E&S Insurance in Tennessee: Classes, Coverage & Quoting Guide
Pathpoint offers 12 Excess and Surplus (E&S) product lines in Tennessee covering 177+ class codes, including Contractors, LRO (Lessor's Risk Only), and Monoline Property. 69% of submissions receive an instant, bindable quote, typically in about 69 seconds. The platform partners with 15 carriers, handles all Tennessee surplus lines compliance automatically, including tax calculation at 5.0% and diligent search documentation requiring 3 declinations, with an average bound premium of $3,309 across all product lines.
Key Takeaways
- 12 E&S product lines covering 177+ class codes in Tennessee
- 69% of submissions receive instant, bindable quotes in ~69 seconds
- 15 carrier partners including domestic surplus lines insurers and Lloyd's of London syndicates
- Surplus lines tax of 5.0%, no stamping office, filed automatically by Pathpoint
- Average bound premium of $3,309 across all Tennessee product lines
What E&S product lines can I quote in Tennessee?
Pathpoint covers 12 Excess and Surplus (E&S) product lines in Tennessee, spanning 177+ class codes. Contractors leads with 92 class codes, followed by Contractors Excess (39), Cyber (7), Manufacturing (7), Retail and Services (10), LRO or Lessor's Risk Only (8), LRO Excess (4), Restaurants (5), Vacant Building (3), Vacant Land (2), and Monoline Property and Monoline Wind (property-based, no GL class codes). By trailing 12-month bind volume, Contractors ranks first with 151 binds, followed by Monoline Property (48 binds) and LRO (47 binds).
11 of 12 product lines in Tennessee support instant quoting. Cyber is the only referred-only product, with submissions routed to Pathpoint's brokerage team for manual placement. For all other lines, bindable quotes are returned automatically without underwriter review, typically in about 69 seconds. Referred Cyber submissions are typically returned within approximately 22 hours.
How fast can I get an E&S quote in Tennessee?
69% of Tennessee submissions receive at least one instant, bindable quote with an average turnaround of approximately 69 seconds. Agents can enter risk details, review carrier pricing, bind coverage, and receive policy documents in a single session without waiting for underwriter review. The platform routes each submission to its 15-carrier panel simultaneously, returning the best available options for instant-eligible risks.
The remaining 31% of submissions, including all Cyber submissions and complex risks in other product lines, are referred to Pathpoint's brokerage team. Referred submissions in Tennessee have a median turnaround of approximately 22 hours. The agent workflow is identical for both instant and referred paths, with only the response time differing between the two.
Which carriers are available in Tennessee?
15 carriers actively quote Tennessee risks on Pathpoint: 14 domestic surplus lines insurers including AU Gold, At-Bay, Baleen Specialty, Crum and Forster, Crum and Forster SMB, Kinsale, Markel, Nautilus, Penn-America, The Hartford, Vave, Westchester, Westchester Middle Market, and Zurich; plus 1 Lloyd's of London syndicate (LIO). When an agent submits a risk, the platform evaluates each carrier's appetite based on product line, class of business, location, risk size, and loss history, then routes to eligible markets simultaneously.
Carrier coverage spans all 12 product lines, from high-volume segments like Contractors and LRO to specialized lines like Manufacturing and Cyber. Each submission is matched algorithmically to the most appropriate markets, so agents do not need to know which carrier writes which class. Pathpoint continues expanding its carrier relationships in the Tennessee market.
Where is Pathpoint's appetite strongest in Tennessee?
4 of 12 product lines carry high appetite in Tennessee (above 80% account quote rate): Restaurants (90.7%), LRO (88.0%), Contractors (85.9%), and LRO Excess (84.6%). These lines see the fastest placement and most competitive pricing across the 15-carrier panel, with Contractors and LRO together accounting for the majority of bound policies in the state.
6 product lines fall into the mid appetite tier (50 to 80% account quote rate): Vacant Land, Retail and Services, Cyber, Manufacturing, Vacant Building, and Contractors Excess. 2 are in the emerging tier where Pathpoint is actively expanding carrier partnerships: Monoline Property (45.7%) and Monoline Wind (27.7%). For mid and emerging tier submissions, Pathpoint's brokerage team can assist with placement.
What are the surplus lines requirements in Tennessee?
Tennessee charges a 5.0% surplus lines tax on all nonadmitted placements. The state does not have a stamping office, which simplifies the compliance process compared to states like Virginia (which requires SLAS filings) or California (which requires SLAS stamping). Pathpoint calculates the 5.0% tax automatically and applies it at checkout during the binding process, with no separate filing step required from the agent.
Tennessee requires a diligent search of 3 declinations from admitted carriers before a risk can be placed in the Excess and Surplus (E&S) market. Pathpoint automates this documentation within the submission workflow, eliminating the need for agents to gather declination letters separately. The platform uses the home state filing method under the Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act (NRRA), which governs surplus lines taxation and filing for multi-state risks.
- Surplus Lines Tax
- 5.0%
- Stamping Office
- None
- Diligent Search
- 3 declinations
- Filing Method
- Home state
How does quoting E&S on Pathpoint work in Tennessee?
Quoting follows four steps. First, the agent enters risk details through an online form that adapts based on the product line selected. Second, the platform routes the submission to its 15-carrier panel and returns a bindable quote. For 69% of Tennessee submissions, this takes approximately 69 seconds. Third, the agent selects a quote and binds the policy, with Tennessee compliance handled automatically, including diligent search documentation and NRRA home state filing. Fourth, policy documents are issued and the 5.0% surplus lines tax is applied at checkout.
Agents do not need a surplus lines license to use Pathpoint in Tennessee. Pathpoint acts as the surplus lines broker of record on every transaction, handling all licensing, compliance, and filing requirements. Retail agents earn their standard commission on every bound policy, and there is no cost to create an account or submit risks on the platform.
What does E&S insurance cost in Tennessee?
The average bound premium in Tennessee is $3,309 across all product lines, based on trailing 12-month data. Contractors policies average $2,290 with a typical range of $700 to $3,150. Monoline Property policies average $6,779, with a typical range of $2,517 to $8,433. LRO (Lessor's Risk Only) policies average $3,607, with a typical range of $870 to $4,844. Actual premiums vary based on coverage limits, risk size, class of business, and loss history.
Surplus lines premiums are generally higher than admitted market pricing because Excess and Surplus (E&S) carriers accept risks that standard markets decline, including harder-to-place classes, newer businesses, or accounts with adverse loss histories. Pathpoint's 15-carrier panel creates competition across quotes, keeping pricing as competitive as possible for Tennessee risks. Agents see exact pricing at the quote stage with no obligation to bind.
There is no cost to create an account, submit risks, or receive quotes on Pathpoint. Agents earn their standard retail commission on every bound policy. Tennessee's 5.0% surplus lines tax is applied automatically at checkout and passed through to the insured as a separate line item.