Rental property insurance
Once you rent a place out, your homeowners policy may stop being the right policy. Landlord policies are built for houses and apartments other people live in, whether that's one house or a whole building.
What rental owners usually carry
- A landlord policy
Covers the building, anything you own that stays with it, and your liability as the owner.
For example A kitchen fire in your rental house guts the back half of the place.
- Lost rent
Replaces the rent you lose while a damaged unit can't be lived in, up to the policy's limits.
For example A pipe bursts in January while the tenant's away, and the house can't be rented for two months.
- Landlord liability
Covers you when a tenant or visitor is hurt, or their things are damaged, because of the property.
For example A tenant's guest falls through a rotten board on the back steps.
- Short-term rentals
Homeowners policies may exclude paying guests, so tell your insurer before the first booking. Airbnb's own host protection has limits, and Airbnb says its damage protection isn't an insurance policy.
For example A guest at your cabin near the lake backs into the carport post.
Short-term rental permits that require insurance
Tennessee
- Nashville requires short-term rental permit applicants to show fire, hazard and liability insurance with at least $1 million of liability per occurrence. Source: nashville.gov
Kentucky
- Lexington requires short-term rental licensees to carry at least $1 million of commercial general liability per occurrence. Source: lexingtonky.gov
Virginia
- Virginia Beach requires short-term rental operators to show at least $1 million of liability coverage naming the rental address. Source: planning.virginiabeach.gov
Everywhere
- Other towns and counties set their own rules. Check your local permit office before listing. Source: content.naic.org
Rules change. We checked these against the official sources in October 2026; call us before you rely on one.