---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 53910"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "53910"
heading: "Administrative"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/53910"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Merchant Marine"
  - "Part C — Financial Assistance Programs"
  - "Chapter 539 — War Risk Insurance"
---

# §53910. Administrative

- (a) **Accordance With Commercial Practice.—** In carrying out this chapter, the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of Transportation may act in accordance with commercial practice in the marine insurance business.
- (b) **Regulations.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) may prescribe regulations the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) considers appropriate to carry out this chapter.
- (c) **Policies, Rates, and Annual Fees.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) may prescribe and change forms and policies, and fix and change the amounts insured and rates of premium, under this chapter.
- (d) **Annual Fees.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) may charge and collect an annual fee in an amount calculated to cover the expenses of processing applications for insurance, employing underwriting agents, and appointing experts under this chapter.
- (e) **Payment of Claims and Judgments.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) may settle and pay claims, and pay judgments against the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10), related to insurance under this chapter.
- (f) **Underwriting Agents.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) may, and when the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) finds it practical to do so shall, employ a domestic company or group of domestic companies, authorized to do marine insurance business in a State of the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10), to act as underwriting agent for the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8). The services of an underwriting agent may be used in adjusting claims, but a claim may not be paid until approved by the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8).
  - (2) **Compensation.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) may allow the company or group of companies reasonable compensation for services as the underwriting agent. The compensation may include an allowance for expenses reasonably incurred by the agent, but may not include any amount for soliciting or stimulating business.
- (g) **Fees For Arranging Insurance.—** Except as provided in [subsection (f)(2)](#f-2), the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) may not pay an insurance broker or other [person](/usc/46/53101.md?p=6) acting in a similar intermediary capacity a fee or other [consideration](/usc/46/2101.md?p=5) for participating in arranging insurance when the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) directly insures any of the risk.
- (h) **Employment of Marine Insurance Experts.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8), without regard to the laws and regulations on the employment of Federal employees, may appoint and prescribe the duties of experts in marine insurance as the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) considers necessary to carry out this chapter.
- (i) **Services of Other Government Agencies.—** With the consent of another agency of the [United States](/usc/46/53101.md?p=10) Government, the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) may use information, services, facilities, officers, and employees of the agency in carrying out this chapter.
- (j) **Vessel Location Reporting.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) may prescribe by regulation [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) location reporting requirements for a [vessel](/usc/46/53501.md?p=9) insured under this chapter.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–304, § 8(c), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1630.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 53910(a) | 46 App.:1289(c) (1st sentence). | June 29, 1936, ch. 858, title XII, § 1209(a)(1), (b)–(f), as added Sept. 7, 1950, ch. 906, 64 Stat. 775; Aug. 3, 1956, ch. 929, § 1, 70 Stat. 984; Pub. L. 94–523, § 4, Oct. 17, 1976, 90 Stat. 2474. |
| 53910(b) | 46 App.:1289(a)(1) (1st–19th words). |  |
| 53910(c) | 46 App.:1289(b) (1st sentence). |  |
| 53910(d) | 46 App.:1289(b) (last sentence). |  |
| 53910(e) | 46 App.:1289(a)(1) (20th–last words). |  |
| 53910(f) | 46 App.:1289(d). |  |
| 53910(g) | 46 App.:1289(c) (last sentence). |  |
| 53910(h) | 46 App.:1289(e). |  |
| 53910(i) | 46 App.:1289(f). |  |
| 53910(j) | 46 App.:1283(a) (last sentence). | June 29, 1936, ch. 858, title XII, § 1203(a) (last sentence), as added Sept. 7, 1950, ch. 906, 64 Stat. 774; Pub. L. 94–523, § 1, Oct. 17, 1976, 90 Stat. 2474. |

Subsection (e) is substituted for “may adjust and pay losses, compromise and settle claims, whether in favor of or against the United States and pay the amount of any judgment rendered against the United States in any suit, or the amount of any settlement agreed upon, in respect of any claim under insurance authorized by this subchapter” to eliminate unnecessary words.