Which ACORD forms do contractors need?

Contractor submissions are among the most form-intensive in commercial lines. A complete contractor package typically involves four to six ACORD forms plus one or more carrier-specific supplements — and missing any of them delays the quote. Here is exactly what each line requires.

The core form: ACORD 125

Every contractor submission starts with the ACORD 125 — the Commercial Lines Application. It captures general business information that applies across all lines: legal name, FEIN, entity type, mailing address, years in business, business description, and prior insurance history. This form goes with every submission regardless of which lines you are quoting.

For contractors, the business description on the ACORD 125 is critical. "General contractor" is not enough. Specify the type of work (commercial, residential, new construction, renovation), the primary trade, subcontractor relationships, and revenue scale. Underwriters use this section to assign the risk to the right classification before they even open the supplements.

General liability: ACORD 126

The ACORD 126 is the General Liability supplement and is required with every GL submission. For contractors, the most critical sections are:

• Subcontractor use — percentage of work subcontracted, types of subcontracted work, and whether you collect certificates from subs. This single question can change pricing by 20–30%.
• Products and completed operations — whether the contractor manufactures, sells, or installs products that could cause injury after project completion.
• Work outside the primary state — coverages may not extend automatically to work performed in other states.
• Annual gross receipts — GL for contractors is typically rated on revenue, so this number directly drives premium.

Many carriers also require a contractor-specific GL supplement in addition to the ACORD 126. This varies by carrier and class — roofing, demolition, and high-hazard trades almost always require them.

Workers compensation: ACORD 130

The ACORD 130 is the Workers Compensation application. For contractors it requires:

• Annual payroll broken down by classification code — not total payroll, but payroll by each type of work performed
• States where employees work — WC is state-specific; work in multiple states requires separate entries
• Owner/officer inclusion or exclusion elections — in most states, owners can exclude themselves from WC coverage
• Current experience modification factor — if available, include it; it directly affects pricing
• Subcontractor labor — carriers want to know if you use uninsured subs, as their payroll may be assigned to you

Commercial property: ACORD 140

Not every contractor owns the property they work from, but those who do need the ACORD 140. For contractor offices, warehouses, or yards, the key information is construction type, building age, square footage, sprinkler status, and replacement cost valuation for the building and contents.

Many contractors also need inland marine coverage for tools and equipment — this is often written as a separate inland marine policy or as an endorsement, not through the ACORD 140. See our guide to inland marine insurance for what equipment coverage requires.

Commercial auto

Contractors with vehicles need commercial auto coverage. The commercial auto section of the ACORD 125 — or a separate ACORD vehicle schedule — requires the full vehicle schedule (year, make, model, VIN, garaging address for each vehicle), driver list with dates of birth, and radius of operation.

Many contractors also have hired and non-owned auto exposure — employees using personal vehicles on job sites. This is covered by the HNOA endorsement, not the standard vehicle schedule, and needs to be specifically requested in the submission.

Commercial umbrella

Most contractors carrying $1M GL limits should also quote a commercial umbrella — particularly those doing work where a single incident could generate a claim exceeding primary limits. Umbrella applications are usually carrier-specific rather than ACORD-standardized, but require the same underlying coverage information.

Carrier-specific supplements

Almost every carrier writing contractors has supplemental applications for specific trades. Common ones include:

• Roofing contractor supplement
• Demolition/excavation supplement
• Electrical/plumbing/HVAC supplement
• General contractor project questionnaire

Check with each carrier before submitting. A submission missing a required supplement will be returned before it is quoted. For the complete list of everything a contractor submission needs, see our commercial submission checklist.

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Client fills out intake once — AgencyAssist maps answers to ACORD 125, 126, 130, and 140 automatically. No manual data entry.