Compulsory Insurance Coverage for Passenger and Cargo.
Section 14
SEC. 14. Compulsory Insurance Coverage for Passenger and Cargo. — To meet its financial responsibility for any liability which a domestic ship operator may incur for any breach of the contract of carriage, every domestic ship operator shall be required to submit annually the following: Adequate insurance coverage for each passenger in an amount to be computed in accordance with existing laws, rules and regulations, and the total amount of such coverage shall be equivalent to the total number of passenger accommodations being offered by the vessel; Adequate insurance coverage for cargo in an amount to be computed in accordance with existing laws, rules and regulations, and the total amount of such coverage shall be equivalent to the total cargo capacity being offered by the vessel; and If a domestic ship operator should offer both passenger and cargo service, then the total insurance coverage shall be in the total sum equivalent to that stipulated in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this section. Provided, That if a domestic ship operator should operate more than one (1) vessel, the amount of insurance coverage required under this section, for purposes of proving financial capacity, shall be the amount equivalent to the total number of passenger accommodations, or total cargo capacity, or both, of the largest operating vessel which the domestic ship operator may have: Provided, further, That the total insurance coverage which may be required of any domestic ship operator shall not exceed the value of such vessel: Provided, finally, That adequate insurance coverage shall be obtained from any duly licensed insurance company or international protection and indemnity association.