What Builders Risk Insurance Requirements Apply in Tennessee?

Tennessee treats physical work in streams, rivers, lakes, and wetlands—including crossings, excavation, and structural fill—as a permit issue that can affect when a project area is ready. A new construction stormwater permit takes effect October 1, 2026, and TDEC says its updated forms will appear around that date. If a project spans the changeover, confirm which permit process applies before fixing the insured schedule or staged-property plan.

What Is Builders Risk Insurance?

Builders risk protects the project you are building, including materials meant for it, against physical loss until construction ends. The gaps that cost owners money are materials in storage or transit, the existing building in a renovation, and coverage ending when you occupy early. Read the national Builders risk guide.

What Should You Watch for With Builders Risk Insurance in Tennessee?

Crossings and fill can be schedule-critical work
TDEC lists road and utility crossings, channel work, and structural fill among physical alterations that may require an Aquatic Resource Alteration Permit or Section 401 certification. Map those work fronts and temporary access before setting the construction schedule. ¹
Federal dredge-and-fill permits have a state prerequisite
Where a federal Section 404 permit is required, TDEC says Section 401 certification must first be obtained. The certification may be granted with conditions, waived, or denied; do not treat an expected authorization date as certain project completion. ¹
A permit change is scheduled for October 1, 2026
TDEC identifies the final 2026 construction general permit as effective October 1, 2026, with updated forms available on or around that date. The current page does not resolve every transition detail for an already-covered project, so ask TDEC which filing and forms govern the project’s actual start and discharge dates. ²

Which Builders Risk Providers Have Tennessee License Records?

No provider in our research has both a state license record and a listing for this coverage line. This does not establish that providers are unlicensed. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm availability with a provider when requesting a quote.

Who Regulates Insurance in Tennessee?

Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance

TDCI regulates and licenses insurance companies, agents, brokers, surplus-lines agents, and public adjusters. Its complaint process accepts complaints about agents or companies when the policy was written in Tennessee, and its property/casualty unit reviews filed policy rates, rules, and forms. ^3,^4,⁵

Website: Regulator website
License lookup: Search licensed producers
Complaints: File a complaint

Surplus-Lines Tax and Stamping Office in Tennessee

Reported tax rate. 5% of gross premium plus 0.175% SLAS transaction fee ^6,⁷

For Tennessee-home-state surplus-lines policies, TDCI lists a 5% tax on gross premium and a 0.175% SLAS transaction fee on gross premium; the agent receives an invoice and pays both through SLIP. The sources reviewed do not establish that the fee is always separately charged to the policyholder or resolve guaranty-association treatment, so ask your broker to itemize charges and review the policy notice.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy Builders Risk in Tennessee

Does the project include water crossings, dewatering, streambank work, wetland fill, or temporary access through regulated waters?
Are project materials at the work front and any alternate or off-site storage addresses listed separately in the proposed policy?
What policy extension or change process applies if water-resource conditions move a crossing, delivery, phase opening, or final completion date?

Builders Risk Insurance in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions

Which Tennessee construction activities may require an ARAP or Section 401 certification?

TDEC identifies physical alterations to state waters, including dredging, channel work, bank stabilization, road or utility crossings, wetland fill, and structural fill. A federal Section 404 permit can also require state Section 401 certification first. ¹

What should a Tennessee project check near the October 2026 permit change?

TDEC says the final 2026 construction stormwater permit takes effect October 1, 2026, and updated forms will be available on or around that date. Confirm the applicable forms and transition instructions for the project instead of assuming a draft or older form applies. ²

Sources for Builders Risk Insurance in Tennessee

1
Aquatic Resource Alteration Permit (ARAP). Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Water Resources; Who needs ARAP/Section 401 and activity examples, lines 47–62; accessed current 2026-09-28. Accessed 2026-09-28.
2
Construction Stormwater Permit. Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation; Final 2026 construction general permit effective 2026-10-01; expiry 2031-09-30; updated forms planned around effective date; page accessed 2026-09-28. Accessed 2026-09-28.
3
tennessee insurance regulator. State insurance regulator; TDCI official insurance-division and consumer pages describe department scope, review units and complaint role. Accessed 2026-09-28.
4
TDCI Agent/Producer Resources. State insurance regulator; Agent Licensing Section licenses producers, business entities, surplus-lines agents, brokers, and public adjusters; page links to Verify License. Accessed 2026-09-28.
5
File an Insurance Complaint. State insurance regulator; TDCI accepts online complaints about insurers and agents only for policies written in Tennessee; third-party claimants are directed to call. Accessed 2026-09-28.
6
Surplus Lines Filing Procedures. Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance; Tax Payments section: 5% gross premium plus .175% of gross premium SLAS transaction fee; agents receive quarterly invoices and pay via ACH in SLIP. Accessed 2026-09-28.
7
Tennessee Public Chapter 446 (2011), T.C.A. §56-14-113. Tennessee Secretary of State; Current tax framework enacted in §56-14-113: 5% applies when Tennessee is the insured’s home state; tax collected from insured in addition to premium. Read with current TDCI filing-procedure page for current fee and SLIP handling. Accessed 2026-09-28.
8
Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
9
Licenses and Carriers. Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535. Accessed 2026-09-22.
10
Insurance Producer Licenses. Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown. Accessed 2026-09-28.
11
About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
12
Licenses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885. Accessed 2026-09-28.
13
Insurance Licenses by State. TechInsurance; Current state table; identifies TechInsurance as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC d/b/a SPG Insurance Solutions; lists DC 3000041536 and labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses,” without an agency license number. Accessed 2026-09-28.
14
Licenses. Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict. Accessed 2026-09-15.

What Builders Risk Insurance Requirements Apply in Tennessee?

What Is Builders Risk Insurance?

What Should You Watch for With Builders Risk Insurance in Tennessee?

Crossings and fill can be schedule-critical work

Federal dredge-and-fill permits have a state prerequisite

A permit change is scheduled for October 1, 2026