Coverage line

A bartender’s hand steadies a tipping stemmed glass before its spill reaches the edge of a bar.Illustration for The General Average

Liquor Liability in South Carolina

South Carolina requires many on-premises alcohol sellers that stay open after 5 p.m. to maintain at least $1 million in annual aggregate liquor-liability coverage, subject to statutory risk-mitigation reductions and a $300,000 floor. The law also makes responsible-server training one route to reduce the required limit, so confirm which reduction your operation can document before binding coverage.

What Is Liquor Liability Insurance?

Liquor liability can cover claims tied to your business selling, serving or furnishing alcohol. If you run a bar, restaurant or event where you provide drinks, check how the quote treats injuries, property damage and occasional service. Read the national Liquor liability guide.

South Carolina Liquor Liability Insurance Requirements

Requirement	Details
On-premises sellers open after 5 p.m.	$1 million annual aggregate; minimum per-occurrence coverage is 50% of aggregate; risk-mitigation reductions may apply, with a $300,000 floor ^1,²

What to Watch for With Liquor Liability in South Carolina

Risk Controls Can Reduce the Required Limit
Section 61-2-145 allows reductions for closing alcohol service by midnight, training each alcohol-serving employee within 60 days, keeping alcohol below 40% of sales, or using a digital ID verification system from midnight to 4 a.m.; the minimum aggregate remains $300,000. Ask the broker and SCDOR which documented controls qualify your license for each reduction. ¹
Coverage Must Stay in Force Through the License Period
The statute applies during the full biennial license or permit period and makes a lapse grounds for suspension or revocation; insurers must notify the Department of Revenue of lapse or termination within 30 days. Match the policy term and renewal dates to each covered license and premises. ^1,²
Training Is a Coverage Reduction and Operating Issue
Completing the statutory server course within 60 days of employment is one qualifying risk-mitigation measure, and South Carolina’s 2026 law also directs state regulators to develop and enforce responsible-server training provisions. Ask how the policy treats claims tied to overservice and keep dated training records for every server. ^1,³
New Claim Rules Apply to 2026 Incidents
For claims arising after January 1, 2026, Section 61-2-147 provides that when both a licensee and a driver charged with specified DUI offenses are found liable, the licensee is jointly and severally liable for 50% of actual damages. Ask whether the quoted limits account for this allocation and the potential severity of a multi-defendant claim. ⁴

Which Liquor Liability Providers Have South Carolina License Records?

These providers publish a national listing for Liquor liability; the state records document licenses for the entities and roles shown below. Some records rely on company-reported information rather than independent regulator verification. A national listing does not confirm the product is available in South Carolina. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm state availability for your business when requesting a quote.

Corgi
Insurance producer · checked 2026-09-28
Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.
Corgi’s company producer-license table lists 50 jurisdictions: 49 states and the District of Columbia, including DC license 3003091619. New Mexico does not appear in the table and is not included here; the omission does not establish that Corgi is unlicensed there. The company-reported table has no stated as-of date and does not establish product availability. ¹²
Corgi markets liquor liability for eligible veterans’ and fraternal lodges with licensed on-premises bars.

Who Regulates Insurance in South Carolina?

South Carolina Department of Insurance

The South Carolina Department of Insurance licenses and regulates insurance companies and producers and accepts complaints involving entities it licenses and policies incepted in South Carolina. Its consumer page links to the online complaint form and explains limits on the Department’s authority. ^5,^6,⁷

Website: Regulator website
License lookup: Search licensed producers
Complaints: File a complaint

Surplus-Lines Tax and Stamping Office in South Carolina

Reported tax rate. 6% blended broker premium tax: 4% state plus 2% municipal ^8,⁹

SCDOI’s January 2026 instructions set a 6% blended surplus-lines broker premium tax: 4% state and 2% municipal; the Department collects both and the Municipal Association of South Carolina allocates the municipal share. The filing system also asks brokers to identify one to three insurers that declined the indicated coverage; check the policy notice for any guaranty-association disclosure.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy Liquor Liability in South Carolina

Does my business meet an exception or qualify for a specific reduction under S.C. Code § 61-2-145(E)?
Does the policy meet the required annual aggregate and per-occurrence minimum for each license and location?
What records should we keep to prove server training, midnight closing, sales mix, or ID-system controls?
How does the policy respond if a claim arises from an incident after January 1, 2026 and a DUI driver is also sued?

