Glossary

Manuscript policy

An insurance policy whose wording is drafted or heavily negotiated for one insured rather than taken from a standard ISO or insurer form.

Also called: manuscript form, manuscript wording, bespoke policy, non-standard policy form

Most commercial policies are assembled from standard forms: ISO's, or an insurer's own filed wording. A manuscript policy departs from them. The wording is written for a particular insured, or a standard form is rewritten so heavily it is effectively a new contract. Large accounts, captive programs, unusual exposures and buyers with unusual contract demands use them. A broker or counsel usually drafts the first version, and the underwriter negotiates.

The upside is fit. Terms can be defined the way the business operates, an unwanted exclusion can come out, and a trigger can be broadened. Manuscript wording is common in excess and surplus lines placements, where forms generally are not filed with regulators.

The downside is that nobody has litigated the language. Courts must read it fresh, and the rule that ambiguity is construed against the insurer can carry less weight when sophisticated, advised parties negotiated the text. Two habits help: get the final wording, not just the binder or quote, and make sure every agreed change is in the policy rather than in an email thread. The guide on how to read a commercial policy shows what to check, and an endorsement is the usual tool for smaller changes.

Last reviewed October 10, 2026

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Related terms

Endorsement A written amendment to an insurance policy that adds, removes or changes coverage, limits or conditions, and controls over the base form where they conflict. Exclusion A policy provision that removes coverage for specified perils, property, people or types of loss that the insuring agreement would otherwise include. Difference in conditions (DIC) A stand-alone property policy that fills gaps in a primary policy, usually adding flood, earthquake and broader terms, often from surplus lines insurers. Excess and surplus lines Insurance placed with non-admitted insurers for risks the standard market declines or cannot price, with freer forms and rates but less regulatory protection. Declarations page The front section of a policy that names the insured, policy period, covered locations or operations, limits, deductibles, premium and the forms attached.

Related guides

Admitted vs non-admitted insurers: what the difference means Admitted insurers are licensed in your state and backed by its guaranty fund. Non-admitted (surplus lines) insurers are not. What that changes for your policy. Commercial rate filing: prior approval, file-and-use and deregulation How states regulate commercial rates and forms: prior approval, file-and-use, use-and-file, flex rating, large-risk exemptions, and how SERFF works. War and state-backed attack exclusions in cyber policies What cyber war and state-backed attack exclusions say, how the NotPetya cases and Lloyd's 2023 rules shaped them, and what to check in your policy wording. How to read a commercial policy: declarations, forms and endorsements How a commercial policy is assembled, what to check on the declarations, why endorsements override the base form, and a reading order that catches problems. ISO forms and why most commercial policies look alike What ISO forms are, how a form number such as CG 00 01 04 13 is built, why insurers adopt them, and where policies depart from the standard wording.