The COI request
What the certificate of insurance says about itself
The standard US certificate is ACORD 25, Certificate of Liability Insurance, and it states its own limits at the top in capital letters. Reading those 3 sentences, verified against the approved form on July 26, 2026, answers most of what operators get wrong: it is information only and it confers no rights.
Someone asked you for a COI and you are not sure what they want, or they rejected the one you sent and you are not sure why. Both questions have the same answer, and it is printed on the form itself in language most people scroll past.
Below are the form's own words, quoted from the version 2025/12 published among the approved certificates of the New York State Department of Financial Services, approved certificates of insurance.
Three sentences the form prints about itself
What the certificate is
THIS CERTIFICATE IS ISSUED AS A MATTER OF INFORMATION ONLY AND CONFERS NO RIGHTS UPON THE CERTIFICATE HOLDER.
The form states its own limits in capital letters at the top. It is evidence that policies existed on the date it was issued, and nothing more than that.
Why it matters. The certificate is proof of a policy, not a piece of the policy. Holding one does not give the holder anything under the coverage it describes.
What the certificate does not do
THIS CERTIFICATE DOES NOT AFFIRMATIVELY OR NEGATIVELY AMEND, EXTEND OR ALTER THE COVERAGE AFFORDED BY THE POLICIES BELOW.
The form disclaims any power to change the policies it describes, in either direction.
Why it matters. A client who asks for wording to be added to the certificate is asking for something the certificate cannot do. What changes coverage is an endorsement on the policy.
Certificate holder is not additional insured
A statement on this certificate does not confer rights to the certificate holder in lieu of such endorsement(s).
The form separates being listed as the certificate holder from having rights under the policy, and points to the endorsement as the thing that grants them.
Why it matters. This is the distinction that gets certificates rejected. Being named in the certificate holder box and being an additional insured on the policy are two different things, and only the second one is coverage.
Certificate holder and additional insured, side by side
| Certificate holder | Additional insured | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A party the certificate was addressed to | A party the policy was endorsed to cover |
| Where it lives | A box on the certificate | An endorsement attached to the policy |
| Rights under the policy | None, per the form's own language | Whatever the endorsement grants |
| How it gets added | The issuer types it in | The insurer endorses the policy, often for a premium |
| Costs anything | No | Usually yes |
When a contract requires additional insured status and the certificate only names the party as certificate holder, the requirement has not been met. The form anticipates exactly this and points at the endorsement as the thing that does the work.
The gap list
What a certificate does not do
The certificate is not the policy
It is a summary produced for information. The terms that decide any claim are in the policy and its endorsements, and where the two disagree, the policy governs.
It grants the holder nothing
The form states in capital letters that it confers no rights on the certificate holder. A party who wants rights under the policy needs an endorsement naming them, not a line in a certificate.
It says nothing about exclusions
A certificate lists policy types, limits and dates. It does not list what the policy excludes, so a certificate showing a general liability policy tells a client nothing about whether a particular loss would be covered.
It goes stale silently
A policy can be cancelled after a certificate is issued. The certificate does not update itself, and the notice a holder receives depends on the policy terms rather than on the certificate.
Every item here comes from the form's own language rather than from an interpretation of it.
Common questions
What is a certificate of insurance?
It is a one page summary showing that policies existed on the date it was issued, who the insurer is, what the limits are and when the coverage ends. The industry standard form in the United States is ACORD 25, titled Certificate of Liability Insurance. The form says what it is directly at the top: it is issued as a matter of information only and confers no rights on the certificate holder.
Who issues the certificate?
The insurer or the agent or broker who placed the coverage produces and signs it. A business cannot fill one out for itself, and a certificate that did not come from the insurer or its representative is not evidence of anything.
Is the certificate holder the same as an additional insured?
No, and this is the distinction that gets certificates rejected. The form separates the two explicitly, stating that a statement on the certificate does not confer rights on the certificate holder in place of an endorsement. Being listed in the certificate holder box means a copy was addressed to that party. Being an additional insured means the policy was endorsed to extend coverage to them, which is a change to the policy itself.
Can wording be added to the certificate to satisfy a client?
The form disclaims that power in both directions: it states that the certificate does not affirmatively or negatively amend, extend or alter the coverage afforded by the policies it describes. If a contract requires something the policy does not currently provide, what changes that is an endorsement on the policy, not text typed into the certificate.
How long is a certificate good for?
It reflects the state of the policies on the day it was issued, and the policy expiration dates shown on it are the dates that matter. A certificate issued months ago says nothing about whether the coverage is still in force today, which is why clients ask for a current one at renewal.
What is a COI?
COI is the everyday abbreviation for certificate of insurance. When a general contractor, property manager or venue asks for your COI, they are asking for the ACORD 25 from your insurer or broker.
How this page is sourced
Every quotation above is from ACORD 25 version 2025/12, published by ACORD Corporation and listed among the approved certificates of insurance by the New York State Department of Financial Services, approved certificates of insurance. Nothing here is sourced to a summary of the form.
This is general information about a standard industry form, not advice about your policy or your contract. We publish general educational content and cannot review anyone's specific situation. For a question about your own coverage or a contract requirement you have been given, talk to a licensed agent or broker in your state, or contact your carrier directly.
Related: the question of which policy responds when a work vehicle is involved is on general liability and commercial auto. The full sourcing standard is on methodology.