Liquor Liability Insurance in South Carolina: FAQ

Is liquor-liability insurance required for South Carolina bars?

Yes. Many on-premises sellers that remain open after 5 p.m. must maintain at least $1 million in annual aggregate liquor-liability coverage, unless an allowed risk-mitigation reduction applies; the statutory minimum after reductions is $300,000. ¹

Can server training reduce South Carolina's liquor-liability insurance requirement?

Yes. A qualifying licensee can reduce the aggregate limit by $100,000 if all employees who serve alcohol complete the statutory course within 60 days of employment, subject to the statute’s other rules and $300,000 minimum. ¹

What happens if a South Carolina bar's liquor-liability policy lapses?

A lapse during the license period is grounds for license or permit suspension or revocation. Insurers must notify the Department of Revenue of a lapse or termination within 30 days. ¹

Sources

16 documents, numbered as cited. Open the sources

Sources for Liquor Liability Insurance in South Carolina

1
South Carolina Code, Title 61, Chapter 2. South Carolina General Assembly; S.C. Code §§ 61-2-145(A)-(G), 61-2-147; effective January 1, 2026. Accessed 2026-09-29.
2
Operating an ABL Business. South Carolina Department of Revenue; Liquor liability insurance requirements for on-premises licensees. Accessed 2026-09-29.
3
South Carolina Code, Title 61, Chapter 2. South Carolina General Assembly; S.C. Code § 61-2-60(A)(9), responsible server training rulemaking effective January 1, 2026. Accessed 2026-09-29.
4
South Carolina Code, Title 61, Chapter 2. South Carolina General Assembly; S.C. Code § 61-2-147; claims accruing after January 1, 2026. Accessed 2026-09-29.
5
south-carolina insurance regulator. State insurance regulator; Official home and consumer services pages describe regulator scope. Accessed 2026-09-28.
6
SCDOI Online Services. State insurance regulator; General Public offers Licensee Lookup for licensed individuals and insurers. Accessed 2026-09-28.
7
SCDOI Consumer Services. State insurance regulator; Complaint process and stated authority covers licensed entities and policies incepted in SC; online complaint form is linked. Accessed 2026-09-28.
8
2026 Surplus Lines Filing Instructions. South Carolina Department of Insurance; Pages 1–2, January 26 2026 memo: 6% blended rate, 4% state plus 2% municipal; DOI collects both and MASC allocates municipal portion. Accessed 2026-09-28.
9
2026 Surplus Lines Filing Instructions. South Carolina Department of Insurance; Pages 1–2, Jan. 26, 2026 instructions: broker filing due-diligence field requires one to three named insurers declining the indicated coverage. Accessed 2026-09-28.
10
Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
11
Licenses and Carriers. Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535. Accessed 2026-09-22.
12
Insurance Producer Licenses. Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown. Accessed 2026-09-28.
13
About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
14
Licenses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885. Accessed 2026-09-28.
15
Insurance Licenses by State. TechInsurance; Current state table; identifies TechInsurance as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC d/b/a SPG Insurance Solutions; lists DC 3000041536 and labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses,” without an agency license number. Accessed 2026-09-28.
16
Licenses. Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict. Accessed 2026-09-15.

Liquor Liability in South Carolina

What Is Liquor Liability Insurance?

South Carolina Liquor Liability Insurance Requirements

What to Watch for With Liquor Liability in South Carolina

Risk Controls Can Reduce the Required Limit

Coverage Must Stay in Force Through the License Period

Training Is a Coverage Reduction and Operating Issue

New Claim Rules Apply to 2026 Incidents