An ACORD form is a standardized document published by ACORD (Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development) for use across the insurance industry. ACORD forms create a common language between insurers, brokers, and the parties who require proof of insurance - providing consistent formats for certificates, applications, and other insurance documents.
An ACORD form is a standardized insurance document published by the Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development, creating a common language between insurers, brokers, and the parties who require proof of insurance.
The most important ACORD form for contract compliance is ACORD 25, the Certificate of Insurance for Property and Casualty coverages. When a vendor, contractor, or tenant provides proof of insurance, what they are almost always providing is an ACORD 25.
What ACORD Is
ACORD is a nonprofit organization founded in 1970 to standardize the flow of information in the insurance industry. Before ACORD forms, brokers, insurers, and certificate requestors each had different document formats - creating confusion and inefficiency. ACORD forms solved this by creating a universal language for insurance documentation that is recognized across the industry.
ACORD publishes hundreds of forms covering everything from insurance applications to loss notices. But for third-party compliance purposes, a handful of forms matter most.
Key ACORD Forms for Certificate Compliance
ACORD 25 - Certificate of Liability Insurance. The standard certificate of insurance for liability coverages. It summarizes general liability, commercial auto, umbrella/excess, workers' compensation, and employer's liability in a single-page format. This is the form most organizations receive when requesting proof of insurance from vendors.
ACORD 27 - Evidence of Property Insurance. Used when a party needs to confirm the existence of property coverage - common in mortgage and lease transactions where the lender or landlord needs confirmation that the borrower or tenant carries adequate property insurance.
ACORD 28 - Evidence of Commercial Property Insurance. Similar to ACORD 27 but specifically designed for commercial property. Widely used in commercial real estate transactions.
ACORD 855 (State-specific workers' compensation). Some states have their own certificate forms for workers' compensation. ACORD 855 provides a standard format, though state-specific forms may be required.
Anatomy of the ACORD 25
Understanding the layout of an ACORD 25 is foundational to reading it correctly:
Header section. Contains the date the certificate was issued, producer (broker) name and contact information, and the insured's name and address. The insured here is the named insured - the party being contracted with.
Insurer section. Lists insurers by letter (A through F) with their names and NAIC codes. NAIC codes allow you to verify the insurer's identity and look up financial ratings.
Coverage section. The main body, organized by coverage type. Each row represents a coverage line (CGL, commercial auto, umbrella, workers' comp, employer's liability). Each row shows the insurer letter, policy number, effective date, expiration date, and applicable limits. For CGL, the limits shown include each occurrence, general aggregate, products/completed operations aggregate, personal and advertising injury, damage to rented premises, and medical expense.
Additional insured / waiver of subrogation indicators. Within the CGL and auto rows, checkbox fields indicate whether additional insured status and/or waiver of subrogation apply.
Certificate holder box. Lower left. Contains the name and address of the party to whom the certificate is issued.
Description of operations box. Lower center. A free-text field where the broker can note additional information - endorsement details, project names, additional insured specifics, or any other relevant notes.
Disclaimer language. Embedded in the form. States that the certificate "does not affirmatively or negatively amend, extend or alter the coverage afforded by the policies." This is the most important sentence on the form for understanding its limitations.
The Limitations of ACORD 25
The ACORD 25 is a summary document. It cannot confirm:
- The actual wording of endorsements or policy conditions
- Whether exclusions in the underlying policy affect coverage
- How much of an aggregate limit has been consumed by prior claims
- Whether an endorsement noted on the certificate was actually issued
For a deeper examination of these limitations, see COI vs. insurance policy.
ACORD Form Versions
ACORD updates its forms periodically. The most commonly used version is the 2016 edition of the ACORD 25. Older versions (2009, 2014) are still in circulation. When an older form is submitted, verify that the coverage information shown aligns with current requirements - older forms may have different field layouts that can create confusion during review.
How Bramble Helps
Bramble reads ACORD 25 certificates - and understands their structure - to extract coverage data and compare it against contract requirements automatically. Rather than reading certificates manually field by field, compliance teams receive a clear, structured comparison of what was required and what was submitted.
Visit getbramble.com to see how Bramble handles contract-vs-COI compliance using structured ACORD data extraction.