TN self-insured workers' comp bonds.
2% of the bond amount.

A Tennessee employer that wants to self-insure its workers' compensation liability instead of buying a policy needs a certificate of authority from the Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance, and T.C.A. § 50-6-405 conditions that certificate on posting security — negotiable securities, a surety bond, a certificate of deposit, or a letter of credit — with a fair market value of not less than $500,000, unless the commissioner approves a different figure. Premiums cost 2% of the bond amount, $100 minimum, after a soft credit pull that never affects your score.

Required under T.C.A. § 50-6-405 — security backing a self-insured employer's workers' comp obligations, filed with the Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance
Minimum fair market value of $500,000, unless the commissioner approves a different amount for your risk
2% of the bond amount, $100 minimum — enter your required figure and see your exact price at application
2% of bond amount$100 minimum — priced by your amountSoft pullnever affects your scoreFastinstant underwriting for most
Trusted by industry leaders
NYCEDC
BDG
Capital
McKinney
Terra
JLL
Triple Five
Georgetown
NYCEDC
BDG
Capital
McKinney
Terra
JLL
Triple Five
Georgetown
How it works

Apply to filed in one sitting.

No long underwriting queue for the standard self-insurance security — enter your amount, consent to a soft pull, and file with Commerce and Insurance. Here is the whole thing:

TODAY · ONLINE

Apply online

Your company details, the security amount your certificate of authority requires, the effective date, and a one-time credit consent that authorizes a soft pull only.

INSTANTLY

Approved

Most applications clear the moment you pay — the soft pull informs approval and never affects your score. Pricing is 2% of the bond amount, $100 minimum.

SAME DAY

File with Commerce and Insurance

Your executed bond and power of attorney arrive by email, ready to file with the Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance to support your self-insurance certificate. Wet-ink originals mailed on request.

About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the self-insurance security actually guarantees

Most Tennessee employers cover their workers' compensation liability with an insurance policy. T.C.A. § 50-6-405 lets a qualifying employer take on that liability itself instead, but only after the Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance issues a certificate of authority to self-insure. It is unlawful for an employer to self-insure workers' compensation without that certificate.

As a condition of the certificate, the statute requires the employer to post and maintain security — negotiable securities, a surety bond, a certificate of deposit, or a letter of credit — with a fair market value of not less than $500,000, unless the commissioner has approved a different amount. The security backs the employer's obligation to actually pay the workers' compensation claims that arise while it is self-insured; if the employer cannot or will not pay, the state can draw on the security to protect injured workers.

The commissioner can require the security be increased if it is later judged inadequate, and the statute requires it be held for a minimum of ten years after the employer is no longer self-insured, so a lapsed employer cannot walk away from claims that are still working through the system. Enter the amount your certificate requires; we price the bond from a $100 minimum, after a soft credit pull that never affects your score.

T.C.A. § 50-6-405Under T.C.A. § 50-6-405, no employer may self-insure its workers' compensation liability without a certificate of authority from the Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance, and it is unlawful to do so without one. As a condition of that certificate, the employer must post security — negotiable securities, a surety bond, a certificate of deposit, or a letter of credit — and maintain its fair market value at not less than $500,000, unless the commissioner has approved a different amount; the commissioner may by rule set further requirements for the security and may require it be increased if found inadequate. The security must be held for a minimum of ten years after the employer is no longer self-insured, and the statute also requires annual certified financial statements and actuary-certified loss reserves. Confirm your exact required amount with the Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance.

You need this bond if you are

An employer applying for a certificate of authority to self-insure Tennessee workers' compensation liability
A self-insured employer renewing your certificate and maintaining the required security
An employer whose commissioner-approved amount has changed after a review of your loss history or reserves
Switching from a letter of credit or deposit to a surety bond to free up bank collateral

One application, issued instantly.

These are the actual underwriting fields, including your company details and a one-time credit consent that authorizes a soft pull only. The pull never affects your score, and your price — from a $100 minimum — is set at application.

Start the application →
FAQ

Common questions.

How much does the Tennessee self-insured workers' comp bond cost?Premiums cost 2% of the bond amount, with a $100 minimum. The amount itself is set by the Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance under T.C.A. § 50-6-405 — a minimum fair market value of $500,000 unless the commissioner has approved a different figure for your risk. Enter that figure and your exact price appears at the application.
What amount should I enter?Use the security amount the Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance has set for your certificate of authority — at least $500,000, and higher if the commissioner has required more based on your loss history or reserves. Check your certificate or self-insurance filing if you are unsure.
What does the bond guarantee?It secures your obligation to actually pay the workers' compensation claims that arise while you are self-insured. If you fail to pay, the state can draw on the security to protect injured workers; it is not insurance for you, and if the surety pays a claim, you repay the surety.
Do I pay the full bond amount?No. You pay a one-time premium — 2% of the bond amount, $100 minimum — not the $500,000-plus security figure itself. That figure is the maximum the surety could ever be called on to pay, not what you owe upfront.
Is there a credit check?The application includes a credit consent, but it authorizes a soft credit pull only — a soft inquiry that never affects your score. No hard inquiry ever runs on this bond, and most applications approve instantly.
Related bonds

Other Tennessee bonds.

Post your self-insurance security today.

Priced at 2% of the amount, $100 minimum. Enter your commissioner-set figure and file with Commerce and Insurance the same day.

Your premiumfrom $100
Apply now →