Certificates Of Insurance
A certificate of insurance — usually an ACORD 25 — is the one-page document that proves a business carries active insurance. It is what general contractors hand to project owners, what vendors hand to venues, what landlords keep on file, and what production companies attach to their contracts. This page walks through what a certificate actually is, how to read one, what each clause request means, and how Kelly Insurance Group customers can generate their own certificates directly from our custom client portal.
Generate Your Own Certificates — Any Time, Any Day
Most Kelly Insurance Group customers are provided access to our custom client portal where certificates of insurance can be generated directly, on demand, without waiting on office hours. Standard requests are self-serve. Special wording — waiver of subrogation, primary and non-contributory, completed operations endorsements — are handled by the service team.
Certificates Of Insurance In Numbers
Sourced figures that frame how the certificate of insurance industry actually works. Every number on this page is tied to an identified primary source.
Anatomy Of An ACORD 25 — Click Any Section
A live walkthrough of the standard Certificate of Liability Insurance. Click any zone on the document to see what that section means in plain language, what it should contain, and what to look for when reviewing it.
Pittsburgh, PA
(412) 325-1650
INSURER B: Carrier Name
NAIC #
Mailing Address, City, State, ZIP
Mailing Address, City, State, ZIP
PRODUCER — THE ISSUING AGENCY
The Producer block identifies the insurance agency or broker that issued the certificate. For Kelly Insurance Group customers, this section will show our agency name, address, and contact phone — that's how a certificate holder knows who to call with questions, changes, or renewal requests.
The producer name should match the agency that placed your insurance. The phone number should be the office that services the account, since this is where certificate holders will call with verification questions.
Certificate Clause Decoder
Project owners, general contractors, landlords, and venues often ask for specific endorsement language on a certificate. Type a clause name, select a common one from the chips below, or browse the FAQ at the bottom of the page. The decoder explains what the clause means and what the certificate is actually trying to confirm.
The Most Common Confusion — Holder vs. Additional Insured
These two terms get mixed up constantly, and the difference matters. One is a recipient of paper. The other is a party granted coverage status under the policy itself.
Receives The Certificate
The certificate holder is the party that the certificate is being issued to. They receive the document as proof that insurance is in place. The certificate is informational only and does not grant the holder any rights or coverage under the policy.
Added To The Policy
An additional insured has been added to the underlying insurance policy by endorsement. This party is granted coverage under the policy itself for liability arising out of the named insured's operations. A check mark on the certificate is not enough — the policy must include the endorsement.
When A Certificate Of Insurance Comes Into Play
Certificates of insurance show up everywhere business contracts do. The list below is a snapshot of where Kelly Insurance Group customers most often need to produce one.
Contractors & Subcontractors
General contractors collect certificates from every sub on a job. Naming the GC and the project owner as additional insureds is almost always required.
Landlords & Property Owners
Commercial leases routinely require proof of liability and property coverage with the landlord listed as both certificate holder and additional insured.
Venues & Event Hosts
Theaters, arenas, hotels, banquet halls, and outdoor venues require certificates from performers, vendors, caterers, and production companies.
Vendors & Service Providers
Caterers, DJs, photographers, security, cleaners, and any vendor entering a customer's premises is typically asked for a certificate before working.
Productions & Crews
Film and television productions require certificates for shooting locations, equipment rental houses, crew rentals, and union signatories.
Boarding & Equine Facilities
Boarding barns, training facilities, and show grounds ask visiting farriers, trainers, and clinicians for certificates with the facility named as additional insured.
Aviation Ramp Contractors
Fixed-base operators and airport authorities require certificates from any aviation services contractor working airside or on the apron.
Municipal & Government
Special event permits and government contracts typically demand specific limits, additional insured wording, and waiver of subrogation language.
Why Customers Work With Kelly Insurance Group
Kelly Insurance Group has spent more than a century placing specialty commercial insurance for accounts that don't fit the standard market — and certificate management is part of how we keep those accounts running smoothly. Most customers are provided access to our custom client portal where standard certificates can be generated on demand. Anything beyond a routine ACORD 25 — waiver wording, primary non-contributory references, project-specific descriptions — comes through the service team.
Read about the people behind the agency and the agency's long history at the links below.
