How to Check an Insurance Agent, Company, or Complaint Record in Tennessee

Byrveditors

Published September 29, 2026. Last reviewed September 29, 2026. By Ridge & Valley Editors.

Summary: Before you buy a policy or hand over personal information, you can check three things for free: whether the agent is licensed in Tennessee (TDCI license lookup), the insurance company’s complaint record and financial information (NAIC Consumer Insurance Search), and the company’s financial strength rating from an independent rating agency. If you have a problem with an insurer or agent, you can file a complaint with the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance at 1-800-342-4029.

Most insurance transactions in East Tennessee go smoothly. But after storms, during open enrollment, and whenever someone calls offering a deal that sounds too good, it pays to verify who you are dealing with. Every tool below is public and free.

1. Is the agent licensed?

Anyone selling, soliciting, or negotiating insurance in Tennessee must be licensed. The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance offers an online license lookup where you can search by name. Check that:

  • The license is active.
  • It includes the right line of authority, such as property and casualty or life and health, for what you are buying.
  • The name matches the person you are dealing with.

2. What is the company’s complaint record?

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Consumer Insurance Search lets you look up an insurance company’s complaints by state and type of insurance for the past three years, along with financial information and how long it has been in business.

Many complaint reports use a complaint index. As the Indiana Department of Insurance explains it, an index of 1.00 means a company’s share of complaints equals its share of the business written. An index below 1.00 means proportionally fewer complaints; above 1.00 means proportionally more. The NAIC cautions against relying on any single factor, and small companies can swing widely on just a few complaints, so look at the trend over several years.

3. How financially strong is the company?

Independent rating agencies, including AM Best, S&P Global, Moody’s, and Fitch, publish opinions on insurers’ financial strength. AM Best, which focuses on insurance, uses this scale:

AM Best rating Descriptor
A++, A+ Superior
A, A- Excellent
B++, B+ Good
B, B- Fair
C++, C+ Marginal
C, C- Weak
D Poor

A financial strength rating is an opinion of the company’s ability to meet its policy obligations. It is not a rating of price or customer service, and it is not a guarantee. Ratings apply to a specific legal company, and one brand may operate several companies with different ratings, so check the company named on your policy.

4. If something goes wrong: filing a complaint

If an insurer delays or denies a claim unfairly, or an agent misrepresents a policy, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance accepts consumer complaints online or by phone at 1-800-342-4029 or (615) 741-2218. Before you file:

  1. Write down your policy and claim numbers.
  2. Gather letters, emails, and notes of phone calls with dates and names.
  3. Try to resolve the issue with the company in writing first, and keep a copy.

5. After a storm: checking contractors

After wind, hail, or flood damage, out-of-area contractors often arrive quickly. Before signing anything:

  • Verify the contractor’s license through the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors.
  • Ask for a certificate of insurance showing liability coverage, and workers’ compensation if they have employees.
  • Read any contract carefully before signing, especially language that assigns your insurance benefits to the contractor or lets them deal with your insurer on your behalf.
  • Do not pay the full amount up front.

Red flags

  • Pressure to sign or pay the same day.
  • A “policy” that cannot be tied to a named insurance company.
  • Requests to pay premiums in cash, gift cards, or to a personal account.
  • An agent who cannot give you a license number.

Sources

  1. Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Verify a License
  2. Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, File a Complaint
  3. NAIC, Consumer Insurance Search and How to Research Complaints Against Insurance Carriers
  4. Indiana Department of Insurance, Complaint Index
  5. AM Best, Best’s Rating definitions
  6. Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, tn.gov/commerce/regboards/contractors

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