South Carolina H 3846: Marine Liability Insurance

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3846 Text of Previous Version (Jan. 30, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3846

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 
50-23-37 SO AS TO REQUIRE OWNERS OF CERTAIN BOATS AND NONMOTORIZED FLOATING 
STRUCTURES ANCHORED IN THIS STATE TO MAINTAIN LIABILITY INSURANCE ON THEIR 
BOATS AND STRUCTURES, AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Article 1, Chapter 23, Title 50 of the S.C. Code is 
amended by adding:

 Section 
50-23-37. (A) An owner of a boat 
that is anchored in the waters of this State more than thirty days must 
maintain a liability insurance policy on the boat with one 
hundred-thousand-dollars minimum coverage. To obtain the policy, the boat owner 
must provide the insurer a recent vessel survey that includes a declaration 
that the boat is seaworthy and that the boat can move under its own power as 
intended when built. Sailboats must have working sails and powerboats must have 
a working motor. The survey must have been completed within six months of the 
policy being issued and completed by a licensed boat surveyor. All policy 
premiums must be current before a policy can be renewed and new stickers sent 
to the boat owner. The insurer shall issue two 3½ x 3½-inch watercraft stickers 
to the boat owner each time a policy is issued or renewed. The stickers must 
have the year in one-inch font and the insurance company, policy number, and 
boat registration number on the sticker and be attached to the anchored boat. 
The insurer shall require a new survey from the boat owner after each 
three-year period before renewing the policy on year four.

 (B) An 
owner of a nonmotorized floating structure that is anchored in the waters of 
this State or attached to a boat anchored in this State for more than thirty 
days must maintain a liability insurance policy on the structure with one 
hundred-thousand-dollars minimum coverage. To obtain the policy, the structure 
owner must provide the insurer a recent vessel survey that includes a 
declaration that the structure is seaworthy. All policy premiums must be 
current before a policy can be renewed and new stickers sent to the structure 
owner. The insurer shall issue two 3½ x 3½-inch watercraft stickers to the 
structure owner each time a policy is issued or renewed. The stickers must have 
the year in one-inch font and the insurance company, policy number, and structure 
registration number on the sticker and be attached to the structure. The 
insurer shall require a new survey from the structure owner after each 
three-year period before renewing the policy on year four.

 (C) A 
person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor 
and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned not more than thirty days and fined 
not more than five hundred dollars.

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on January 30, 2025 at 11:19 AM