50-6-409 - Policy provision concerning agreement to pay benefits.

50-6-409. Policy provision concerning agreement to pay benefits.

(a)  No policy of insurance against liability arising under this chapter, shall be issued unless it contains an express agreement of the insurer that it will promptly pay to the person entitled to them all benefits conferred by this chapter and all installments of the compensation that may be awarded or agreed upon, and that this obligation shall not be affected by any default of the insured for the injury or by any default in the giving of any notice required by the policy or otherwise.

(b)  The agreement shall be construed to be a direct promise by the insurer to the person entitled to compensation under this chapter, and may be enforced directly by that person in that person's name, and the failure, if any, of the insured to comply with any provisions of the policy regarding notice of injury, and such matters shall not be a defense in a suit on the policy by the insured employee or the insured employee's dependents or representatives, unless it can be shown that the insured employee or the insured employee's representatives or dependents aided and abetted in seeking to mislead or defraud the insurer.

[Acts 1919, ch. 123, § 45; Shan. Supp., § 3608a195; Code 1932, § 6899; impl. am. Acts 1980, ch. 534, § 1; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 50-1209.]