Tennessee Inland Marine Insurance, Surplus Lines, and Rate Filing

Tennessee's surplus-lines declination list treats inland marine as its own block. For a new or renewal surplus-lines policy it requires one declining admitted carrier for inland marine-commercial, code 4000. A fiscal note for 2017 bills states that Tenn. Code Ann. § 56-5-106(a)(1) requires commercial-risk insurers to file rates, except insurers of inland marine risk. The fiscal note is legislative staff analysis, not a reprint of the code section.

What Is Inland Marine Insurance?

If your business moves equipment between sites or ships goods, inland marine can cover those property exposures; installation and other forms address different property categories. Match the quote to what you own, rent or hold for others. Read the national Tools, equipment and inland marine guide.

What Should You Watch for With Inland Marine Insurance in Tennessee?

Commercial Inland Marine Needs One Admitted Declination
The Department of Commerce and Insurance surplus-lines declination list requires one declining admitted carrier for inland marine-commercial (code 4000) on a new or renewal surplus-lines policy. That is a placement rule for surplus lines. It does not set a limit for tools or cargo, and it does not apply to an admitted policy. ¹
The Fiscal Note Excepts Inland Marine From a Commercial Filing Duty
The fiscal note for HB 1598 and SB 1795 says that under § 56-5-106(a)(1) every insurer of commercial risk insurance, except insurers of inland marine risk, must file with the Commissioner. The current code section was not opened on a statute site. Use the note as a description of that exception, and ask the insurer whether your class was filed anyway. ²
Admitted and Surplus Lines Are Different Purchases
If the broker places the floater in surplus lines, ask for the declination the list requires and for the form's transit and premises terms. If an admitted insurer writes it, the declination list is not your checklist. Either way, schedule equipment and customers' goods separately. ¹

Which Inland Marine Providers Have Tennessee License Records?

These providers publish a national listing for Tools, equipment and inland marine; the license records below name the licensed entities and roles. Some records rely on company-reported information rather than independent regulator verification. A national listing does not confirm the product is available in Tennessee. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm state availability for your business when requesting a quote.

TechInsurance
Insurance producer · checked 2026-09-28
Specialty Program Group LLC
TechInsurance’s current licensing page names Specialty Program Group LLC / SPG Insurance Solutions and lists state license numbers, but labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses” rather than identifying a license for the named agency. RI is omitted because this disclosure does not establish agency authority there; this is a search limitation, not an assertion that the company is unlicensed. The remaining state entries are company-reported and are not an insurance product availability map. ¹³
TechInsurance arranges inland marine coverage for contractors’ tools and equipment.

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 Inland Marine in Tennessee

Is this admitted inland marine or surplus lines, and if surplus lines, where is the one admitted declination?
Did the insurer file rates, or is it relying on the inland marine exception described in the fiscal note?
Which items are in transit, at a job site, or in your building?

Inland Marine Insurance in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions

How many admitted declinations does Tennessee require for surplus-lines commercial inland marine?

One. The Department's declination list requires one declining admitted carrier for inland marine-commercial, code 4000, on a new or renewal surplus-lines policy. ¹

Does a Tennessee fiscal note say inland marine is outside the commercial rate-filing duty?

Yes. The fiscal note for HB 1598 and SB 1795 says § 56-5-106(a)(1) requires commercial-risk insurers to file, except insurers of inland marine risk. The note is not the statute text. ²

Sources for Inland Marine Insurance in Tennessee

1
Surplus Lines Declination Requirements. Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance; Inland marine-commercial, code 4000: one declining admitted carrier. Accessed 2026-09-29.
2
Fiscal Note, HB 1598 / SB 1795. Tennessee General Assembly; Description of Tenn. Code Ann. § 56-5-106(a)(1) inland marine exception. Accessed 2026-09-29.
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.

Tennessee Inland Marine Insurance, Surplus Lines, and Rate Filing

What Is Inland Marine Insurance?

What Should You Watch for With Inland Marine Insurance in Tennessee?

Commercial Inland Marine Needs One Admitted Declination

The Fiscal Note Excepts Inland Marine From a Commercial Filing Duty

Admitted and Surplus Lines Are Different Purchases