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ACORD forms are standardized documents developed by the Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development (ACORD) and used across the insurance industry to streamline the exchange of information between agents, insurers, and policyholders. These forms cover a wide range of insurance transactions — from verifying existing coverage to applying for new policies on commercial and residential properties. Because they follow a consistent format recognized by carriers nationwide, ACORD forms reduce errors, speed up underwriting, and help ensure that all parties are working from the same information.
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About ACORD forms
A broad range of people rely on ACORD forms in everyday insurance situations. Contractors and business owners are frequently asked to provide a Certificate of Liability Insurance (ACORD 25) before starting a job or signing a lease. Commercial property owners and their agents use forms like the ACORD 140 to submit detailed building information when applying for coverage. Landlords and individual property owners turn to the ACORD 84 Dwelling Fire Application when seeking coverage for rental homes, condominiums, or other residential structures. In each case, accuracy and completeness are critical — missing or incorrect details can delay coverage or create compliance issues.
Filling out these forms manually can be time-consuming, especially when the same information needs to appear across multiple documents. Tools like Instafill.ai use AI to fill ACORD forms in under 30 seconds, handling the data accurately and securely so agents and applicants can focus on what matters most.
Forms in This Category
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How to Choose the Right Form
Start by identifying whether you need to verify existing coverage or apply for new coverage — that single question will point you to the right form.
Verifying Insurance Coverage
If someone (a client, landlord, contractor, or lender) is asking for proof that insurance is in place, you need:
- ACORD 25 – Certificate of Liability Insurance: This is the go-to form for demonstrating liability coverage to a third party. It summarizes key policies — general liability, auto liability, umbrella/excess, and workers' compensation — along with limits and policy dates. It does not modify your policies; it simply confirms they exist. Use this when a contract or project requires a Certificate of Insurance (COI) before work begins.
> Note: Two versions of ACORD 25 appear in this category — both are the same 2016/03 edition. Either can be used to satisfy standard COI requests.
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Applying for Commercial Property Insurance
If you're seeking coverage for a commercial building or business property, you'll need:
- ACORD 140 – Property Section: This form works as a supplement — it must be attached to an ACORD 125 commercial insurance application. Use it to provide underwriters with detailed property information: construction type, protection class, coverage limits, deductibles, and optional coverages like sinkhole protection. It's designed for agents and brokers submitting commercial property risks.
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Applying for Residential / Dwelling Fire Insurance
If you're insuring a residential property — a single-family home, apartment, condo, or co-op — under a dwelling fire policy, you need:
- ACORD 84 – Dwelling Fire Application: This standalone application collects everything an underwriter needs: property construction details, coverage limits, loss history, endorsements, and billing preferences. It's the right choice for personal lines dwelling fire coverage, not commercial property.
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Quick tip: If you're unsure whether your property is commercial or residential, ACORD 84 is for personal dwellings, while ACORD 140 (with ACORD 125) handles commercial structures.
Form Comparison
| Form | Purpose | Who Files It | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACORD 25 (2016/03), Certificate of Liability Insurance | Verifies liability insurance coverages and limits in force | Insurance agents or brokers on behalf of insured | When a third party requires proof of liability coverage |
| ACORD 140 (2014/12), Property Section (Attach to ACORD 125) | Captures property-specific details for commercial insurance underwriting | Agents and brokers applying for commercial property coverage | When applying for commercial property insurance alongside ACORD 125 |
| ACORD 84, Dwelling Fire Application (2013/09) | Applies for dwelling fire coverage on residential properties | Agents or property owners seeking residential fire coverage | When insuring homes, apartments, condos, or co-ops for fire risk |
Tips for ACORD forms
ACORD forms serve distinct purposes — ACORD 25 verifies existing liability coverage, ACORD 84 applies for new dwelling fire coverage, and ACORD 140 provides property underwriting details. Using the wrong form or submitting an incomplete set (like forgetting to attach ACORD 140 to ACORD 125) can delay your application or certificate issuance. Always confirm with your agent or client which specific form or combination is required.
The ACORD 25 does not modify your underlying insurance policy or automatically grant additional insured status to a certificate holder. If a contract requires additional insured status or a waiver of subrogation, those must be added via policy endorsements — not just noted on the certificate. Verify with your insurer that the required endorsements are actually in place before submitting the COI.
One of the most common mistakes on ACORD forms is entering incorrect policy effective or expiration dates, or misreporting coverage limits. Certificate holders and underwriters rely on this data to confirm compliance, so even a small error can cause a contract to stall or a claim to be disputed. Always cross-reference the information directly from your current policy declarations page before filling out any ACORD form.
AI-powered tools like Instafill.ai can complete ACORD forms — including the ACORD 25, ACORD 84, and ACORD 140 — with high accuracy in under 30 seconds, saving significant time when you're managing multiple certificates or applications. Your data stays secure throughout the process, making it a reliable option for agents, brokers, and business owners alike. This is especially useful when you need to issue COIs repeatedly for different certificate holders.
The ACORD 84 Dwelling Fire Application and ACORD 140 Property Section both require detailed construction information — year built, square footage, roof type, heating systems, and prior loss history. Having these details on hand before you start filling out the form prevents incomplete submissions that get kicked back by underwriters. For rental or investment properties, confirm details with the property owner or a recent inspection report.
Always save a copy of every ACORD form you submit, whether it's a COI sent to a client or a property application sent to an insurer. These records are invaluable if a coverage dispute arises or if a certificate holder requests proof of the limits that were in place on a specific date. Organize them by client or property and include the submission date for easy reference.
