Glossary
Submission
A submission is the package an agency or broker sends a carrier's underwriter to get a quote on a commercial risk. At minimum it includes completed ACORD applications. Most also carry loss runs, supplemental applications, and a short narrative that explains the account.
What goes in one
The core is the ACORD 125 plus the line-specific ACORD forms for whatever is being quoted: general liability, property, auto, umbrella. On top of that, underwriters expect three to five years of loss runs, any carrier or class supplementals, and for property, a statement of values.
The narrative matters more than most agencies think. A few sentences on what the business actually does, why it is shopping, and anything unusual about the risk gives the underwriter a reason to work the file instead of skimming it.
Why quality decides your spot in the queue
Underwriters triage. A complete, well-organized submission gets quoted. One with blank ACORD fields or missing loss runs goes to the bottom of the stack, or comes back with a list of questions that adds days to the timeline.
In a hard market this compounds. Desks are flooded, and underwriters quote the submissions that are easiest to say yes to. The agency that sends clean files first gets the capacity.
In Relay
Relay's ACORD Generation builds completed ACORD applications from data you already have, so submissions go out complete the first time. See how →
Common questions
What is the difference between a submission and a quote?
The submission is what the agency sends in: applications, loss runs, supplementals. The quote is what the underwriter sends back: proposed terms and pricing. No complete submission, no quote.
Why do underwriters decline to quote a submission?
The two big reasons are appetite and completeness. Either the risk is a class the carrier is not writing, or the file is missing pieces the underwriter needs, most often loss runs or answered supplemental questions.
Part of the Relay insurance operations glossary. Updated 2026-07-11. See how we source content.
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