What is an ACORD 25 form?
An ACORD 25 is the standard one-page form used across the US insurance industry to summarize a business's liability coverage — better known as a certificate of liability insurance, or COI. When a general contractor, property manager, or client asks you for "a COI" or "your ACORD," this is almost always the document they mean.
The name comes from ACORD, the standards organization that publishes the form, and the number 25 is simply its slot in ACORD's catalog. Here's where the form comes from, what it's used for, and — just as important — what it does and doesn't prove.
Who or what is ACORD?
ACORD is a nonprofit standards organization that has served the insurance industry for decades — the name is short for the Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development. It doesn't sell insurance and it won't ever send you a bill. Its job is useful in an unglamorous way: publishing standardized forms and data formats so that every agent, broker, and carrier in the country works from the same paperwork.
That standardization is why a COI from an electrician in Texas looks identical to one from a roofer in Ohio. Each ACORD form gets a number in the catalog, and form number 25 happens to be the certificate of liability insurance — which is how "ACORD 25" became shorthand for the COI itself.
What the ACORD 25 form is used for
The ACORD 25 summarizes a business's liability insurance on a single page. It lists the insured business, the insurance carriers, policy numbers, effective and expiration dates, and the coverage limits for the liability lines a business commonly carries — general liability, auto liability, umbrella or excess coverage, and a workers' compensation section.
It exists because whole industries run on quick proof of coverage. Many clients, general contractors, property managers, and licensing bodies ask to see a COI before work starts, and the ACORD 25 gives everyone a familiar format they can scan in thirty seconds. Requirements vary by state and by contract, so what a given client wants listed on the form is between you, them, and your insurance agent.
One thing worth knowing up front: you don't fill this form out yourself. Your insurance agent, broker, or carrier issues it, because they're the ones certifying what coverage exists.
A snapshot, not a guarantee
The most misunderstood thing about an ACORD 25 is what it actually proves. The fine print at the top of the form says, in effect: this certificate is issued for information only, and it doesn't give the holder any rights under the policies it describes. In plain English, the certificate is a photo of your coverage on the day it was issued — not the coverage itself.
Policies can be cancelled, changed, or allowed to lapse after a certificate is printed, and the paper in someone's filing cabinet won't update itself. That's why requesters tend to ask for a freshly dated certificate rather than accepting last year's, and why anything that actually changes the policy — like adding someone as an additional insured — happens through an endorsement to the policy, not through the certificate. The ACORD 25 can reflect that an endorsement exists, but it can't create one.
Common companion forms
The 25 is the form tradespeople see most, but it has siblings in the ACORD catalog that cover other situations. You may run into these alongside it:
- ACORD 24 — a certificate of property insurance, used when someone needs proof of property coverage rather than liability coverage.
- ACORD 27 and 28 — evidence of property insurance forms, often used when a lender or landlord needs proof tied to a specific building or piece of property.
- ACORD 101 — an additional remarks page, attached when the description-of-operations box on the 25 runs out of room.
- Endorsements — not ACORD forms at all, but carrier-issued policy documents (like additional insured endorsements) that frequently travel stapled to an ACORD 25.
Where your ACORD 25 fits in your paperwork
In practice, the rhythm looks like this: your policies renew, your agent issues a fresh ACORD 25, and for the next year you send that PDF to whoever asks. The two things that bite busy contractors are losing track of the current copy and not noticing an expiration date creeping up — an expired certificate is the kind of thing that stalls a job start over paperwork.
If your ACORD 25 lives in CompliCloud, its expiration dates stop being your job to remember — reminders arrive well before renewal, and your share link always shows its current status — proof of validity, not the file itself.
Common questions
Is an ACORD 25 the same thing as a COI?
For liability coverage, effectively yes. "Certificate of insurance" is the generic term, and the ACORD 25 is the standardized form nearly every US agent uses to produce one. If someone asks for a COI showing your general liability coverage, an ACORD 25 is almost certainly what they'll receive.
Can I fill out an ACORD 25 myself?
No. Certificates are prepared by your agent, broker, or carrier — they're the ones certifying the coverage. If something on the certificate is wrong or a client needs different information shown, ask your agent to reissue it rather than editing the document yourself; altered certificates aren't accepted and can cause real problems.
Does an ACORD 25 expire?
The certificate shows the effective and expiration dates of the policies it describes, and it only reflects coverage as of the day it was issued. Many clients and general contractors ask for a recently dated certificate, and it's normal to send a fresh one after each policy renewal.
Where do I get an ACORD 25?
Ask your insurance agent or broker. Issuing certificates is routine work for them — most will email you a PDF quickly, usually at no extra cost. If a client needs to be listed as a certificate holder or additional insured, mention that when you ask, since it changes what the agent puts on (and attaches to) the form.
This guide is general information for US trades businesses, not legal or insurance advice. Requirements vary by state, locality and contract — confirm the specifics with your licensing body, your client’s contract, or your insurance agent.