What Does a COI Look Like? Visual Guide to the ACORD 25 Form

If you've never seen a certificate of insurance before, it can look intimidating — boxes, codes, numbers, and insurance jargon packed onto a single page. But once you know what to look for, the ACORD 25 form (the standard COI used across the US) follows a consistent structure that makes verification straightforward.

This guide walks through every section of a certificate of insurance so you can read one at a glance — and spot errors before they become problems.

What a COI Looks Like at a Glance

A standard certificate of insurance is a single-page document with a light blue border and the ACORD logo in the top-right corner. It contains 10–12 labeled sections, each serving a specific purpose. At the bottom, an authorized representative of the insurance agency signs the form. The document is printed on standard letter-size paper and is typically issued as a PDF by the insured's insurance agent or broker.

Despite being one page, a COI packs in a lot of information. Every field matters — and overlooking a single detail can mean the difference between verified coverage and a dangerous gap.

Section-by-Section Breakdown of the ACORD 25 Form

1. Producer (Top Left)

The Producer is the insurance agent or broker who issued the certificate. This section includes the agency name, address, phone number, and contact information. Always verify this information — a legitimate COI will have a verifiable insurance agency listed here. If you cannot reach the agency at the listed number, that is a red flag.

2. Insured (Below Producer)

The Insured is the vendor, contractor, or tenant who purchased the insurance. This is the most important field to verify: the name here must exactly match the legal name of the company performing work for you. A COI listing "ABC Services LLC" when your contract is with "ABC Services Inc." is a gap. Subsidiaries and DBAs (Doing Business As) that differ from the legal entity on your contract must be verified.

3. Insurance Companies (Upper Right)

This section lists each insurance company providing coverage, identified by their NAIC (National Association of Insurance Commissioners) number. Each insurer is assigned a letter (A, B, C, etc.), which is then referenced in the coverage table below. Verify that each listed insurer is rated A- or better by A.M. Best, the insurance industry's credit rating agency. An insurer with a low rating may not have the financial strength to pay claims.

4. Coverage Table (Middle Section)

This is the heart of the COI — a table listing each type of insurance, policy numbers, effective and expiration dates, and coverage limits. Common coverage types you will see:

General Liability (GL): Covers bodily injury and property damage caused by the vendor's operations. Typically $1M per occurrence and $2M aggregate. This is the minimum coverage most contracts require.
Automobile Liability: Covers vehicles used in the vendor's operations. Look for $1M combined single limit (CSL) minimum.
Workers' Compensation: Covers employee injuries. Statutory limits apply in most states. Check that coverage applies in the state where work is performed.
Umbrella/Excess Liability: Additional coverage above the primary policies. Typically $1M to $5M. This kicks in when underlying policy limits are exhausted.
Professional Liability (E&O): Covers errors and omissions by professional service providers like architects, engineers, and consultants. Look for $1M minimum.

For each coverage type, verify: the policy number is present and valid, the effective date is already in force (not future-dated), the expiration date is beyond your project completion date, and the coverage limits meet your contractual requirements.

5. Description of Operations / Locations / Vehicles (Bottom Middle)

This free-text section describes the scope of work, project location, or covered vehicles. It is also where additional insured status and waiver of subrogation are referenced. Key things to check:

Additional Insured: Your company should be listed as additional insured with the specific endorsement form number (e.g., CG 2010 for ongoing operations, CG 2037 for completed operations). "Additional insured as required by written contract" without a form number is insufficient — it does not confirm the endorsement actually exists.
Waiver of Subrogation: If your contract requires a waiver of subrogation, it must be noted here with the specific form number.
Project Description: The project name, location, and scope should match your contract. A COI listing "general maintenance" when the actual work is "roof replacement" could indicate the wrong coverage is in place.

6. Certificate Holder (Bottom Left)

The Certificate Holder is your company — the entity requesting proof of insurance. Verify your company name and address are correct. The certificate holder does NOT receive any rights under the policy; this section simply confirms who the document was issued for. If your company is not listed correctly, request a revised COI.

7. Cancellation Clause (Bottom)

The standard cancellation clause states that the insurer "will endeavor to" notify the certificate holder if any policy listed is cancelled before its expiration date. Note the language: "endeavor to" is not a guarantee. The insurer makes a reasonable effort but may not notify you in every case. This is why relying solely on a COI — rather than actively tracking expiration dates — leaves you exposed.

