Insurance Client Intake: Documents You Need for Every Policy Type

Insurance client intake determines your ability to quote accurately, bind coverage correctly, and avoid Errors & Omissions exposure. An incomplete application leads to coverage gaps the client discovers only at claim time — which is when they blame you.

This checklist covers every document insurance agents need from new clients — for both personal lines (home, auto, life) and commercial lines (general liability, workers' comp, commercial property) — so you can quote with confidence and bind without gaps.

Universal Intake Documents (All Lines)

Regardless of the coverage type, collect these from every new client:

• Signed broker of record letter or agency agreement — Authorizes you to represent the client with carriers. For commercial lines, the BOR letter is essential for requesting loss runs from the current carrier.
• Government-issued photo ID — For identity verification and compliance with state insurance regulations.
• Current policy declarations pages — The dec pages from all existing policies. These show current coverage limits, deductibles, endorsements, named insureds, and premium — your baseline for quoting.
• Loss run reports (5-year history) — Claims history from all current and prior carriers. Request these immediately — carriers can take 10-15 business days to produce them, and no underwriter will quote without them.
• Prior agent or broker contact information — For requesting loss runs and policy documents from the outgoing agency.

Personal Lines: Homeowner's Insurance

• Property address and legal description — Full property address, lot number, and parcel ID for each property to be insured.
• Property details questionnaire — Year built, square footage, construction type (frame, masonry, mixed), number of stories, roof type and age, heating system, electrical system age, and plumbing material.
• Property photos — Exterior (all four sides, roof), interior (kitchen, bathrooms, major rooms), and any outbuildings, pools, or special features.
• Renovation documentation — Records of major renovations (roof replacement, electrical upgrade, plumbing replacement, kitchen/bath remodel) with dates and contractor information.
• Home security system documentation — Monitored alarm, fire alarm, sprinkler system, deadbolts, and smoke/CO detectors. These qualify for premium discounts.
• Mortgage lender information — Lender name, loan number, and mortgagee clause for the insurance certificate. The lender must be listed as the loss payee.
• Prior claims documentation — Details of any claims filed in the past 5 years, including cause, amount paid, and whether the claim is closed.
• Flood zone determination — If the property is in a FEMA flood zone, a separate flood policy is required (not covered by standard homeowner's policies).

Personal Lines: Auto Insurance

• Driver information for all household drivers — Full name, date of birth, license number, state of issuance, and years of driving experience for everyone in the household who drives.
• Vehicle information — Year, make, model, VIN, mileage, ownership status (owned, leased, financed), and primary use (commute, pleasure, business).
• Driving history — Accidents, violations, and suspensions for the past 3-5 years. Order MVR (Motor Vehicle Reports) to verify what the client reports.
• Current coverage details — Existing limits for liability, collision, comprehensive, uninsured/underinsured motorist, and medical payments.
• Discount eligibility information — Good student, defensive driving course completion, anti-theft devices, multi-vehicle, bundling with homeowner's, and telematics/usage-based insurance enrollment.

Commercial Lines: General Liability and Property

• Completed ACORD application — The standardized industry application. Use the appropriate ACORD form for the line of business (ACORD 125 for commercial, ACORD 126 for general liability, ACORD 140 for property).
• Business description — Detailed narrative of operations, products/services, and customers. Underwriters need this to classify the risk correctly — a vague description leads to incorrect class codes and mispriced coverage.
• Revenue and payroll information — Annual revenue by line of business, total payroll, and payroll breakdown by job classification. These are the primary rating factors for GL and workers' comp.
• Business financial statements — Income statement and balance sheet for the current year and prior year. Required for larger accounts and certain coverage types.
• Property schedule — List of all locations with addresses, building values, contents values, business personal property, and business income/extra expense limits.
• Operations details — Subcontractor usage (percentage of work subbed out), contracts requiring additional insured status, certificates of insurance issued, and any unusual exposures (hazardous materials, heavy equipment, heights, confined spaces).
• Vehicle schedule (commercial auto) — All owned, leased, and hired vehicles with VINs, driver assignments, and radius of operation.

Commercial Lines: Workers' Compensation

• Payroll records by job classification — Breakdown of annual payroll for each NCCI class code. Misclassification means wrong premiums today and an audit bill later.
• Employee roster — Number of employees, job titles, duties, and full-time/part-time/seasonal status.
• Experience modification rate (EMR/MOD) — From the state rating bureau or NCCI. A mod above 1.0 indicates above-average claims history and affects premium.
• OSHA 300 log — Injury and illness records for the past 3 years. Underwriters review this alongside loss runs.
• Safety program documentation — Written safety policies, training records, and any industry certifications. A strong safety program can improve underwriter appetite and pricing.
• Return-to-work program details — If the client has a modified duty or transitional work program, document it — it reduces claim costs and improves loss experience.

Specialty and Professional Lines

• Professional liability application — For E&O, D&O, cyber liability, and EPLI. Each line has its own supplemental application with industry-specific questions.
• Cyber liability questionnaire — IT security practices, data handling procedures, prior breaches, network infrastructure, and third-party vendor oversight. Underwriters make or break cyber coverage based almost entirely on your application responses.
• Prior acts coverage documentation — If the client is switching professional liability carriers, document the prior acts date and any retroactive date requirements to avoid coverage gaps.
• Certificate holder list — All parties requiring certificates of insurance (landlords, clients, general contractors, lenders). Include required endorsements (additional insured, waiver of subrogation, primary and noncontributory).

How to Collect Insurance Intake Documents Efficiently

Request loss runs on day one

Loss runs take 10-15 business days from most carriers. Submit the request immediately after getting the signed BOR letter. Everything else can wait — loss runs can't.

Use ACORD forms as your framework

Don't reinvent the intake questionnaire. ACORD forms are the industry standard and carriers expect them. Supplement with your own questions for details the ACORD forms don't capture.

Collect documents through a portal, not email

Insurance intake involves policy dec pages, financial statements, property photos, loss runs, and OSHA logs — often from multiple locations. A document collection portal gives the client one upload link, tracks what's missing, and sends automated reminders — so you can focus on quoting instead of chasing paperwork.

Frequently Asked Questions

What documents do insurance agents need from new clients?

At minimum: signed broker of record letter, current policy declarations pages, 5-year loss run reports, government-issued ID, and a completed ACORD application for each line of business. Commercial clients also need financial statements, payroll records, property schedules, and vehicle lists.

How long do loss runs take to receive?

Most carriers produce loss runs within 10-15 business days of receiving a signed request. Some carriers offer online portals where agents can pull them immediately. Submit your request on day one of the intake process — loss runs are usually the longest lead-time item.

What ACORD forms do I need for commercial insurance?

ACORD 125 (Commercial Insurance Application) is the base form. Add ACORD 126 (General Liability), ACORD 127 (Business Auto), ACORD 130 (Workers' Compensation), and ACORD 140 (Property) as applicable. Professional liability, cyber, and specialty lines have their own carrier-specific supplemental applications.

What is a broker of record letter?

A broker of record (BOR) letter is a signed authorization from the client designating your agency as their agent of record with a specific carrier. It allows you to access policy information, request loss runs, and manage the account. Without it, carriers will not release information to you.

How do I handle a client switching from another agency?

Get the signed BOR letter first. Then request loss runs and current policy documents from the outgoing agent and directly from carriers. Review existing coverage for gaps before quoting replacements. Don't cancel existing policies until replacement coverage is bound and confirmed. Use our free checklist tool to track every document in the transition.