Does D&O Cover Spouses?

A spouse is not automatically an insured simply because of the relationship. Some forms extend narrowly to a lawful spouse or domestic partner only for claims based on that status or an interest in property jointly held with the insured person, and may also address claims against an insured’s estate or legal representatives. The Chubb specimen contains such wording, but it is an older form and does not make a spouse an insured for independent conduct. Check whether the current quote has a similar clause, which claims and property interests it reaches, and whether exclusions or defense rules limit the extension.

The Chubb specimen’s extension is tied to a claim against the spouse because of their status or jointly held property, not because the spouse becomes an insured for independent conduct. It also addresses estates and legal representatives in specified circumstances. Those extensions do not necessarily appear in other forms, and they remain subject to the underlying wrongful-act and loss language. Side A/B/C labels describe the primary insured or entity grants, not a separate household policy. Check the current endorsement’s exact trigger, defense rights, exclusions, and any property-interest limitation before relying on it.