Endorsement Number

Endorsement Number refers to a unique number assigned by the issuing party (such as an insurance company, shipping company, or bank) when modifications, supplements, or transfers are made to originally issued documents (such as insurance policies, bills of lading, letters of credit, etc.) in international trade and insurance business. An endorsement is attached to the original document and given this unique number. This number is used to track and identify each amendment, ensuring a clear correspondence between the original document and the endorsement. Main use cases include: changes to insurance policy terms, adjustments to cargo quantity or value, endorsement transfer of bills of lading, and amendments to letters of credit. Notes: The endorsement number must be linked and referenced with the original document number, and the endorsement content must not conflict with the core terms of the original document. If a letter of credit is involved, the endorsement must comply with UCP600 rules. The difference from an 'Amendment Number' is that an endorsement number is more commonly used in endorsement scenarios for insurance and transport documents, while an amendment number is mostly used for letters of credit and contracts. Foreign trade practitioners should keep endorsement numbers properly to provide a complete evidence chain in case of claims, settlement, or disputes.