Certificial

What it is

Certificial runs a certificate network that connects agents, insureds and certificate requestors. Instead of a static ACORD 25 PDF that’s out of date the day a policy changes, it issues a “Smart COI” that updates when coverage changes. The company holds a US patent (No. 11,501,379) on the approach, per its site.

Agencies and insureds use it free. Certificial charges requestors, the companies tracking their vendors’ insurance, and also sells APIs to insurtechs and platforms. The vendor reports 25,000+ agencies and 100,000+ companies on its network, plus carrier and platform relationships including Zurich North America and Applied Systems (as of October 2026).

How it works

Per the vendor’s site, pricing page and FAQ (October 2026):

1. Connect your AMS. The agency’s management system pushes current policy data to Certificial. For Applied Epic, a free plugin built with Applied is switched on by adding an activity code, which the vendor says takes under two minutes.
2. Issue Smart COIs. Staff issue certificates to holders, including, per the vendor, to thousands of holders at once.
3. Respond to requests. Requestors and vendor management platforms send certificate requests into Certificial, and the agency responds there.
4. Coverage changes flow through. When limits or endorsements change, Smart COIs update automatically. The vendor says agencies can automate reissuance when policies update, replacing manual emails and calls.
5. Client self-service. Agencies can let insureds share certificates themselves, 24/7.

Where it’s strong

Cost. The Agent & Broker plan is free (as of October 2026). There’s no budget hurdle to trying it.

Live status. Holders see current coverage rather than a snapshot, which cuts the renewal-season flood of “please send an updated certificate” requests. The vendor positions this as reducing E&O exposure from outdated certificates.

Applied Epic connection. A free plugin built with Applied lowers setup effort for Epic agencies. The FAQ says the agency controls access, and only policy status for holders the agency has responded to on Certificial is shared.

Network reach. With requestors already on the network, some incoming certificate requests arrive in Certificial rather than by email.

Where it falls short

Depends on adoption. The live-update benefit is strongest when holders and clients use Certificial. Holders who want a static PDF by email get less from it.

Fewer issuance controls documented. The site focuses on delivery and live updates. It doesn’t describe contract-requirement review or wording libraries in the same detail as issuance-focused tools.

Integrations beyond Epic. The site says agencies can integrate their AMS but doesn’t list supported systems on its main pages. Confirm yours.

Not a CSR24 replacement. The FAQ says the Epic plugin doesn’t integrate with or replace CSR24’s certificate issuance, so Applied agencies may run both.

Public reviews. We didn’t find a review-site listing for Certificial with enough reviews to summarize. The site cites a 4.5-of-5 Google rating.

Pricing and setup

Free for agents and brokers. Insureds are also free. Requestors pay: free for up to 5 suppliers, Professional from $99/month, Enterprise by quote (as of October 2026). Setup for Epic agencies is the plugin; other agencies should ask about their AMS connection.

Who should look elsewhere

• High-volume commercial agencies with complex wording. An issuance platform with AI contract review, wording libraries and audit controls fits better.
• Agencies whose clients want vendor compliance tracking. A holder-side tracking platform that brokers resell is built for that job.
• Applied Epic agencies happy with their portal. If clients already self-serve certificates through your AMS portal, start there before adding another system.