§ 56-6-125 — Unfair trade practices

(a) It is an unfair trade practice for an insurance producer to: (1) Hold the insurance producer out, directly or indirectly, to the public as a financial planner, investment adviser, consultant, financial counselor, risk manager or any other specialist engaged in the business of giving financial planning, risk management or advice relating to investments, insurance, real estate, tax matters or trust and estate matters when the person is in fact engaged only in the sale of insurance policies. This subdivision (a)(1) does not preclude persons who hold some form of formal recognized financial planning, risk management or consultant certification or designation from using this certification or designation when they are only selling insurance; (2) Engage in the business of financial planning without disclosing to the client prior to the execution of the agreement provided for in subdivision (a)(3), or solicitation of the sale of a product or service, that: (A) The person is also an insurance salesperson; and (B) That a commission for the sale of an insurance product will be received in addition to a fee for financial planning, if such is the case. The disclosure requirement under this subsection (a) may be met by including it in any disclosure required by federal or state securities law; or (3) Charge fees for the sale, solicitation or negotiation of insurance not authorized by a written agreement with an insurer, and, where applicable, incorporated in the insurer's rate filing. An insurance producer may charge fees for services not connected with the sale, solicitation and negotiation of insurance by the insurance producer if the fees are based upon a qualified written agreement, signed by the party to be charged in advance of the performance of the services under the agreement. A copy of the qualifying agreement must be provided to the party to be charged at the time the agreement is signed by the party. The agreement shall be considered as qualifying if it includes: (A) The services for which the fee is to be charged; (B) The amount of the fee to be charged or how it will be determined or calculated; and (C) A disclosure stating that the client is under no obligation to purchase any insurance product through the insurance producer or consultant. The insurance producer shall retain a copy of the agreement for not less than three (3) years after completion of services, and a copy shall be available to the commissioner upon request. (b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) or this title, an insurance producer may charge fees for services relating to an individual's purchase of an individual major medical policy as defined in [former] § 56-12-204(c)(3)(C) [repealed], where the insurer is not paying commission to the insurance producer, if the fees are based upon a qualified written agreement signed by the party to be charged in advance of the performance of the services under the agreement. An agreement under this subsection (b) is qualified if it meets the requirements contained in subdivisions (a)(3)(A)-(C). (c) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (a) and (b), this section does not permit persons to charge an additional fee for services that are associated with the sale, solicitation, negotiation, or servicing of insurance policies.

Legislative History

Amended by 2017 Tenn. Acts, ch. 7, Secs.s 1, s 2 eff. 3/22/2017. Acts 2002, ch. 798, § 26; 2008 , ch. 1192, § 8.