# Endorsement

> What a car insurance endorsement is, how it adds, removes or changes coverage, and common examples such as added equipment and rideshare use.

Canonical page: https://statecover-guide.com/glossary/endorsement/  
Last reviewed: October 28, 2026 by the StateCover Guide editorial team  
General information, not legal or insurance advice.

## Quick answer

An endorsement, sometimes called a rider, is a written amendment to your insurance policy that adds, removes or changes coverage. Where an endorsement and the standard policy wording conflict, the endorsement takes precedence.

## How it works

Insurers use endorsements to fit a standard auto policy to your situation. Some common uses:

- **Adding coverage**, such as for custom parts and equipment that the carmaker did not install, or an optional feature such as accident forgiveness.
- **Covering a different use**, such as a rideshare endorsement for driving for a ride-hailing app.
- **Removing coverage**, such as excluding a specific driver by name where state law allows it.
- **Making changes during the term**, such as adding a car or a driver.

Endorsements are attached to your policy and are usually listed on the declarations page. Some raise the premium and some lower it. Because an endorsement can narrow coverage as well as expand it, read each one alongside the policy, and ask your agent or insurer to explain any you do not understand.

## Related terms

- [Exclusion](https://statecover-guide.com/glossary/exclusion/)
- [Rideshare endorsement](https://statecover-guide.com/glossary/rideshare-endorsement/)
- [Named driver exclusion](https://statecover-guide.com/glossary/named-driver-exclusion/)
- [Declarations page](https://statecover-guide.com/glossary/declarations-page/)
- Guide: [Reviewing your coverage every year](https://statecover-guide.com/saving/reviewing-your-coverage/)

## Sources

- [NAIC, Glossary of Insurance Terms](https://content.naic.org/glossary-insurance-terms) — endorsement as an amendment or rider that takes precedence over the general contract
- [California Department of Insurance, Automobile Insurance Terms](https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/95-guides/01-auto/autoterms.cfm) — endorsement adding or subtracting coverage; additional equipment endorsement