What can an agency put in the Description of Operations box on an ACORD 25?

What does the form itself say?

The notice at the top of the ACORD 25 reads: “This certificate is issued as a matter of information only and confers no rights upon the certificate holder. This certificate does not affirmatively or negatively amend, extend or alter the coverage afforded by the policies below.” It adds that the certificate is not a contract between the insurer, the producer and the holder.

A second notice, headed “Important”, deals with the two most requested phrases. If the holder is an additional insured, “the policy(ies) must have additional insured provisions or be endorsed”. If subrogation is waived, certain policies may require an endorsement. It ends: “A statement on this certificate does not confer rights to the certificate holder in lieu of such endorsement(s).”

The box is labelled “Description of operations / locations / vehicles”, and says an ACORD 101, Additional Remarks Schedule, may be attached if more space is required. The 2016/03 edition and the 2025/12 edition on file with the Texas Department of Insurance carry the same wording on all of these points.

What can and cannot go in the box?

What do state certificate laws add?

Some states have turned the form’s notice into law. Texas Insurance Code § 1811.051 says an insurer or agent may not issue a certificate that “alters, amends, or extends the coverage or terms and conditions provided by the insurance policy”, and that a certificate may not convey a contractual right to a holder. Section 1811.154 bars any reference to an insurance requirement in a contract other than the policy. The Texas Department of Insurance says an approved certificate form must be used for a risk located in Texas wherever the holder is, and lists civil penalties of up to $1,000 for each infraction.

Georgia’s insurance department says certificates must be on ACORD or ISO forms or forms it has approved, that certificate forms cannot be altered, and that it is a violation both to issue and to request a certificate that purports to alter or expand coverage. Its guidance names the description of operations box specifically.

These are two examples. Rules differ by state, and not every state has a certificate statute, so check the state where the risk is located.

How should a service desk handle a wording request?

• Ask what the requester needs the wording to prove. Most requests are for additional insured status, a waiver of subrogation, primary and noncontributory wording, or notice of cancellation.
• Look for that provision in the policy. If it is there, cite the endorsement by title, form number and edition date and attach a copy if asked.
• If it is not there, the request is an endorsement request to the insurer. Tell the client and the requester that the certificate cannot supply it.
• Do not copy wording from a contract or a holder’s sample certificate into the box. Type only what the policy supports.
• Use an ACORD 101 when the references will not fit, and keep the request, the policy pages relied on and the final PDF together in the file.

Related questions

Does typing “additional insured” in the description box make the holder an additional insured?

No. The ACORD 25 says the policy must have additional insured provisions or be endorsed, and that a statement on the certificate does not confer rights in place of the endorsement.

May the description box refer to the insurance requirements of a construction contract?

Not for a Texas risk. Texas Insurance Code § 1811.154 bars a certificate from referring to a legal or insurance requirement in any contract other than the policy. A job or contract number may be shown for identification only.

What if the wording will not fit in the box?

The ACORD 25 says an ACORD 101, Additional Remarks Schedule, may be attached if more space is required. The same limits apply to what is written there.