Description of Operations
The free-text section on the ACORD 25 certificate where brokers specify project details, contract references, and endorsement information.
What It Is
The Description of Operations / Locations / Vehicles section is a free-text area on the ACORD 25 certificate where the producer can include additional information about the insured's operations, the specific project or contract to which the certificate relates, and the endorsements that have been added to the policy.
This section is commonly used to reference specific contract or project details, list the endorsement form numbers for additional insured (CG 20 10, CG 20 37), waiver of subrogation (CG 24 04), and primary and noncontributory (CG 20 01). It may also include the certificate holder's specific contract number, project name, or job site address.
The Description of Operations is one of the most scrutinized fields on the certificate because it is where specific contract compliance information is documented. Certificate holders and their compliance teams read this section carefully to verify that all contractual requirements are addressed.
Why It Matters for Brokers
The Description of Operations field is where brokers demonstrate compliance with specific contract requirements. A vague or incomplete description can trigger a certificate rejection, while an overly specific or inaccurate description can create misrepresentation issues. Brokers must balance specificity with accuracy — referencing endorsements that actually exist on the policy and describing operations that accurately reflect the insured's work.
Real-World Example
A subcontractor needs a certificate for Project #4521 at 800 Industrial Blvd for GC Apex Construction. The Description of Operations should read: "RE: Project #4521, 800 Industrial Blvd, Houston, TX 77001. Apex Construction Corp. is included as Additional Insured per CG 20 10 04 13 and CG 20 37 04 13. Waiver of Subrogation applies per CG 24 04 05 09. Coverage is Primary and Noncontributory per CG 20 01 04 13." This level of specificity satisfies the GC's compliance requirements and accurately reflects the endorsements on the policy.
Common Mistakes
- 1Referencing endorsement form numbers in the Description of Operations that are not actually on the policy, creating a misrepresentation.
- 2Using generic language like 'additional insured as required by contract' without specifying the endorsement form and edition.
- 3Exceeding the Description of Operations character limit and truncating important information, or not knowing that continuation pages are available.
How brokerageaudit.com Handles This
COI Manager provides pre-built Description of Operations templates based on the certificate holder's stored requirements. It only allows endorsement references that have been verified by Policy Checker, preventing misrepresentation. The system auto-populates project details, contract numbers, and endorsement form numbers from the account record, ensuring consistency and accuracy across all certificates.