ACORD 125 — Commercial Insurance Application
What is ACORD 125?
The ACORD 125 is the universal commercial insurance application that serves as the foundation for virtually every commercial lines submission. It captures the core business information that underwriters need to evaluate a risk: the applicant's legal entity type, years in business, operations description, locations, and requested coverage lines.
This form is typically the first document in a submission package sent to carriers. It is almost always accompanied by supplemental ACORD forms specific to each coverage line (ACORD 126 for CGL, ACORD 140 for property, etc.).
When do brokers use ACORD 125?
Brokers complete the ACORD 125 for every new commercial insurance submission and most renewals where significant changes have occurred. It is required by essentially all admitted and surplus lines carriers. The form is used when placing commercial general liability, commercial property, commercial auto, workers compensation, umbrella, and most other commercial lines.
Key fields explained
Applicant Information
Legal name, DBA, FEIN/SSN, entity type (corporation, LLC, partnership, etc.), and years in business.
Contact Information
Primary contact, mailing address, phone, email for the applicant.
Business Description
SIC/NAICS code, nature of business, products or services offered.
Premises Information
Location addresses, building details, square footage, and occupancy.
Coverage Requested
Checkboxes for which coverage lines are being applied for (GL, property, auto, WC, umbrella, etc.).
Prior Insurance
Current carrier, policy number, premium, and expiration date for each coverage line.
Loss History
Claims history for the past 3-5 years across all coverage lines.
Common mistakes to avoid
Leaving the FEIN/Tax ID blank — carriers require this for underwriting and loss history verification
Using an incorrect SIC or NAICS code that triggers the wrong class code assignment
Not including all locations where the business operates
Failing to disclose prior claims that will appear in carrier loss databases
Submitting without the required supplemental forms (ACORD 126, 140, etc.)
Related ACORD forms
Download the official form
Official ACORD forms are available from ACORD.org. This page explains how to complete the form — visit ACORD for the actual document.
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