ACORD 25

Overview

The ACORD 25 is the most widely used Certificate of Insurance form in the United States. Published by the Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development (ACORD), it provides a standardized format for summarizing liability insurance coverage.

Structure

The ACORD 25 form is organized into clearly defined sections:

• Producer information: The issuing agent or broker
• Insured information: The policyholder's name and address
• Insurers affording coverage: The insurance companies behind each policy, identified by name and NAIC number
• Coverages: A grid showing each policy type, policy number, effective/expiration dates, and limits
• Description of Operations: A free-text field where endorsements, project references, and special conditions are noted
• Certificate Holder: The entity that requested the certificate

Why It Matters

Standardization is critical for compliance at scale. Because the ACORD 25 follows a consistent layout, compliance teams (and AI systems) can reliably locate and verify specific data points across thousands of certificates. Without standardization, every certificate would require custom interpretation.

Versions

ACORD periodically updates the form. Key revisions include format changes, updated fields, and clarified language. Always check the revision date in the lower-left corner of the form to understand which version you are reviewing.

Example

A certificate issued on an ACORD 25 form might show: General Liability with a $1M each occurrence limit, Auto Liability with a $1M combined single limit, and an Umbrella policy with $5M. The Description of Operations section states that the certificate holder is named as Additional Insured per the attached CG 20 10 endorsement.