Short-term rental insurance in Philadelphia, PA

Renting short-term on Airbnb or VRBO in Philadelphia turns a home into a business, and most homeowners and landlord policies quietly exclude that. Short-term rental insurance covers the home, your host liability, and the booking revenue lost when a covered event forces the rental offline.

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Top short-term rental coverage for Philadelphia hosts.

Eric Martin

I had a quote within half an hour and then connected them with my mortgage lender for closing via email. Very easy to work with.

Elizabeth Oreo

They respond quickly and communicate well. I was able to get the policy I needed to convert my vacation home to Airbnb.

Arnold Chambers

The process of getting a landlord policy was very smooth. A few text messages, and the price was great, new policy saved us over $600!

Get your Philadelphia short-term rental property covered

Philadelphia’s short-term rental market combines rich history with strong visitor demand, but local laws are among the toughest in the region. Airbnb hosts and apartment owners must register their rentals and comply with zoning, tax, and safety requirements to operate legally.

Without proper coverage, one guest issue can turn profitable rentals into expensive problems. Steadily’s short-term rental insurance helps Philadelphia property owners stay compliant and protected from damage, liability, and lost income.

When something goes wrong at a Philadelphia rental, from a kitchen fire to an injured guest, a Steadily policy covers the guest-facing risks a homeowners or landlord policy leaves out.

Who is short-term rental insurance for?

Short-term rental insurance protects your investments when they are rented as a vacation rental, Airbnb, VRBO, etc. Short-term rental insurance covers rental periods as short as one night. This insurance offers coverages for:

Legal liabilities

Fire and water damage

Financial protection against natural disasters

Protection for your furnishings

What does short-term rental insurance cover?

We cover a wide range of risks, or you can choose a limited set of coverages for a lower premium

Fire

Fire insurance for rental properties covers structural fire and smoke damage, your personal property, and lost rent while repairs are underway. See what’s covered, exclusions, and how much coverage you need.

Legal liability

Landlord liability insurance pays medical bills, legal defense, and settlements when a tenant or visitor is injured at your rental. Steadily writes $300K to $2M of liability into every landlord policy in all 50 states. Quote in two minutes.

Water

Water damage insurance for rental properties covers burst pipes, roof leaks, appliance overflows, and sewer backups with an endorsement, plus lost rent. See what’s covered, the exclusions, and how much you need.

Storm and hail

Storm and hail damage insurance for landlords covers roof punctures, siding, windows, and wind damage to your rental. See what’s covered, deductibles, and how much coverage you need.

Loss of rent

Loss of rent insurance, also called fair rental value coverage, replaces the rental income you lose when a covered event makes your rental uninhabitable.

Vandalism & burglary

Covers damage made to your rental property by a burglar or a vandal, such as broken windows or defacements made to walls or exterior structures.

Riot & civil commotion

Covers damage to your rental property caused by riots, civil unrest, and public disturbances.

Short-term vs. long-term rentals explained

Short-term rentals

Stays that are 30 days or less at a time.

Rented in short stays

Guests book by the night or week, cycling through constantly instead of one household staying put. A short-term rental policy is priced for that turnover.

Furnished space for paying guests

You supply the beds, furniture, and everything guests use.

Rental income rises and falls with bookings

Revenue is variable and business-like, and loss of rent coverage can replace bookings lost after a covered event.

Requires an STR policy or endorsement

An STR carries a meaningfully different risk profile than a long-term rental. Having the wrong policy can result in coverage gaps and claims being denied.

Long-term rentals

A tenant's permanent residence.

Leased for months or years

One tenant signs a lease and lives there full-time; there's no nightly turnover.

A different risk profile

A single long-term tenant creates far less turnover and guest liability than a stream of nightly visitors, so it's underwritten differently.

Steady rent, tied to a lease

Using a homeowners policy for a rental property can create major coverage gaps.

Does not require an STR policy or endorsement

A tenant-occupied rental calls for a landlord policy built around long-term tenants.

Not sure if your STR is covered? Enter your address and get a free quote instantly:

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Coverage for a Philadelphia short-term rental

Philadelphia doesn't put a required insurance figure in the ordinance, so the responsibility falls on you, and most guidance still points hosts toward carrying solid liability coverage. The trouble is that a standard Pennsylvania homeowners policy excludes short-term guests, so it may leave you exposed exactly when a guest files a claim.

A dedicated short-term rental policy is written for the actual use. It covers liability when a guest is hurt, the dwelling and your contents, and the income you lose when a covered event takes the rental offline. In Philadelphia's older housing stock, where wiring and plumbing surprises aren't rare, that property coverage matters.

Coverage built around paying guests is what keeps a claim from getting denied over a technicality. Run a quick quote to see what short-term rental insurance costs for your Philadelphia property.

What Philadelphia landlords need to know about short-term rental regulations

Philadelphia's short-term rental laws split hosts into two tracks, and picking the wrong one is the classic misstep. If you're renting your own home, you want a Limited Lodging Operator license. If it's a property you don't live in, you need a Rental license with a Visitor Accommodations designation, plus separate zoning approval, which is a much heavier lift.

Limited Lodging requires the place to be your primary residence, occupied more than half the year, with records to prove it. Both tracks also require a Commercial Activity License and correct zoning. The old 180-day annual cap for limited lodging went away under the 2021 law, though occupancy is still limited and guests are only allowed between 8 a.m. and midnight.

Guests owe the city's 8.5% hotel tax plus the state's share. The city cross-checks Airbnb and Vrbo listings against its license records, and a 2023 crackdown flagged roughly 1,500 unlicensed listings, with daily fines that climb from a few hundred dollars toward $2,000.