Frequently Asked Questions about TBA

Who does TBA work with?

TBA works with independent advisors across financial services, including P&C firms, health and group benefits firms, RIAs, wirehouse advisors, and independent financial advisors.

TBA is built for advisors for whom life insurance is not their primary business, giving them the tools and expertise to add life, disability, and long-term care planning without hiring in-house specialists.

What is Tennessee Brokerage Agency (TBA)?

Tennessee Brokerage Agency (TBA) is a national brokerage general agency (BGA) that acts as the life insurance back office for insurance and financial advisors.

TBA handles quoting, underwriting, paperwork, and carrier communication so advisors can stay focused on their clients, from the first quote through final policy placement. TBA was founded in 1959 in Knoxville, Tennessee by Col. John William “Bill” Felton III and is now led by President John W. Felton, IV.

Do I need to be a life insurance expert to work with TBA?

No. Advisors do not need life insurance expertise to work with TBA.

TBA’s team works as an extension of an advisor’s practice, handling quoting, underwriting, and case management, so advisors can offer life, disability, and long-term care solutions without adding that specialty in-house.

Does TBA handle hard-to-place or impaired risk cases?

Yes. TBA specializes in hard-to-place and impaired risk cases, drawing on decades of experience across a wide range of carriers.

TBA finds coverage for clients with pre-existing conditions or other complicating factors, and provides impaired risk questionnaires to help advisors gather the information needed to place difficult cases.

What is TBA's One-Page Application?

TBA’s One-Page Application is a simplified life insurance intake form that replaces a standard 17-page application with a single page of client information.

Advisors submit that one page, and the TBA team handles the rest of the application process, including obtaining electronic signatures.

YOUR INSURANCE SUPPORT TEAM

WE KNOW THAT LIFE INSURANCE IS NOT YOUR PRIMARY BUSINESS. That’s why we support you in all aspects of serving your clients and growing your practice, which allows you to position yourself as an expert in all sectors without adding additional responsibilities to your workload.

MEET THE TEAM

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I don’t believe I could have navigated a 1035 exchange case from start to finish without the help of TBA. Both Zach and Jessica went above and beyond to help with the case, and the MANY options the client wanted to explore.
Mark Samaha
Augusta, GA

TBA has provided us with an easy and efficient process. We always have a pleasant experience when we work with TBA!
James Moore
Scottsdale, AZ

Tennessee Brokerage Agency truly operates as a full-service partner for all things life insurance.
Because of their expertise and hands-on support, we’re able to write more business and offer a wider range of solutions to our clients than we ever could on our own. Their One-Page App makes starting a case incredibly simple, and from there, their team handles the heavy lifting so we can stay focused on what we do best: building relationships and finding new prospects. Working with TBA has elevated the way we serve our clients and has become an invaluable part of our life insurance strategy.

Ben Kelly
Knoxville, TN

As a founding partner of Axiom Wealth Management, we write well over $1 million in annual life insurance premiums by seven partners and multiple advisors. We rely on and trust Tennessee Brokerage as our sole source for business we place outside of Northwestern Mutual. We have a 35+ year relationship with TBA and John Felton. We appreciate the TBA team and the commitment to helping Axiom Wealth Management move cases along.

Kevin Proffitt
Knoxville, TN

TBA is the best, so easy to work with, and everyone is so helpful and knowledgeable. Chad Preston is great, and he is so quick to respond with quotes and help. And I can’t say enough nice things about Jessica Hughes; she is amazing! She is so great to work with and is so kind and helpful. They make my job a lot easier!

Lyndie White
Savannah, TN

TBA is always excellent to work with! Quick online quoting and easy access to track the policy from application to issue. The staff is friendly and on top of assisting every step of the way!

Lori Love
Livingston, TN

I have loved working with TBA. Since individual life insurance is not a large part of our business, it is wonderful to have a helpful and friendly asset available to help us assist our customers in finding the right fit for their life insurance needs.

Eddie Wilson
Savannah, GA

TBA is a first-class organization. They prioritize the client’s needs and help tailor a solution for their desired goals. Can’t recommend TBA enough.

Brad Starkey
Knoxville, TN

We run a unique business that involves complicated scenarios. The team at TBA worked through the analysis of a specific carrier’s product to help determine the cost structures so that we could better understand the fine points of the coverage. That allowed our sale to occur and set up the future for other clients’ policies to be fully understood and illustrated. The team goes out of their way to help in so many ways. We appreciate TBA’s hard work and partnership.