What Helps A Certificate Request Move Quickly
The cleaner the request, the faster the certificate gets to the holder. Include the following with any service-team request.
Special Wording Or A New Certificate Request
Most standard certificates are self-serve through the client portal. For waivers, project-specific descriptions, primary and non-contributory wording, completed operations endorsements, or anything that needs underwriter sign-off, use the form on the right or reach the team directly through any of the buttons below.
Related Coverages & Resources
Pages from the Kelly Insurance Group site that connect to common certificate requests.
Certificate Of Insurance FAQs
Common certificate questions from Kelly Insurance Group customers and the certificate holders they work with.
What is a certificate of insurance?
A certificate of insurance, or COI, is a one-page document that summarizes the active coverage on a business insurance policy. It typically lists the named insured, the producing agency, the insurance carriers, the coverages in force, the policy numbers, effective and expiration dates, limits, and the certificate holder. The certificate is for informational purposes only and does not amend, extend, or alter the underlying policy.
What is the ACORD 25 form?
The ACORD 25 is the Certificate of Liability Insurance — the industry-standard one-page form used to evidence general liability, automobile liability, umbrella, and workers compensation coverages. It is developed and maintained by ACORD, the Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development, a nonprofit founded in 1970 that publishes the standardized forms used across the U.S. insurance industry.
What is the difference between a certificate holder and an additional insured?
A certificate holder is the party that receives the certificate as proof of insurance and is informed if the policy cancels. An additional insured is a party that has been added to the policy by endorsement and is granted coverage status under the policy itself. A check mark next to additional insured on a certificate is not sufficient on its own — the underlying policy must include the endorsement.
What does waiver of subrogation mean?
A waiver of subrogation is an agreement in the insurance policy that the insurer will not pursue recovery against a specific party — even if that party caused the loss the insurer paid. It is often required in construction, leasing, and venue contracts to keep one party's insurer from suing another contracting party after a claim.
What is the difference between a specific waiver and a blanket waiver?
A specific waiver applies to one named party on one job or contract. A blanket waiver applies broadly to any party the named insured agrees in writing to waive subrogation against. The same workers compensation endorsement form is generally used for both (WC 00 03 13), but the scope and premium are different — blanket is broader and is priced accordingly.
What does primary and non-contributory mean?
Primary and non-contributory means the named insured's policy will pay first (primary) and will not look to the additional insured's own insurance to share the loss (non-contributory). This combination is required in many upstream contracts so the additional insured's own policy is preserved and is not eroded by claims arising from another party's work.
What does additional insured by blanket endorsement mean?
A blanket additional insured endorsement automatically grants additional insured status to any party the named insured has agreed in writing to add — without listing each one separately on the policy. If the contract requires it, the blanket endorsement provides the coverage status. Some certificate holders still want a notice of cancellation, in which case the certificate is sent to the carrier as well as the holder.
Does the certificate itself give coverage?
No. The certificate is informational only. Coverage is provided by the underlying policy. The certificate is a snapshot of what the policy looks like on the day of issue. If the policy changes, cancels, or is altered, the certificate becomes out of date.
What is the NAIC number on a certificate?
The NAIC number is a five-digit identifier assigned by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to each licensed insurance carrier. It appears next to each insurer's name in the upper-right section of the ACORD 25 and is one of the ways a certificate holder can verify the financial standing of the carrier providing the coverage.
What is ACORD 101 and when is it used?
ACORD 101 is the Additional Remarks Schedule — used when the Description of Operations box on the ACORD 25 runs out of room. Long project descriptions, multiple additional insured references, and detailed endorsement language are often continued on an ACORD 101 attached to the main certificate.
Can Kelly Insurance Group customers generate their own certificates?
Yes. Most Kelly Insurance Group customers are provided access to our custom client portal where standard certificates of insurance can be generated at any time. Special wording — waivers, primary and non-contributory, completed operations, project-specific language — is handled by the service team.
How long does a certificate request take?
Standard self-serve certificates from the client portal are essentially immediate. Service-team requests are typically handled the same business day when sent during office hours, depending on whether any special wording or carrier confirmation is required. Sending the contract's insurance requirements section along with the request speeds the process up.
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