Guides / COI basics

What Is a Certificate of Insurance? How to Read an ACORD 25

By SubCover HQ · Updated Oct 27, 2026 · 5 min read

If you hire subcontractors or vendors, you've collected a certificate of insurance (COI). Most of them arrive on the same one-page form: the ACORD 25 Certificate of Liability Insurance. It looks dense, but it's a predictable layout. Once you know where to look, you can review one in about two minutes.

This guide explains what a COI is, what it isn't, and how to read an ACORD 25 box by box.

What a certificate of insurance is (and isn't)

A COI is a summary, issued by the insured's agent or broker, showing that certain policies existed on the date it was issued. It lists the insurers, policy numbers, policy dates, and limits.

The key thing to understand is printed right at the top of every ACORD 25: the certificate is issued as a matter of information only and confers no rights upon the certificate holder. It does not change, extend, or alter the policies. In plain terms:

• A COI is evidence, not coverage. The policy and its endorsements decide what's actually covered.
• Typing "additional insured" into the description box doesn't make you one. The policy needs an endorsement that does that.
• A policy can be canceled after the certificate is issued. A COI from last spring tells you nothing about today.

That's why collecting a COI is only step one. You also have to check it against your requirements and keep it current.

The ACORD 25, top to bottom

1. Date

Top right. This is the date the certificate was issued, not the date coverage starts. A very old issue date is a reason to ask for a fresh one.

2. Producer

The insurance agency or broker that issued the certificate, with a contact name, phone, and email. This is who you (or your COI tracking service) contact for corrections, renewals, and endorsement copies. Save it. Agents generally respond faster than the subs themselves.

3. Insured

The business that holds the policies. Check that the name matches the company you actually contracted with. "ABC Roofing LLC" and "ABC Construction Inc." are different legal entities, and a mismatch is one of the most common problems.

4. Insurers affording coverage (A through F)

Each insurance company is listed with a letter and its NAIC number. The letters tie each insurer to the policies in the coverage table below it. If you require insurers with a minimum financial rating (A.M. Best "A-" is a common contract requirement), this is where you'd look them up.

5. The coverages table

This is the heart of the form. Each row is a type of policy:

• Commercial general liability (CGL): covers third-party bodily injury and property damage. Check whether "occurrence" or "claims-made" is marked. Occurrence is the norm for contractors. Limits shown usually include each occurrence, damage to rented premises, medical expense, personal and advertising injury, general aggregate, and products-completed operations aggregate. Also note whether the general aggregate applies per policy, per project, or per location.
• Automobile liability: look for "any auto" or at least "owned," "hired," and "non-owned" autos, and a combined single limit.
• Umbrella / excess liability: extra limits sitting above the underlying policies. Note whether it's an umbrella or excess form, and whether it's occurrence or claims-made.
• Workers' compensation and employers' liability: workers' comp limits are "statutory" (set by state law). Employers' liability shows three limits: each accident, disease each employee, and disease policy limit. There's also a Y/N box for whether any proprietor, partner, or executive officer is excluded.
• Other: a blank row often used for professional liability, pollution, inland marine, or other coverage.

Columns on each row to check:

• INSR LTR: which insurer (A to F) writes the policy.
• ADDL INSD: a "Y" means the agent is indicating some additional insured coverage applies. It's a signal, not proof. Ask for the endorsement.
• SUBR WVD: a "Y" indicates a waiver of subrogation applies. Again, confirm with the endorsement.
• Policy number, effective date, expiration date: the expiration date is the one you need to track. Every row can expire on a different day.
• Limits: compare them to what your contract requires.

6. Description of operations / locations / vehicles

Free-text box where the agent can reference a project, location, or job number, and note endorsements such as "Certificate holder is included as additional insured per form CG 20 10 when required by written contract." Useful, but remember the disclaimer: this text doesn't change the policy. Look for the endorsement form numbers and request copies.

7. Certificate holder

Bottom left. That's you, or whoever requested the certificate. Check the exact legal name and address. If you also need the property owner, lender, or management company listed, that's usually handled as additional insureds, not by stacking names in this box. Our additional insured vs. certificate holder guide explains the difference.

8. Cancellation

The current ACORD 25 says the insurer will deliver notice of cancellation "in accordance with the policy provisions." In practice, that means you usually won't be notified if a sub's policy is canceled. Unless the policy has a specific notice endorsement, your only protection is tracking expiration dates and re-requesting certificates.

9. Authorized representative

Signature of the agent or broker. An unsigned certificate, or one that looks edited, is a reason to verify directly with the producer.

A two-minute review checklist

1. Insured name matches your contract.
2. Certificate holder name and address are correct.
3. Each required coverage type is present.
4. Every limit meets or beats your requirement.
5. No policy is expired, and none expires before the job ends.
6. ADDL INSD and SUBR WVD are marked where you require them, and you have the endorsements.
7. Auto coverage includes the right autos (often "any auto," or hired and non-owned).
8. Workers' comp is present, or you have a documented state-allowed exemption.
9. The description references your project or contract if you require it.
10. The producer's contact info is saved for renewals.

Red flags

• Dates or limits that look altered, mismatched fonts, or a missing signature.
• An insured name that's a different entity from your contract.
• "Claims-made" GL where you expected occurrence.
• A policy that expires next week.
• An "additional insured" note with no endorsement behind it.

When something looks off, call or email the producer listed on the form, not the number the sub gives you, to confirm.

The hard part isn't reading one. It's keeping 50 current.

Reading a single ACORD 25 is easy once you've done it a few times. The real work is doing it for every sub, catching every expiration date, and chasing the agents who don't answer. That's exactly what SubCover HQ handles.

This guide is general information, not insurance or legal advice. Your contracts, insurance professional, and attorney determine what you should require.