8. Authorized Representative Signature (Bottom Right)

The COI must be signed by an authorized representative of the insurance agency or broker. An unsigned COI is invalid. Many COIs today are digitally signed or electronically issued — that is acceptable as long as the issuer can be verified through the contact information in the Producer section.

5 Common Mistakes on COIs (And How to Spot Them)

Mistake #1: Wrong Insured Name

The most common error. A vendor's legal name is "ABC Construction, Inc." but the COI lists "ABC Construction." Even a missing "Inc." can create a coverage gap. Always cross-reference the insured name against your vendor agreement.

Mistake #2: Expired Policy Dates

A COI with an expiration date in the past is worthless. Always check the effective and expiration dates before filing a COI. Set calendar reminders 30 days before expiration to request a renewal.

Mistake #3: Missing Additional Insured Status

If your contract requires additional insured status, and the Description section does not explicitly reference it with a form number, the endorsement may not exist. Never accept "Additional insured as required by written contract" without the specific endorsement form number (CG 2010, CG 2037, etc.).

Mistake #4: Inadequate Coverage Limits

A COI showing $500,000 general liability when your contract requires $1,000,000 is noncompliant. Compare every limit against your requirements document. Do not assume the agent got it right.

Mistake #5: No Signature or Invalid Signature

An unsigned COI, or one signed by someone other than the authorized agency representative, should be rejected. Electronic signatures from verified insurance agency systems are acceptable. Handwritten signatures with no agency contact information for verification are red flags.

COI vs Insurance Policy: What's the Difference?

This is one of the most important distinctions in vendor compliance:

Certificate of Insurance: A one-page summary that provides evidence of coverage at the time of issuance. It is NOT a contract and does NOT grant rights to the certificate holder. Think of it as a snapshot — it shows what was in place when the form was issued, but does not guarantee coverage will remain in force.
Insurance Policy: The full legal contract between the insured and the insurance company. It typically runs 50–100+ pages and includes all terms, conditions, exclusions, and endorsements. The policy is what actually pays claims — not the COI.

The practical implication: a COI alone does not fully protect you. You need verified additional insured endorsements, confirmation that coverage is primary and non-contributory, and a system to track renewals so coverage does not lapse. This is where dedicated COI tracking software becomes essential.

How COI File Helps You Verify COIs at a Glance

Instead of manually reading every section of every certificate, COI File's AI-powered extraction engine automatically:

Extracts insured names, policy numbers, coverage limits, and expiration dates
Flags missing additional insured endorsements and inadequate coverage limits
Shows compliance status (green, yellow, red) for every vendor at a glance
Sends automatic alerts 30, 14, and 7 days before any certificate expires

You can upload any COI — even a photo taken on your phone — and COI File processes it in seconds. No manual data entry. No missed expirations.

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Related Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

A certificate of insurance (COI) is a one-page document — typically the ACORD 25 form — that summarizes a policyholder's insurance coverage. It lists the insurance producer (agent), insured party, insurance companies, coverage types and limits, the certificate holder, and a description of the work or operations covered. It includes policy numbers, effective and expiration dates, and is signed by an authorized representative of the insurance agency.

A COI is a summary of coverage — it provides evidence that insurance exists but is NOT the actual policy. The insurance policy is the legal contract between the insured and the insurance company. A COI does not convey any rights to the certificate holder beyond confirming coverage was in place at the time of issuance. Important limitation: a COI does not guarantee that coverage will not be cancelled before the expiration date.

Verify: (1) Your company is listed as the certificate holder, (2) The insured name matches your vendor exactly, (3) Coverage types include general liability and workers' compensation at minimum, (4) Coverage limits meet your contract requirements, (5) The policy effective and expiration dates are valid, (6) You are listed as additional insured (if required), (7) The COI is signed by an authorized representative. Any discrepancies should be flagged before the vendor begins work.

Warning signs of a fraudulent COI include: missing or invalid policy numbers, unverifiable insurance company names, missing signatures, coverage limits that exceed industry norms without explanation, mismatched dates, and refusal by the vendor to provide the actual policy or additional insured endorsement. Always verify the insurance agent's contact information directly with the insurance company listed on the form. COI File's AI extraction helps flag anomalies automatically.

The ACORD 25 is the standard certificate of liability insurance form used across the United States. It is maintained by ACORD (Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development), the insurance industry's standards organization. Most commercial COIs you receive will be on the ACORD 25 form. It is universally recognized by contractors, property managers, lenders, and compliance teams.

What Does a COI Look Like? Visual Guide to the ACORD 25 Form | COI File