A practical guide to completing Box 9: Other Insured Information accurately and consistently.

From our workflow: Most avoidable errors with Other Insured Information begin when a prior claim is treated as the source. We go back to the insurance card, eligibility response, and payer enrollment record before deciding what belongs on the form.

Identify other coverage when coordination of benefits applies.

The payer does not read Other Insured Information in isolation. We compare it with the surrounding claim data before deciding the entry is ready.

General rule: Payer-specific instructions, contracts, program manuals, and current coding guidance can add to or override general form guidance. Verify requirements before submission.

Why this deserves a careful check

The payer does not read Other Insured Information in isolation. We compare it with the surrounding claim data before deciding the entry is ready.

Do not change Other Insured Information simply to clear an edit. The value should come from the insurance card, eligibility response, and payer enrollment record, and the correction should be made in the source record when possible.

A practical entry routine

  1. Identify the person, organization, date, code, or identifier the field is asking for.
  2. Locate the source document: insurance card, eligibility response, clinical note, authorization, provider enrollment record, fee schedule, or payer remittance.
  3. Enter the value using the form’s structure and the payer’s required format.
  4. Compare it with related fields and service lines for consistency.
  5. Save evidence of the source and the final submitted claim.

Mistakes worth catching early

  • Leaving other insurance off because it is secondary.
  • Entering the same plan twice.
  • Using stale COB information.

A prior claim is useful for comparison, but we recheck Other Insured Information against the insurance card, eligibility response, and payer enrollment record. Coverage, enrollment, authorizations, codes, and addresses can change between visits.

Final review

  • Ask about all active plans.
  • Verify coverage order.
  • Collect the other insured’s name and policy data.
  • Update COB with the payer.
  • Compare the completed claim with the clinical and billing record.
  • Confirm the receiving address or electronic route.
  • Keep a secure copy and proof of submission.

Using software without skipping review

Software is useful for formatting and consistency checks around Other Insured Information, but it cannot create missing documentation or decide a payer-specific value. The source record still controls the claim.

Apply this in software: For a workflow that keeps claim data reusable and reviewable, see the CMS-1500 paper and electronic filing options. Software can enforce format and consistency, but the source record and payer instructions still control the claim.
Privacy reminder: Use fictional data for training and printer tests. Claims contain protected information and should be stored, transmitted, printed, and destroyed through approved secure processes.

Written and reviewed by

1500Software Development Team

Covers the software, printing, validation, export, and troubleshooting steps described on this page.

1500Software Claims Review Team

Reviews field placement, provider roles, source records, and practical correction steps.

Reviewed July 26, 2026. Always follow the receiving payer’s current instructions and companion guide.

Primary references

These are the national sources we use as a starting point. The receiving payer may add more specific instructions.