• STR Insurance Story

    Since one of our policies was due for renewal, I reviewed our homeowner's insurance this month. Our homeowners' insurance policies were specifically designed for short-term rentals. Proper Insurance is used by us. We also used CBIZ. Short-term rentals of less than 30 days are typically not covered by home insurance policies. Your homeowner's insurance may not cover damage to the property or injuries if guests cause damage.

     

    All of our short-term rental homeowner's policies provide liability coverage for injuries or lawsuits. This amount is typically up to $1MM, but it varies depending on which policy you choose.

     

    Although this is not an insurance advice, it can be used to supplement your homeowner's insurance policy by providing coverage beyond the amount of liability. To confirm, you should speak with an insurance professional. Your umbrella insurance provider will usually require that you have your homeowners or car policy with them.

     

    We reviewed our current Umbrella Insurance provider. However, they did not cover short-term rental property. This is because it was a commercial activity. Doh!

     

    We were fortunate to work with an insurance broker who helped us find umbrella insurance that would cover short-term rentals. We switched Umbrella Insurance providers to one that specifically covered short-term rentals. It is worth checking with all insurance providers to ensure they cover short-term rentals.

  • You will need homeowner's insurance when you purchase a house. It is a smart idea to protect your most valuable asset from calamity. You can't also get a mortgage if you don't have proof of insurance. Your bank won't allow your home to be damaged, and you don't have the money to pay them back.

     

    It is not easy to get homeowners insurance for short-term rentals. The majority of homeowner's insurance policies don't cater to short-term rentals. They may not be able to cover you if a guest causes damage or other problems to your home.

     

    There were traditionally two types of homeowner's insurance. You can either have insurance for your primary residence or for landlords who have long-term tenants. If a guest accidentally sets fire to your home, neither of these options will cover you. Vrbo and Airbnb offer host guarantees that will cover you in the event of any problems from guests. However, it is not an insurance policy and should not be used as a replacement for your own. This is not an insurance policy or legal advice. You should consult a professional to help you navigate this property.

     

    A number of insurance companies offer homeowners insurance that covers short-term rentals. They will usually also insure you for loss of income if your property is damaged. They also offer liability coverage. We have used two of these three and found their rates to be quite reasonable.

     

    CBIZ Vacation Rental Insurance. They are used for our Sonoma property. They are the first company to provide short-term homeowners insurance for rental properties.

     

    Proper Insurance. They are used for property in Hawaii. They are supposed to be backed by Lloyd's of London

     

    First insurance. Although we have not used them, they are third in the list of companies that provide insurance for vacation rental properties.

     

    We have homeowners insurance as well as a GEICO umbrella policy to protect against additional liability claims.