Dan Ohman
Boca Raton, FL

My experience with TBA began with Bill Felton, long before John and other family members entered the business with TBA. I have enjoyed over 30 years of working with Bill, John, and others. I have always received professional and useful advice from the advisors. I am proud to be completing my 52nd year in the insurance business and believe that TBA has contributed to my long-term success.

Bud Sherrod
Knoxville, TN

I have always had a good experience working with TBA. Everyone is always friendly and responsive to my request.

Lisa Gregory
Knoxville, TN

There is no partnership more valuable than who you choose to execute business with, and in Tennessee Brokerage Agency, I am not sure we could have chosen anyone more suitable for the task! The relationships, the creativity, the responsiveness, and the professionalism. Unmatched!

Caroline Snellings
Seneca, SC

The team at TBA is by far the best service we at Athens Insurance have ever experienced in the life insurance space. We are extremely grateful for the partnership!

Allen Carter
Athens, TN

Most of my referrals to Zach and the TBA team are from current clients, so the quality of the consultation matters. TBA puts time, effort, and honesty into advising my clients towards the best possible solution. They always put the interests of my clients first.

Austin Jett
Chattanooga, TN

Partnering with TBA was the best decision we’ve made for our Life, LTC, and DI business. Their support and expertise have taken a burden off of me, and as a result, we are closing more business than we ever have in the past. They have also helped me with some very complicated and hard-to-place cases. Communication along the way is second to none – they keep me informed at every crucial step of the underwriting process. TBA excels at this. Every team member I’ve worked with is very responsive and always gets back to me promptly. Aligning with TBA was the best long-term decision for our business.

Ed Steffens
Medford, OR

TBA makes getting an accurate life insurance quote quick and easy. They use many partner carriers to get our clients the best quote.

Ryan Messer
Knoxville, TN

I really enjoy the process and ease of doing business with TBA. They stay on top of cases and keep things going as fast as they can. John, Zach, and the whole team do an outstanding job!

Tyler Reynolds
Athens, TN

TBA has been a trusted partner for over 30 years! They helped me place some difficult risks while providing excellent service. John Felton has personally gone above helping me with many service issues for key clients. TBA is the only brokerage firm I work with when it comes to writing life insurance.

Cliff Horne
Knoxville, TN

TBA has always been quick to respond to emails and phone calls, knowledgeable about all of their products, and extremely helpful in assisting me in making a sale. I love working with TBA!

Rachel Warren
Owensboro, KY

We have worked with Tennessee Brokerage since 1995. They have always been insightful, identifying the correct company to best place coverage for clients with various pre-existing conditions and needs. The process is increasingly ‘turnkey’ so that recently I have had to do little more than turn in the completed 1-page application and then later sign the policy.

Addison Koella
Knoxville, TN

Working with TBA has been a game-changer. Their expertise, responsiveness, and ability to navigate complex cases make my job easier and my clients better protected.

Rachael Willis
Knoxville, TN

TBA’s ease of doing business with the quoting system and one-page application is one reason I have enjoyed doing business with you. It makes the process quick and painless and allows me to keep working on other things while the carrier does the rest of the application process. Support from the TBA staff is another reason I chose to do business there. Everyone I have worked with is knowledgeable and answers questions promptly.

Justin Hecht
East Grand Forks, MN

TBA has been a huge asset to our business. We were low-volume term life producers, and we didn’t have the products to compete in the life insurance space consistently. TBA has completely changed that for us. Having Mr. Gosselin as a dear friend and a resource has been a game-changer for us and our life production. The ease of the Symetra product, SwiftTerm, also makes things so easy. We value TBA and so appreciate what TBA does for us. I would assume we have consistently produced 4-5x the volume of what we used to do per year with TBA. I can’t say enough good things about TBA and what they have done for our agency.

Lee Maxwell
Cookeville, TN

I love using TBA because of the variety of carriers they have to fit the needs of all the different life situations I run into. The turnaround times are quick, and the underwriters can suggest certain carriers based on the insured’s specific situation or recent dealings with that carrier. It makes my job easier knowing they are getting the best product for their needs.

Matt Kincaid
Cincinnati, OH

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