The ACORD 140 includes optional coverages like sinkhole or mine subsidence that are only required in certain states, and it includes fraud warnings that vary by jurisdiction. Skipping these sections or leaving them blank in states where they apply can cause underwriting delays or compliance issues. Check your state's specific requirements or ask your insurer which fields are mandatory in your area.
An ACORD 25 certificate becomes outdated as soon as the underlying policy renews or changes, and many contracts require a current COI on file at all times. Set a reminder to re-issue certificates to ongoing clients or landlords whenever your policy renews so they don't experience a lapse in your documented compliance. Some certificate holders will flag expired COIs and halt work or access until an updated one is provided.
Frequently Asked Questions
ACORD (Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development) forms are standardized documents used across the insurance industry by agents, brokers, insurers, and policyholders. They ensure consistent data collection and communication between parties, covering everything from liability certificates to property insurance applications.
This category includes four forms: ACORD 25 (Certificate of Liability Insurance), ACORD 140 (Property Section, attached to ACORD 125), and ACORD 84 (Dwelling Fire Application). Together, they cover liability verification, commercial property underwriting, and residential dwelling fire coverage applications.
You typically need an ACORD 25 when a client, landlord, general contractor, or other third party requires proof that your business carries adequate liability insurance before work begins or access is granted. It is commonly requested as part of contract compliance and does not alter the underlying insurance policy.
No — the ACORD 25 is an informational document only and does not modify, extend, or alter the coverage provided by the underlying policies. Rights such as Additional Insured status or Waiver of Subrogation must be established through formal policy endorsements, not the certificate itself.
ACORD 125 is the general commercial insurance application that captures broad business and applicant information, while ACORD 140 is the Property Section supplement specifically designed to collect detailed underwriting data about commercial buildings and property coverages. ACORD 140 must be attached to a completed ACORD 125 and is not a standalone form.
The ACORD 84 is used by insurance agents and applicants seeking dwelling fire coverage for residential properties, including single-family homes, apartments, condominiums, and co-ops. It is the appropriate form when the property does not qualify for or require a standard homeowners policy.
Depending on the form, you may need applicant and business details, property descriptions (construction type, age, square footage), existing policy numbers and coverage limits, loss history, and billing information. Commercial property forms like ACORD 140 also require details about building exposures and requested deductibles.
ACORD forms are generally submitted to the relevant insurance carrier, managing general agent (MGA), or broker handling the account. The ACORD 25 certificate is typically sent directly to the requesting certificate holder, such as a client or project owner.
Yes — AI-powered tools like Instafill.ai can fill out ACORD forms in under 30 seconds by accurately extracting and placing data from source documents such as existing policies or prior applications. This significantly reduces manual data entry errors and speeds up the submission process for agents and applicants.
Manually completing ACORD forms can take anywhere from several minutes to over an hour depending on the complexity of the coverage and property details involved. Using AI tools like Instafill.ai, the same forms can be populated accurately in under 30 seconds, even converting non-fillable PDF versions into interactive fillable forms.
ACORD forms themselves are not insurance policies or legally binding contracts — they are standardized data-collection and communication tools used within the insurance industry. The actual binding coverage is established by the insurance policy and any endorsements issued by the carrier based on information provided in the application forms.
While ACORD forms are designed to be industry-standard and broadly applicable, some forms include jurisdiction-specific sections, fraud warnings, or required disclosures that vary by state. For example, ACORD 140 includes optional coverages like sinkhole or mine subsidence that may only apply in certain states, so it is important to review applicable local requirements.
Glossary
- ACORD
- Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development — a global standards organization for the insurance industry that creates standardized forms and data exchange protocols used by insurers, agents, and brokers worldwide.
- Certificate of Insurance (COI)
- A document summarizing the key details of an insurance policy (coverages, limits, policy period, insurer) issued to a third party as proof that coverage exists. It is informational only and does not modify the underlying policy.
- Certificate Holder
- A third party (such as a client, landlord, or general contractor) named on a Certificate of Insurance who receives proof that the insured carries required coverage. Being listed as a certificate holder alone does not grant additional rights under the policy.
- Additional Insured
- A person or organization added to another party's insurance policy, typically via endorsement, who receives certain protections under that policy. This status must be formally added by endorsement and cannot be granted by the certificate of insurance alone.
- Waiver of Subrogation
- An endorsement that prevents an insurer from pursuing a third party for reimbursement after paying a claim, even if that third party was at fault. It is often required by contract and must be added to the policy by endorsement.
- Dwelling Fire Policy
- A type of property insurance designed for residential structures (such as rental homes, vacant properties, or secondary residences) that covers damage from fire and other specified perils. It differs from a standard homeowners policy in scope and eligible property types.
- Causes of Loss
- The specific perils or events (e.g., fire, windstorm, theft, or 'all-risk') that an insurance policy covers. Property forms like ACORD 140 require applicants to specify which causes-of-loss form applies to their requested coverage.
- Underwriting
- The process by which an insurer evaluates the risk of insuring a person or property and determines eligibility, coverage terms, and premium pricing. ACORD forms are designed to collect the information underwriters need to make these decisions.
- Endorsement
- A written amendment or addition to an insurance policy that changes, adds, or removes coverage. Many contractual requirements — such as Additional Insured status or Waiver of Subrogation — only take effect when a formal endorsement is attached to the policy.
- Umbrella/Excess Liability
- A layer of liability insurance that provides coverage above the limits of underlying policies (such as general liability or auto liability). Umbrella policies may also broaden coverage, while excess policies strictly follow the terms of the underlying policy.