ACORD 27 vs ACORD 28: Property Insurance Evidence Compared
ACORD 27 is Evidence of Property Insurance; ACORD 28 is Evidence of Commercial Property Insurance. Both concern property evidence. Selecting between them starts with the insured interest and the requester’s requirements, not with an assumption that any document containing “property” will satisfy a lease or loan file.
The Hartford identifies these form titles alongside ACORD’s other common evidence documents. Avoid reducing the choice to a rigid rule that ACORD 27 is always residential: ask the issuer which evidence fits the actual policy and transaction.
Compare the task behind the request
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| What property is involved? | The building, contents, improvements or equipment must be identified. |
| Who requires evidence? | A lender, landlord or lessor can have different document needs. |
| Which policy responds? | The reported insurer, policy and dates must match that interest. |
| What rights are requested? | Evidence wording must be reconciled with actual policy provisions. |
| Is another document needed? | A schedule, endorsement or policy section may answer an unresolved question. |
The NJHMFA insurance specifications are one public example of a requester accepting ACORD 28 property evidence subject to its program’s requirements. Do not generalize that program’s acceptance rules to every lender.
A practical intake process
Ask the requester for its written requirements before ordering evidence. Send those requirements to the insurance representative, identify the premises and financial interest, and ask which form and supporting documents it will provide.
When the packet arrives, compare the information with the request. Keep questions about deductibles, blanket programs or interested-party status explicit. If the reviewer cannot identify the relevant property or policy, request clarification instead of treating the form title as approval.
A hypothetical equipment example
Brookside Foods leases equipment for two locations. The lessor receives property evidence describing only one premises. Its administrator asks the broker whether the second location and the equipment interest are included and requests the appropriate updated evidence. Switching the header from 27 to 28 would not answer that question; the underlying information needs to be right.
Keep liability evidence distinct
An ACORD 25 serves a different task: reporting liability-policy information. A lease transaction may need both property and liability documents, depending on its requirements. Store them as separate review items with their own dates and supporting pages.
Read the ACORD 28 review guide for property intake and ACORD 25 vs ACORD 28 for the liability distinction. Certy can help with certificate administration without determining the legal rights of a lender or other interested party.
Frequently asked questions
What are ACORD 27 and ACORD 28 called?
ACORD27 is Evidence of Property Insurance. ACORD28 is Evidence of Commercial Property Insurance.
Is the form number enough to decide whether evidence is acceptable?
No. Check the requester’s requirements, the insured interest, policy information and supporting documents. The form does not independently create policy rights.