# How to read an ACORD 25 certificate, field by field > Walk through every section of an ACORD 25 certificate of liability insurance, from producer and insurers to limits, dates, and holder, and what each tells you. An ACORD 25 is a one-page summary of a vendor's liability policies, prepared by their insurance agent. To read it, check five things: who is insured, which policies are listed and when they run, the limits, what the description of operations says, and who the certificate holder is. This guide goes through the form in the order it appears. One caveat comes first. The form states that it is issued as a matter of information only and does not amend, extend, or alter the coverage in the policies. It summarizes the policies. It does not replace them or the endorsements attached to them. ## Top of the form: producer, insured, insurers - **Producer** is the agency or broker that issued the certificate. This is the contact for corrections and updated certificates. - **Insured** is the business the policies cover. Compare the name and address to the vendor you hired. A certificate for a sister company or a different legal entity does not cover your vendor. - **Insurers affording coverage** lists up to six insurance companies, labeled A through F, each with an NAIC number. The NAIC number identifies the carrier in the National Association of Insurance Commissioners system. Many contracts set a minimum rating for carriers, which you check with a rating agency or your state insurance department, not on the certificate. ## The coverage table Each row is one policy. The letter in the first column ties the row to insurer A through F. Rows are grouped by type: - **Commercial general liability (GL).** Two boxes show the policy form: claims-made or occurrence. Most construction contracts expect occurrence. A claims-made policy covers claims reported while the policy is active, so the retroactive date and renewal history matter. - **Automobile liability.** Boxes show which autos are covered: any auto, owned, scheduled, hired, or non-owned. Any auto is the broadest. - **Umbrella or excess liability.** It adds limits above the underlying policies. See [umbrella vs excess liability](https://complysub.agntwrk.com/guides/umbrella-vs-excess-liability). - **Workers' compensation and employers' liability.** Look at the statutory box, the employers' liability limits, and the question about excluded owners or officers. See [workers' comp exemptions for sole proprietors](https://complysub.agntwrk.com/guides/workers-comp-exemptions-sole-proprietors). - **Other.** Professional liability, pollution, inland marine, and similar policies appear here if the agent lists them. ### Policy number and dates Each row has a policy number, an effective date, and an expiration date. Check that every required policy is in force today and for how long. A policy that expires next month will need a renewal certificate. See [what to do when a subcontractor's certificate expires](https://complysub.agntwrk.com/guides/subcontractor-certificate-expired). ### Limits GL shows several limits: each occurrence, damage to rented premises, medical expense, personal and advertising injury, general aggregate, and products and completed operations aggregate. A box shows whether the aggregate applies per policy, per project, or per location, which matters on large jobs. Auto usually shows a combined single limit. Workers' comp shows employers' liability limits for each accident and for disease. Contracts vary, so compare against your own requirements. A common GL contract figure is $1 million each occurrence and $2 million aggregate. See [general liability limits explained](https://complysub.agntwrk.com/guides/general-liability-limits-explained). ### ADDL INSD and SUBR WVD Two narrow columns carry a Y or an N. The first says whether additional insured status applies. The second says whether subrogation is waived. A Y is the agent's statement. It does not show the wording of the endorsement behind it, or whether the endorsement covers your project. See [additional insured endorsements](https://complysub.agntwrk.com/guides/additional-insured-cg-20-10-vs-cg-20-37) and [waiver of subrogation](https://complysub.agntwrk.com/guides/waiver-of-subrogation). ## Description of operations This free-text box names the job, the location, and any special wording. Agents often write that the certificate holder is an additional insured, that coverage is primary and non-contributory, and that a waiver of subrogation applies. There is no checkbox for primary and non-contributory, so this text is often the only place it appears. See [primary and non-contributory](https://complysub.agntwrk.com/guides/primary-and-non-contributory). If the box says see attached, read the attached schedule. ## Certificate holder and cancellation The certificate holder box names who the certificate was issued to. It should match the entity and address your contract specifies. Being listed here gives no coverage rights. See [certificate holder vs additional insured](https://complysub.agntwrk.com/guides/certificate-holder-vs-additional-insured). The cancellation box says notice will be delivered in accordance with the policy provisions. It does not promise that the holder gets notice if a policy is cancelled. If your contract requires notice of cancellation, ask your own insurance professional how to get it. ## Check this automatically With ComplySub you enter your requirements once: limits, endorsements, holder name and address, and dates. Vendors upload a certificate through a link, with no account. ComplySub reads the ACORD 25 and compares it with your requirements. It flags limits that are too low, missing additional insured, waiver of subrogation, or primary and non-contributory wording, a wrong holder, and expired or expiring policies. It then reminds the vendor and their agent. ComplySub reads the certificate. It does not read the endorsements behind it, and it is not legal or insurance advice. [Try ComplySub free](https://complysub.agntwrk.com/login) _This guide is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Insurance and licensing rules vary by state, carrier, and contract; confirm what applies to you with your insurance professional, attorney, or licensing board._