South Carolina boat insurance

Boaters have plenty of options in The Palmetto State with thousands of natural lakes, ponds, rivers and miles of ocean coastline. If you own a pontoon, center console, sailboat, or another type of watercraft, Progressive offers customized and affordable protection for you and your boat, on and off the water. Learn about boat insurance in South Carolina, including coverages, discounts, and cost information.

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Do you need boat insurance in South Carolina?

Boat insurance isn't required by South Carolina law, but some marinas may mandate boat liability coverage. In addition, if you lease or finance your watercraft, your lender may require comprehensive and collision coverages for your boat, which may pay to repair or replace your damaged or stolen watercraft.

Coverage	What it covers
Bodily injury and property damage liability	What it coversInjuries you're liable for and damage you cause to another boat or property while boating
Comprehensive	What it coversTheft, vandalism, fire, glass breakage, collisions with animals, and weather-related issues
Collision	What it coversCollisions with another watercraft, docks, or objects

If you own your boat outright and you aren't required to carry liability coverage, protecting your watercraft investment — as well as your assets if you cause an accident on the water — can still be important for boaters in South Carolina.

How much is boat insurance in South Carolina?

In 2023, the average annual cost for a Progressive boat insurance policy in South Carolina was $447.51.^* However, Progressive offers boat insurance in South Carolina for as little as $100/year for a liability-only policy.^** Your cost for boat insurance depends on several factors, such as:

Type of watercraft: From pontoon boats to PWCs, your boat's unique features may influence your rate
Boating experience: Experienced boaters may pay less for boat insurance than boaters new to operating a watercraft
Claims history: If you've filed an insurance claim in the past, regardless of fault, you may pay more for a boat policy
Horsepower: A powerboat with a large engine may cost more to insure than a sailboat with a smaller engine

Boaters in South Carolina can save on boat insurance by bundling insurance policies with Progressive. Get a multi-policy discount when you combine boat insurance with auto, homeowners, renters, RV, or motorcycle.

How to lower the cost of boat insurance in South Carolina

If you live in Charleston, Columbia, Hilton Head, or anywhere else in South Carolina, there are multiple ways to obtain cheap boat insurance. Progressive lets you start saving immediately with a variety of discounts that can be automatically added to your policy, such as:

Multi-policy
Paid in full
Responsible driver
Safety course
Original owner

Find out more about boat insurance discounts.

What's the best boat insurance in South Carolina?

From Greenville to Myrtle Beach and throughout South Carolina, the best boat insurance policy gives you freedom and peace of mind. Progressive lets you navigate ocean waters within 75 miles of the coast with coverages designed to protect you and your boat. Plus, we don't require a marine survey.

Pro tip:

Auto insurance may pay for injuries or damages you cause while towing your boat trailer, but it won't pay for damage to your trailer. However, a boat insurance policy can pay to repair or replace your damaged boat trailer up to your policy's limits.

Additional boat coverages in South Carolina

Sign & Glide®: If your boat is stuck on the water, Sign & Glide® towing assistance ^†† can help with on-water towing, jump starts, fuel delivery^†, and more.
Propulsion Plus® mechanical breakdown coverage: In the event of a mechanical breakdown, Progressive can pay to repair or replace the lower unit of an outboard motor or the upper and lower units of an inboard/outboard motor (coverage doesn't apply to jet drives or inboard motors).
Wreckage removal: If your boat sinks, we can pay to remove your boat from the water.
Fuel spill: Progressive covers the cost of legally required cleaning that comes with spilled fuel.
Watersport coverage: If your guests are injured from water-tubing, water-skiing, and other related sports, we may cover their medical expenses up to a certain limit.
Fishing equipment or carry-on items: If your fishing equipment or other gear is lost or stolen, you can receive the full replacement cost up to $10,000 for fishing gear, scuba gear, phones, and other items. There's a $1,000 limit per item.

See all Progressive boat insurance coverages.

South Carolina boating information

All boats in South Carolina must have a U.S. Coast Guard-approved wearable type personal flotation device for each person on board or being towed.
You must have a South Carolina Certificate of Number (registration) and validation decals to operate your vessel legally on public waters in South Carolina.
In South Carolina, boaters born after July 1, 2007 are required by law to pass an approved boater education course before operating a watercraft powered by 10 hp motor or more.