ACORD 125 (Commercial Insurance Application)
The primary general information ACORD application form used as the cover page for nearly all commercial lines submissions.
What It Is
The ACORD 125 is the most widely used commercial insurance application form. It serves as the general information section — capturing the applicant's legal entity name, mailing address, contact information, business description, SIC/NAICS code, years in business, and prior carrier information.
Virtually every commercial lines submission to a carrier begins with the ACORD 125. It is paired with line-specific application supplements: ACORD 126 for general liability, ACORD 130 for workers compensation, ACORD 137 for commercial auto, ACORD 140 for property, and others.
The ACORD 125 also contains sections for policy information including proposed effective dates, expiring premium, loss history summary, and the agency's information.
Why It Matters for Brokers
Because the ACORD 125 is the foundation of nearly every commercial submission, brokers must complete it accurately. Errors in basic information — wrong entity name, incorrect SIC code, or missing years in business — can cause underwriting issues downstream. For brokerages focused on efficiency, the ACORD 125 is often the bottleneck in the submission process. Agencies that pre-populate client data and automate form completion can significantly reduce the time from prospect to submission.
Real-World Example
A broker takes on a new manufacturing account. They complete the ACORD 125 with the client's legal entity name, EIN, NAICS code (332710 — Machine Shops), 12 years in business, and current carrier information. This ACORD 125 is then paired with an ACORD 126 (GL), ACORD 130 (WC), and ACORD 140 (Property) to create a complete multi-line submission package sent to five markets.
Common Mistakes
- 1Entering the DBA instead of the legal entity name, which creates policy issuance errors and potential coverage disputes.
- 2Using an incorrect NAICS or SIC code that misrepresents the insured's operations to underwriters.
- 3Omitting the prior carrier loss history section, which many underwriters consider a red flag and grounds for declination.
How brokerageaudit.com Handles This
Submission Intake pre-populates the ACORD 125 from the agency management system and validates entity names, NAICS codes, and contact information. The platform automatically pairs the ACORD 125 with the correct line-specific supplements based on the coverages being quoted.