How to check an insurance agent's license in Tennessee

Look the agent up in Tennessee

1. 1

   Ask for their full name and NPN

   Every licensed agent has a National Producer Number. A real agent will give it to you without hesitation.
2. 2

   Open the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance, Insurance Division's license lookup

   Tennessee agent license lookup. Tennessee uses the national lookup run by NAIC, the association of state insurance regulators. Choose Tennessee as the jurisdiction, "Licensee" as the search type and "Individual" as the entity type, then accept the terms and search.

3. 3

   Check four things

   The status is active, the license is for Tennessee (resident or nonresident), it includes a health line of authority (in Tennessee it's listed as "Accident & Health"), and it hasn't expired.

What the results mean

Active

The license is current. This is what you want to see.

Inactive, expired or lapsed

The agent can't legally sell insurance in the state right now. Don't enroll through them.

Resident or nonresident

Resident means their home office is in Tennessee. Nonresident means they're based in another state and licensed to work here. Both are fine.

Line of authority

The kinds of insurance they can sell. For Medicare plans, look for Accident & Health. Life-only isn't enough.

Regulatory or disciplinary actions

Some lookups list fines or other actions. One old, small action may not mean much; several, or a revoked license, is a reason to look elsewhere.

Extra steps for Medicare plans

A state license is the first check. For Medicare plans, two more things apply:

• Appointment: the agent must be appointed by the insurance company whose plan you're choosing. Ask which companies they represent in Tennessee.
• Yearly certification: agents who sell Medicare Advantage and Part D drug plans must complete each plan's training and testing every year.

Agents who sell for more than one company must also tell you, before discussing any plan's benefits, how many companies and plans they represent in your area. None of them works for Medicare.

Medigap if you're under 65 in Tennessee

Required. Since January 1, 2011, insurers that sell Medigap to people 65+ must offer the same plans to people under 65 who have Medicare because of a disability or kidney failure (ESRD), with a 6-month open enrollment window.

If you have Part B when you turn 65, you get a new 6-month Medigap open enrollment then. See every state's rule for people under 65.

If something looks wrong

• License not found or inactive: don't share your Medicare or Social Security number, and contact the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance, Insurance Division at 1-800-342-4029. You can also file a complaint online.
• Someone claiming to be from Medicare: hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227, TTY 1-877-486-2048).
• A listing on this site looks wrong: report it and we'll look into it.

Free, unbiased help in Tennessee: TN SHIP

Every state has a free Medicare counseling program. In Tennessee it's the Tennessee State Health Insurance Assistance Program (TN SHIP). Its counselors are trained, don't sell anything, and can help you compare your options or check what an agent told you, for free.

Common questions

Nearby states

Agents often work across state lines. Check that they're licensed in the state where you live.

• Check a license in Alabama
• Check a license in Arkansas
• Check a license in Georgia
• Check a license in Kentucky
• Check a license in Mississippi
• Check a license in Missouri
• Check a license in North Carolina
• Check a license in Virginia
• All states

Keep reading

• How to choose a local Medicare agentQuestions to ask, warning signs, and the dates to know.
• Medicare agent vs. broker: what's the difference?Agent, broker, producer: what the words mean, the one difference that really matters (how many companies they work with), and how to tell before you meet.