Not in good order, often abbreviated NIGO, is a processing status used by insurers and financial institutions to indicate that submitted paperwork is incomplete, inaccurate, or fails to meet formal requirements. An application, service request, or transfer form marked not in good order may be missing signatures, dates, required disclosures, replacement forms, suitability information, or correct payment details. When something is not in good order, processing stops and the document is typically returned for correction, which can delay policy issue, transfers, or service changes. High NIGO rates drive up administrative costs, extend cycle times, and frustrate clients waiting for coverage or transactions to complete. Reducing not in good order submissions is a major operational priority for agencies and carriers and is closely watched in productivity and service metrics. From a broader planning perspective, this feature interacts with product guarantees, regulatory rules, and carrier administration. Advisors rely on it when explaining long-term policy performance, stress-testing scenarios, and avoiding unpleasant surprises for clients. When policies are reviewed years after issue, a clear understanding of how this concept works in the contract helps teams decide whether to keep, modify, or replace existing coverage in a way that supports the client's goals and respects tax and compliance boundaries.

In daily operations, case managers and new business teams frequently notify producers that a file is not in good order and list specific deficiencies, such as missing initialed changes, absent replacement notices, or incomplete banking information. Advisors work to prevent NIGO by using detailed checklists, e-application platforms with built-in validations, and pre-submission reviews. Many agencies track not in good order rates by advisor, office, or product line and provide targeted training when patterns emerge. Clients may experience NIGO indirectly as unexpected delays in policy issue, transfer completion, or service requests. During process-improvement projects, firms analyze the most common NIGO causes and adjust forms, instructions, or workflows to improve first-time accuracy and overall client satisfaction. In everyday practice, producers, BGAs, and home-office teams return to this concept when files become complex or when clients request changes that affect cash value, risk, or compliance. Training sessions, field manuals, and webinars often highlight it as a recurring theme so that advisors develop consistent language when speaking with clients, CPAs, and attorneys. This shared understanding reduces errors, speeds up case handling, and builds trust because everyone involved can clearly explain what is happening and why.