Judge Says Multi-Million Dollar Murdaugh Insurance Policy Doesn’t Cover Boat Crash That Killed Teen

A federal judge last week ruled that a Pennsylvania-based insurance company is not on the hook for any potential liabilities generated by suspended South Carolina attorney Richard Alexander ‘Alex’ Murdaugh or his son Richard Alexander ‘Buster’ Murdaugh, Jr. in connection with the death of a teen in a 2019 boating accident.

‘He expected one thing,’ the judge said while referring to Murdaugh’s purchase of insurance. ‘He received something else.’ The judge said that’s a problem for the Murdaughs — and not a problem the courts can fix.

The insurance case is tightly connected to an underlying lawsuit concerning the death of Mallory Beach, 19. According to multiple civil lawsuits, Beach died when Alex’s son (and Buster’s brother) Paul Murdaugh bought alcohol using Buster’s driver license at a convenience store.

Paul allegedly became drunk after the purchase and operated a boat owned by his father Alex.

Paul allegedly crashed into a bridge pier; Beach, one of his passengers, died as a result of the Feb. 23, 2019 collision. Civil litigation against the Murdaughs ensued.