Insured

The insured includes the named insured (the company or person listed on the declarations page) plus anyone else the policy extends coverage to—commonly officers, directors, and employees acting within the scope of their duties, and any additional insureds added by endorsement. The exact list depends on the policy's definition of "insured," which is worth reading closely.

The named insured is the policyholder with the broadest rights—they can make changes, cancel, and receive notices. An additional insured is a third party added by endorsement who gets limited coverage, only for liability arising from the named insured's operations. An insured (unqualified) is the umbrella term covering the named insured plus all others the policy protects.

On most liability policies, yes—employees are typically automatically included as insureds for acts within the scope of their employment, without needing to be named individually. However, coverage for their independent or personal acts outside their role is generally excluded. Coverage specifics vary by policy form, so check the "Who Is An Insured" section.

Yes—third parties are added as additional insureds through an endorsement, most commonly on General Liability and Umbrella policies. This is standard for vendor and client contracts. Note that adding someone as an additional insured (which grants coverage) is different from listing them as a certificate holder (which only provides proof of insurance). Your broker handles the endorsement.