2023 Tennessee Code › Title 56 - INSURANCE (§§ 56-1-101 — 56-61-125) › Chapter 14 - SURPLUS LINES INSURANCE (§§ 56-14-101 — 56-14-117) › Part 1 - SURPLUS LINES INSURANCE ACT (§§ 56-14-101 — 56-14-117) › Section 56-14-108 - Eligibility of surplus lines insurers

(a)
An insurer shall not engage in the transaction of insurance unless authorized to do so pursuant to a valid license, exempted by this chapter or otherwise exempted by the insurance laws of this state.
(b)
A person who does not have a valid license as required by §
56-14-104
shall not engage in the transaction of insurance or act in this state directly as an agent for a nonadmitted insurer in the procurement of insurance, or renewals of insurance.
(c)
A person who represents or aids a nonadmitted insurer in violation of this section shall be subject to the penalties set forth in §
56-14-117
. No insurance contract entered into in violation of this section shall preclude the insured from enforcing the insured's rights under the contract in accordance with the terms and provisions of the contract of insurance and the laws of this state, to the same degree those rights would have been enforceable had the contract been lawfully procured.
(d)
This section shall not apply to a person, properly licensed as an agent or broker in this state who, for a fee and pursuant to a written agreement, is engaged solely to offer the insured advice, counsel or opinion, or service with respect to the benefits, advantages or disadvantages promised under any proposed or in-force policy of insurance if the person does not, directly or indirectly, participate in the solicitation, negotiation, or procurement of insurance on behalf of the insured.
(e)
This section shall not apply to a person acting in material compliance with the insurance laws of this state in the placement of the types of insurance identified in subdivisions (e)(1)-(5):
(1)
Surplus lines insurance as provided in §
56-14-103
. For the purposes of this subsection (e), a license shall be deemed to be in material compliance with the insurance laws of this state, unless the licensee committed a violation of §
56-14-103
that proximately caused loss to the insured;
(2)
Transactions for which a certificate of authority to do business is not required of an insurer under the insurance laws of this state;
(3)
Reinsurance, unless the commissioner waives the requirements of this subdivision (e)(3):
(A)
The assuming insurer is authorized to engage in an insurance or reinsurance business by its domiciliary jurisdiction and is authorized to write the type of reinsurance in its domiciliary jurisdiction; and
(B)
The assuming insurer satisfies all legal requirements for such reinsurance in the state of domicile of the ceding insurer;
(4)
The property and operation of railroads or aircraft engaged in interstate or foreign commerce, wet marine, and transportation insurance; and
(5)
Transactions subsequent to issuance of a policy not covering properties risks or exposures located, or to be performed in this state at the time of issuance, and lawfully solicited, written or delivered outside this state.
Amended by 2018 Tenn. Acts, ch. 580, s 2, eff. 3/16/2018.
Acts 1969, ch. 270, § 8; 1973, ch. 108, § 1; T.C.A., § 56-3808; Acts 1980, ch. 708, § 1; 2011 , ch. 446, § 1.