Trust & Compliance

RESPA, licensing, and how we pay (or don’t pay) referrals

Last updated: May 4, 2026

Lenders and real-estate agents who refer their borrowers to TCDS Insurance receive no fee, commission, kickback, split, or other compensation in exchange. This page explains why, cites the underlying statutes, and shows the borrower-facing disclosures we provide on every quote.

The short version

We are a licensed Alabama insurance producer. We’re paid by the carriers whose policies we place — not by anyone in your mortgage transaction.
We do not pay (or accept) referral fees, gifts above the de-minimis threshold, marketing-services-agreement payments tied to lead volume, or any compensation that could be construed as a thing of value under RESPA Section 8.
Our partner portal provides courtesy quotes for buyers your loan officer or buyer’s agent is already working with. Whether the borrower binds with us is entirely their choice.

Statutory basis

RESPA Section 8 — 12 U.S.C. § 2607; implementing regulations at 12 CFR §§ 1024.14–1024.15. Prohibits paying or accepting any fee, kickback, or thing of value in exchange for the referral of settlement-service business.
“Free to shop” language — 12 CFR Appendix D to Part 1024. We use the verbatim disclosure on every borrower-facing quote.
Alabama producer licensing— Ala. Code § 27-7-35.1 (referral compensation rules) and the Alabama Department of Insurance’s adoption of NAIC Producer Licensing Model Act § 13(D).
Affiliated Business Arrangements— 12 CFR § 1024.15. We have no AfBAs with any lender or realtor partner. If we ever enter one, we will provide the full Appendix D disclosure and require the borrower’s written acknowledgment.

What our partners see

Our lender and realtor partners get a portal that shows quote status, binders, and dec pages for borrowers they’ve referred — and nothing else. Partners cannot see other agents’ clients, cannot pull reports on aggregate referral volume, and are not paid per referral.

What borrowers see

Every quote we share with a borrower includes the six-point RESPA disclosure block reproduced below. The disclosure is provided verbatim on the share page, in any printed PDF, and in any email we send during the quote process.

RESPA §8 · Ala. DOI · 12 CFR Part 1024

How we stay clean on every referral

We never pay your lender or realtor a fee, kickback, or split for sending a quote — and we say so out loud, in plain English, on every borrower-facing page.

Read all disclosures

Provided as a courtesy
This quote is provided as a courtesy through your lender. It is not a solicitation by your lender and the lender is not acting as an insurance producer.
Not a condition of your loan
You are not required to purchase insurance from this agency as a condition of approval, settlement, or closing on your loan.
Free to shop
YOU ARE FREE TO SHOP AROUND TO DETERMINE THAT YOU ARE RECEIVING THE BEST SERVICES AND THE BEST RATE FOR THESE SERVICES. You may purchase homeowners insurance from any licensed provider you choose.
Your lender receives no fee
Your lender receives no fee, commission, kickback, or other compensation from this agency or any insurance carrier in exchange for this quote or any policy you may bind.
Estimate only — not a binder
This is a preliminary estimate based on the information provided and is subject to underwriting review. Coverage is not in force until a policy is issued by the carrier and the initial premium is paid.
Won't affect your loan approval
Your choice of insurance provider will not affect the approval, terms, or conditions of your loan.

Quote provided by TCDS Insurance Agency, a licensed Alabama insurance producer. Disclosures provided to comply with the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (12 U.S.C. § 2607), 12 CFR §§ 1024.14–1024.15, and Alabama Department of Insurance producer-licensing rules (Ala. Code § 27-7-35.1).

Questions or concerns

If you believe a TCDS Insurance employee or any of our partners has violated these rules, email compliance@triageone.io. We investigate every report within 5 business days.