Tennessee Farm Bureau Insurance homeowners insurance

Overview

Farm Bureau Insurance of Tennessee is the trade name of the Tennessee Farmers Insurance Companies: Tennessee Farmers Mutual Insurance Company, Tennessee Farmers Assurance Company and Tennessee Farmers Life Insurance Company, headquartered in Columbia. The property-casualty business sits in the mutual, which writes only in Tennessee and only for members of the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation. You do not have to farm, but you do have to join.

The group ranked #38 among U.S. homeowners insurance groups by 2025 direct premiums written, according to NAIC market share data, with $689.8 million in homeowners premiums, or 0.37% of the national market. All of it is in Tennessee, where it was the second-largest home insurer in 2025 with 17.85% of the state's homeowners premiums, behind State Farm (22.31%) and well ahead of Allstate (10.05%) and USAA.

It sells through exclusive agents: more than 500 of them working from more than 200 offices, backed by more than 350 claims staff in 16 regional claims centers. It is known for that statewide footprint, an A+ (Superior) rating from AM Best, and a large capital cushion; the property-casualty operation reported a record $4.016 billion in capital and surplus at the end of 2025.

History

Local farmers founded the company in 1948 to insure their own farm structures. It grew into auto, homeowners and small-business coverage and says it now insures more than two million homes, cars and businesses. In 1973 it added Tennessee Farmers Life Insurance Company, which the company says is the state's largest writer of individual life insurance.

The structure is unusual among Farm Bureau insurers. The mutual is owned by its policyholders, while Tennessee Farmers Assurance Company and Tennessee Farmers Life are stock companies with their own shareholders; the company announces share valuations at its annual stockholders meeting and runs a free classifieds service for buying and selling the stock. The insurer is affiliated with the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation, which says it is the nation's largest state Farm Bureau with more than 690,000 member families.

Leadership changed on January 1, 2026, when Bobby Pulley, the former chief marketing officer who started as an agent in Stewart County in 2002, became the sixth chief executive, succeeding Jeff Pannell after a 39-year career. The company has not changed ownership or merged with another insurer.

Homeowners coverage

The company's home lineup includes homeowners, condo, renters, manufactured and mobile home, rental property owner and farm and ranch owner policies, plus a personal umbrella. The homeowners policy covers the dwelling, other structures such as a garage or shed, personal property, additional living expenses and personal liability, with special limits on items such as jewelry, silverware, furs and guns that you can raise through your agent.

Two gaps matter in Tennessee. The company does not write flood or earthquake insurance itself; agents place both through a brokerage program. That is worth acting on in West Tennessee, near the New Madrid seismic zone, and anywhere near a creek or river, because the homeowners policy will not pay for either. And the company's own consumer guidance notes that some policies carry separate deductibles for wind or hail, "especially important in Tennessee." Check your declarations page for a wind/hail deductible before spring storm season.

Underwriting is hands-on: before you submit a formal application, an agent visits to inspect and photograph the home, noting its condition, construction and hazards. The company's website does not publish its endorsement menu or roof settlement terms, so ask the agent how roof damage would be paid and whether the dwelling is insured at replacement cost.

Discounts and savings

Farm Bureau Insurance of Tennessee does not publish a list of homeowners discounts online, so ask the agent which credits a quote includes and whether combining home and auto lowers the price. Membership costs $30 per family per year and brings non-insurance discounts, a member savings app and a quarterly magazine. Because the agent inspects the home before writing it, documented updates to the roof, wiring or plumbing are worth having on hand at that visit.

Where it sells and recent market moves

The company writes homeowners insurance only in Tennessee and has offices in every county. It has not announced pauses or restrictions on new homeowners business through October 2026.

The recent story is financial recovery. The company reported a return to profitability for 2024, with a 93.1% combined ratio, citing favorable weather and disciplined underwriting. In 2025, helped by milder weather, it reported direct storm losses of $305 million, "well below prior-year peaks," a property direct loss ratio of 58.9%, an underwriting gain of $227.8 million and premium growth deliberately held to 5.36%. Severe convective storms remain the main risk to watch; the company notes that Tennessee averages about 30 tornadoes a year, and the 2025 results show how much a quieter storm season moves its numbers.

Claims

Report a claim by calling 877-876-2222, which the company staffs around the clock for claims reporting, through your online account, or through your local agent. Be ready to give the cause and date of loss, and report theft or vandalism to police. The company's 16 regional claims centers handle claims locally.

Its own guidance after a storm follows the policy duties: document the damage with photos or video, make temporary repairs such as tarping a roof or covering broken windows and keep the receipts, and keep a record of every conversation. It also warns policyholders that filing many claims can lead to higher rates or nonrenewal, which makes a careful choice of deductible worthwhile. See tornado damage and homeowners insurance for how wind claims are usually adjusted.

Ratings and reputation

AM Best affirmed the A+ (Superior) financial strength ratings of Tennessee Farmers Mutual Insurance Company, Tennessee Farmers Assurance Company and Tennessee Farmers Life Insurance Company in August 2026 and revised the outlook to stable, citing balance sheet strength it assesses as strongest and strong operating performance. The company says the mutual has held an A or better rating for 72 years, and AM Best's August 2026 Best's Review listed it among 207 insurers with an A or higher rating for at least 50 years. See AM Best rating for what the grades mean.

Its J.D. Power awards have come in the regional auto insurance study, where it ranked highest in the Southeast for a 10th straight year in 2021; that study does not measure home insurance.

Who it suits

Tennessee Farm Bureau suits Tennessee homeowners who want an agent and adjuster nearby and a company with an A+ rating and deep capital, and who are happy to buy home, auto and life from one place. It suits less well buyers who want to compare quotes from several carriers through one independent agent, people who want detailed coverage and discount information online before talking to anyone, and owners who need flood or earthquake coverage under the same roof. Compare it with State Farm, Erie Insurance and Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance, and see how Farm Bureau membership works.

• Strengths: second-largest home insurer in Tennessee; A+ (Superior) from AM Best, affirmed August 2026; record $4.016 billion in property-casualty surplus at the end of 2025; agents in every county and 16 regional claims centers.
• Weaknesses: sold only in Tennessee, only to Farm Bureau members and only through its own agents; no flood or earthquake coverage of its own; little published detail on endorsements, discounts or roof settlement; exposed to Tennessee's severe storm season.

How to contact Tennessee Farm Bureau Insurance