ACORD 125

Commercial Insurance Application

The master application for every commercial insurance submission. Captures the applicant's identity, operations, loss history, and coverage needs.

What This Form Is For

The ACORD 125 is the foundation of every commercial insurance submission. Regardless of which coverages you're requesting — general liability, property, workers' comp, or auto — the 125 establishes who the applicant is, what their business does, and what their risk profile looks like.

Think of it as the cover page and general information section. It captures the business's legal entity, operations description, revenue, employee count, prior carrier history, and claims record. Every line-specific supplement (the 126, 140, 130, or 131) builds on the information provided in the 125.

Underwriters read the 125 first. A thorough, accurate 125 with a detailed operations description and complete loss history sets the tone for the entire submission. An incomplete 125 often results in requests for additional information — slowing down the quoting process.

Section-by-Section Walkthrough

Fields That Matter Most to Underwriters

  • 1Description of operations — detailed enough to classify the risk accurately
  • 2Annual revenue and employee count — drives exposure and premium basis
  • 3Loss history — frequency and severity of past claims
  • 4Prior carrier history — stability of insurance program
  • 5NAICS code — must match actual operations, not just the closest category

Common Mistakes

Vague operations description

Carriers need to understand what the business actually does. Generic descriptions like 'consulting' or 'services' force underwriters to guess — leading to incorrect classification, higher premiums, or outright declination.

Mismatched NAICS codes

The NAICS code should match actual operations, not the closest-sounding category. A construction management firm is not the same NAICS as a general contractor. Mismatches trigger underwriting questions and slow down quoting.

Blank loss history section

Leaving claims blank signals an incomplete application, not a clean loss record. Underwriters will request loss runs before proceeding, adding days to the quoting timeline. Always state 'no claims' explicitly if that's the case.

Outdated revenue figures

Use current-year projected revenue, not last year's actual. Carriers rate based on exposure during the upcoming policy period. Stale revenue figures lead to mid-term audits and premium adjustments.

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