What Is a Certificate of Insurance?
Look up any term you see on a certificate of insurance and read what the document is, what it shows and what it cannot change.
How to use the certificate of insurance glossary
- Type a word in the box labelled “Search the terms on a certificate”. The placeholder reads “for example: additional insured”.
- Choose a quick filter: “All”, “Parties”, “Dates”, “Limits” or “Endorsements”. Each filter narrows the list to that group. Choose “All” to see every term again.
- Read the count above the list. It shows “1 term” or a number of terms, so you can see how many match your search and filter.
- Select a term to open its details. Read the explanation, then the “Worth knowing” note when one appears.
- Press Esc, or select “Clear search”, to empty the box.
- If the topic is new to you, start with the three cards at the top: “What a certificate is”, “What it is not” and “Who issues it”. Read them before the term list, then come back to the search box for the words on your own certificate.
The glossary explains terms. It does not read your certificate, compare it with a contract or say whether your coverage is enough. If no term matches, try a shorter word or choose “All” to see the full list again. Use the glossary to learn the words first, then use the checklist and sample pages to look at a real certificate.
What is a certificate of insurance?
A certificate of insurance is evidence that certain types of insurance and limits have been bought. The certificate is issued on behalf of the party that has to show it carries insurance. A contract can ask for one as proof. One city’s checklist asks that the limits on a certificate reflect the contract. Invented example: a renovation company sends a certificate to a property owner before work starts.
What does a certificate of insurance show?
The standard form named ACORD 25 has a fixed layout. ACORD is a trademark of ACORD Corporation, and this page does not provide or copy that form. The printed form lists the producer, the insured, insurers A to F with their NAIC numbers, and a certificate number. It has a coverage table with policy numbers, policy dates and limits, plus rows for general liability, auto, umbrella or excess, and workers compensation. Columns headed ADDL INSD and SUBR WVD show whether a row is marked for additional insured or waiver of subrogation. The form also has a description box, a certificate holder box and a cancellation box. The City of San Diego checklist asks that the insured name match the contracting party and that additional insured, primary and waiver coverage be shown by actual endorsements, with the policy number printed on each. That is one city’s checklist, not a rule that applies everywhere.
What does a certificate of insurance not do?
A certificate is not the policy. It does not change, extend or alter the coverage of the policy it refers to, and it gives nobody new rights beyond what the policy expressly provides. It also does not promise that the policy meets a contract’s insurance requirements, and naming a contract on it does not change that. The NCOIL model act says so, but it is a model, and state law varies. The form says coverage is subject to all policy terms, and that limits may have been reduced by paid claims. The cancellation box says notice will be delivered under the policy provisions, so a certificate cannot change the notice terms.
An additional insured is not automatically an insured under the policy. It is added at the named insured’s request, for example a project owner, a customer or a landlord. Its rights depend on the terms of the endorsement that adds it, and the form says a statement on the certificate does not replace that endorsement.
Sources (checked 16 October 2026): IRMI glossary: certificate of insurance · IRMI glossary: additional insured · NCOIL model act · ACORD 25 printed text, National Park Service copy · City of San Diego insurance checklist · Taft Law checklist
Frequently asked questions
Who issues a certificate of insurance, and who is the holder?
A certificate is issued on behalf of the party that has to show it carries insurance. The producer box names the producer listed on the certificate, and the certificate holder box names the party it is for. A contract can ask for a certificate, and the holder named on it should match what the contract requires.
Is a certificate of insurance the same as the policy?
No. A certificate is evidence that coverage was bought. The policy holds the actual terms, exclusions and conditions. Ask for the policy or the endorsement when a term matters to you.
Does a certificate show whether my coverage is enough?
No. It lists types of insurance, policy numbers, dates and limits, but it does not judge whether they are enough. The form also says the limits shown may have been reduced by paid claims.
Is my certificate uploaded when I use this glossary?
No. The glossary runs in your browser, and nothing you type or select is stored or sent. It explains terms. It does not read a certificate you hold.
Is this glossary legal or insurance advice?
No. It explains what the terms mean and what the standard form says. State law varies, so a lawyer or licensed insurance professional can review your own contract and policy.
Related pages on this site:
- Certificates of insurance - the hub for all certificate tools.
- ACORD 25 checker - when you want to check the layout of a certificate you hold.
- How to read a certificate of insurance - when you have a real certificate to read.
- Certificate holder vs additional insured - when the two roles get confused.
- Additional insured endorsement - when a contract asks for additional insured status.
- Waiver of subrogation - when a contract asks you to give up recovery rights.
- Primary and noncontributory - when a contract asks which policy pays first.
- Insurance requirements letter generator - write down the coverage you ask a subcontractor or vendor to carry.
- Certificate of insurance sample - a made-up certificate explained part by part.