."), licensed across Canada. On contractor accounts, a licensed broker reviews the dec page and endorsement schedule against the client's actual operations and contract requirements, and flags gaps before they become claim or COI problems.

Service area: Canada (subject to licensing and market availability).