ACORD 24 Certificate of Property Insurance: Sections, Requests, and Pitfalls

The ACORD 24 Certificate of Property Insurance is a one-page form your insurance agent fills out to show a third party that your building, equipment, or other property is covered. Mortgage servicers, landlords, business partners, and other parties ask for it when they want quick written confirmation of coverage without reading your full policy. You don’t fill it out yourself; you request it from your agent and give them the details about who’s asking and why.

What the Certificate Actually Proves

The ACORD 24 summarizes the policy: insurer, insured, covered property, limits, valuation method, and policy dates. It does not create coverage, grant the recipient any rights under the policy, or change the policy in any way. The top of every ACORD 24 says so in capital letters, stating that the certificate “is issued as a matter of information only and confers no rights upon the certificate holder” and “does not affirmatively or negatively amend, extend or alter the coverage” provided by the policy.¹

That disclaimer is the whole point of the form’s legal character. The certificate is evidence that a policy exists on the date it’s issued. It is not a contract between the insurer and the person holding the certificate.

What Each Section Shows

Whether you’re requesting a certificate or checking one you’ve received, the layout is the same from top to bottom:

Producer. The agency or broker that issued the certificate, with its name, address, and phone. If you need to verify anything on the form, this is who to call.
Insured. The policyholder’s legal name and mailing address. It has to match the named insured on the policy exactly. Mismatched names, DBAs, or missing LLC suffixes cause disputes later.
Company. The carrier underwriting the policy. More than one may appear if different insurers cover different perils.
Description of Property. The location and a brief description of the covered building, equipment, or assets.
Coverage. The core of the form: policy number, effective and expiration dates, covered perils, dollar limits, valuation method, and deductibles.
Additional Interest. Parties with a financial stake in the property, such as loss payees or lienholders. On the ACORD 24, this box is informational only and does not give those parties rights under the policy.
Cancellation. Language about what happens if the policy is cancelled early. Its practical weight is limited, as explained further down.

The Coverage section notes the valuation method, usually replacement cost value (RCV), which pays to repair or replace with materials of similar kind and quality without deducting for age or wear, or actual cash value (ACV), which pays the depreciated value at the time of loss.² An ACV policy on an older building pays out considerably less than an RCV policy on the same structure, so whoever requested the certificate will often check which one applies.

How to Request One

Policyholders don’t complete the ACORD 24. A licensed insurance agent or broker fills it out through agency management software or ACORD’s electronic forms portal, and agents must hold an ACORD End User License to use the forms.¹³

Call or email your agent with:

The certificate holder’s full legal name and mailing address, exactly as the holder wants it printed.
The property address. If your policy covers several locations, say which one the certificate should reference.
Any specific wording the holder has asked for in the Description of Property or remarks section. Your agent can add factual notes but cannot add anything that changes what the policy actually covers.
How the holder wants it delivered. Most certificates go out by secure email or portal, though some lenders still require a mailed copy.

The agent pulls the policy data, confirms the policy is active and premiums are current, enters the information, and transmits the completed certificate. Simple requests are usually turned around the same day. Multi-policy or unusual holder requirements take longer. Most agencies don’t charge a separate fee for a standard certificate, though practices vary.

When You Need a Different Form

Requesting the wrong ACORD form wastes everyone’s time, and the ACORD 24 is often not the right one.

The ACORD 25 is the Certificate of Liability Insurance. It covers general liability, auto liability, and workers’ compensation, not physical property. A contractor whose client wants proof of liability coverage needs an ACORD 25.⁴

The ACORD 28, Evidence of Commercial Property Insurance, looks similar to the ACORD 24 but is meant for parties with a verifiable financial interest in the property, such as a mortgagee or a lender that financed the building. The ACORD 24 is intended for parties without an insurable interest.⁵ Because the ACORD 24 explicitly disclaims any rights for the holder, it can’t satisfy a mortgage lender’s requirement for evidence of insurance. If your bank wants proof of coverage on a financed property, ask your agent for an ACORD 28.⁴

Why the Cancellation Section Is Weaker Than It Looks

Certificate holders often assume the Cancellation box guarantees them advance notice if the policy is cancelled. It doesn’t. ACORD forms do not contain a standard pre-printed notification period, and the cancellation language on the certificate creates no enforceable obligation on the insurer.⁶

Some holders ask the agent to write in a specific notice period, such as “30 days written notice of cancellation.” Cancellation terms in the actual policy vary depending on the reason for cancellation and the party involved, so an abbreviated statement on the certificate can misrepresent what the policy says. In some states, adding cancellation language that goes beyond what the policy provides can run afoul of insurance regulations.⁶ If specific notice wording is required, the safer approach is for the agent to copy language straight from the policy into the remarks box rather than paraphrase it.

If you’re the certificate holder and you need real protection against a sudden lapse in your counterparty’s coverage, negotiate that into your contract with them. Don’t rely on the certificate to do it.

Mistakes That Cause Problems

Using an ACORD 24 when the holder needs an ACORD 28. The disclaimer on the ACORD 24 defeats the purpose for a lender or mortgagee.⁵
Mismatched names. The insured’s name on the certificate has to match the named insured on the policy. Small discrepancies create disputes about whether the right entity is actually covered.
Using an outdated ACORD edition. ACORD allows use of a replaced edition for no more than 12 months after a new one is published. Older forms are no longer monitored for compliance with current law.⁷
Adding language that changes policy terms. Holders sometimes pressure agents to add endorsements or special conditions on the certificate. The certificate can’t do that. Any real change to coverage has to go through an endorsement issued by the carrier.
Treating the cancellation box as a guarantee. It isn’t.

If you’ve received an ACORD 24, confirm it’s actually the right form for your situation, that the policy dates haven’t expired, and that the coverage limits and valuation method match whatever requirement prompted the request. If anything looks off, call the producer listed at the top of the form.

1
ACORD. Certificates of Insurance Frequently Asked Questions
2
National Association of Insurance Commissioners. What’s the Difference Between Actual Cash Value Coverage and Replacement Cost Coverage
3
ACORD. ACORD Forms
4
BCS. Certificate of Insurance (COI) Guide to ACORD Forms
5
Rough Notes. Certificate Challenges
6
IndependentAgent.com. ACORD and Notice of Cancellation
7
Big I New York. The Old ACORD Certificate Form Is Not Illegal. Stop Using It.