Guide
What Is an ACORD 25 Form?
By Keelstar Team · Updated July 11, 2026
The short answer
The ACORD 25 is a standardized certificate of liability insurance form published by ACORD, the insurance industry organization. Brokers and agents use it to summarize a policyholder's coverage — policy types, numbers, effective and expiration dates, limits, and key endorsements — for third parties who need proof of insurance. It is not an insurance policy and does not amend coverage; it is evidence that certain policies existed on the certificate date. U.S. construction general contractors, commercial property managers, and healthcare compliance teams encounter ACORD 25 certificates daily when onboarding subcontractors, service vendors, and suppliers. Understanding the form's sections is the foundation for every COI review workflow.
Purpose of the ACORD 25
The form exists so third parties — project owners, general contractors, property landlords, healthcare systems — can quickly see what liability coverage a vendor carries without reading full policy documents. It standardizes fields across carriers so reviewers know where to find limits, dates, and endorsement references.
Key sections of the form
The ACORD 25 organizes information into predictable blocks: producer contact, named insured, insurers and policy numbers, coverage types and limits, certificate holder, description of operations, and remarks for endorsements like additional insured status.
- Header: certificate number and date issued
- Producer: broker name, phone, and email
- Named insured: legal entity holding the policies
- Policy table: GL, auto, umbrella, workers comp rows
- Certificate holder and cancellation notice box
What the form does not show
Full policy exclusions, complete endorsement text, and claims history do not appear on the ACORD 25. When your contract requires specific additional insured or waiver of subrogation language, the remarks box may reference an endorsement — but you often need the actual endorsement form to confirm compliance.
Why U.S. industries standardized on ACORD 25
Construction subcontracts, commercial leases, and healthcare vendor agreements routinely require evidence of insurance. Without a standard form, every carrier would use a different layout and comparison would be slow. ACORD 25 lets a property manager review fifty vendor certificates in an afternoon using the same field map.
ACORD 25 vs other ACORD certificates
ACORD publishes certificates for different lines — property, workers compensation-only, and professional liability among them. ACORD 25 specifically covers commercial liability programs. If a vendor performs professional services, you may also need an ACORD certificate for professional liability or a separate evidence of property coverage.
Build your review process around the form
Train reviewers to read the ACORD 25 top to bottom: insured match, each policy date, limits against your requirements, certificate holder accuracy, and endorsement references. A checklist mapped to form sections reduces missed expirations and limit deficiencies — the two most common compliance failures in vendor insurance programs.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the ACORD 25 the only certificate format?
- ACORD 25 is the most common liability certificate in the United States. Some insurers issue proprietary formats, but most brokers standardize on ACORD forms. Accept alternatives only if they contain equivalent policy detail.
- Does the ACORD 25 guarantee coverage?
- No. It reflects information reported by the broker on the certificate date. Policies can cancel, limits can exhaust, and endorsements may be missing. Treat the form as a starting point for verification, not a binding coverage promise.
- Who fills out the ACORD 25?
- The vendor's insurance broker or agent completes the form based on the policyholder's coverage. Vendors should not self-complete certificates unless they are licensed producers.
- Are there different ACORD 25 versions?
- ACORD periodically updates form editions. The core fields remain consistent: insured, policies, limits, certificate holder, and description of operations. Reviewers should focus on content accuracy, not edition year alone.
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