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Rhode Island inland marine insurance and the non-manual rate exception

Rhode Island's fire and marine rating chapter applies to fire, marine, and inland marine insurance on risks in the state. Inland marine includes insurance defined by statute or, if not, by the commissioner's ruling or by general custom. Every insurer must file rating manuals and plans except as to inland marine risks that by general custom are not written according to manual rates or rating plans. Specific inland marine rates made by a rating organization on specially rated risks are filed separately. 1,2

What Is Tools, Equipment And Inland Marine?

If your business moves equipment between sites or ships goods, inland marine can cover those property exposures; installation and other forms address different property categories. Match the quote to what you own, rent or hold for others. Read the national Tools, equipment and inland marine guide.

What to Watch for in Rhode Island

  • Custom, Not a Manual, Is What Skips the Filing

    Section 27-6-8(a) requires rating manuals and plans to be filed, except for inland marine risks that by general custom of the business are not written according to manual rates or rating plans. If the class has a manual, do not assume the exception applies. Ask the broker whether this equipment or shipment class is manual-rated. 2

  • Bureau-Made Specific Rates Are Still Filed

    Section 27-6-8(b) says specific inland marine rates on risks specially rated by a rating organization shall be filed. A one-off rate from a bureau is not the same thing as a non-manual custom risk. Ask which filing, if any, supports the premium. 2

  • The Chapter Defines Inland Marine by Statute, Ruling, or Custom

    Section 27-6-2(a) applies the chapter to inland marine on risks located in Rhode Island and says inland marine includes insurance now or hereafter defined by statute, or by interpretation, or if not so defined, by ruling of the commissioner, or as established by general custom. The opened sections do not reprint a consignment or contractors-equipment subclass. Ask the form where cover starts and stops. 1

Who Regulates Insurance in Rhode Island

Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, Insurance Division

The DBR Insurance Division provides an online public verification service for producers, adjusters, surplus-lines brokers, and other licensees, and accepts insurance complaints online. Contact the Division for help determining whether it has authority over a particular policy or dispute. 3,4,5

Surplus-lines tax and stamping office

Reported tax rate: 4% of net taxable premium; 2018 filing guide excludes listed broker, carrier and inspection fees Rhode Island’s 2024 return applies 4% to net taxable premium (gross premium less returned premium); its 2018 filing guide excludes broker, carrier, and inspection fees from the base. Confirm fee treatment with the Division of Taxation if your bill separates those charges, because no newer official fee-base guidance was located. 6,7

Providers With Documented State Licenses

No provider in Spot’s research documents both a state license record and this coverage line. This does not establish that providers are unlicensed. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm availability with a provider when requesting a quote.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy in Rhode Island

  1. Is this class written to a manual, or is it a non-manual custom risk?
  2. If a rating organization specially rated it, was that specific rate filed?
  3. Which goods are in transit, stored, or at a job site?

Tools, Equipment And Inland Marine in Rhode Island: FAQ

Are all Rhode Island inland marine rates exempt from filing? 2

No. Section 27-6-8 exempts inland marine risks that by general custom are not written according to manual rates or rating plans. Specific rates a rating organization makes for specially rated risks are filed. 2

Does the Rhode Island rating chapter apply to inland marine outside the state? 1

Section 27-6-2 applies the fire and marine rating chapter to inland marine insurance on risks located in Rhode Island. 1

Tools, Equipment And Inland Marine in Other States

Other Coverage in Rhode Island

Sources

  1. R.I. Gen. Laws § 27-6-2. Rhode Island General Assembly; Chapter scope and inland marine defined by statute, ruling, or custom. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  2. R.I. Gen. Laws § 27-6-8. Rhode Island General Assembly; Filing of rating manuals; non-manual inland marine exception; specific rates. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  3. rhode-island insurance regulator. State insurance regulator; DBR Insurance Division overview links to complaint, license lookup, statutes, and regulations. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  4. DBR License Status Verification. State insurance regulator; Official page identifies online NAIC-partnered status checks for producers, adjusters, motor vehicle appraisers, surplus-lines brokers, and reinsurance intermediaries. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  5. DBR Insurance Consumers. State insurance regulator; Official consumer page explains the division's regulated insurance lines and online complaint route. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  6. 2025 T-71A Surplus Line Broker Return of Gross Premiums. Rhode Island Division of Taxation; 2025 return, p. 1, lines 1–4: net taxable premium is gross premium less returned premiums; 4% tax; filing due April 1, 2026. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  7. Guide to Tax Filings for Surplus Lines. Rhode Island Division of Taxation; 2018 Guide to tax filings, surplus-lines section: gross premium for tax purposes excludes carrier, broker, and inspection fees; no newer official fee-base instruction located as of 2026-09-28. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  8. Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.

Updated .

This guide is informational and does not determine whether a policy is available or meets your needs. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with a supporting source.

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