Short-term rental insurance in Seattle, WA

Guests paying to stay at your Seattle Airbnb or VRBO push the property beyond what a normal homeowners or landlord policy covers. Short-term rental insurance covers the property, your liability for a guest injury, and the income lost while a covered event keeps the rental empty.

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A top short-term rental insurer for Seattle 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!

Protect your short-term rental property in Seattle

Seattle’s short-term rental market attracts everyone from tech travelers to tourists exploring the Pacific Northwest. But the city’s local laws require Airbnb hosts and apartment owners to register, limit the number of units they rent, and carry proper coverage.

Steadily’s short-term rental insurance helps Seattle property owners stay compliant while protecting their apartments and income from guest damage, liability, and loss.

With bookings, turnover, and the occasional problem guest at a Seattle rental, it pays to carry a policy built for hosting rather than one written for a primary residence, and a quote takes only minutes.

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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Why Washington law puts $1 million behind your rental

Washington state law requires short-term rental operators to carry at least $1,000,000 in liability insurance, or to host through a platform that provides the equivalent. Seattle's license doesn't restate the number, but the state requirement applies all the same, and a standard homeowners policy generally won't meet it once you account for the paid-guest exclusion.

Leaning on a platform's coverage leaves the usual gaps. It doesn't apply between bookings, it's limited on your own belongings, and it doesn't reach a direct booking. A dedicated short-term rental policy carries the million-dollar liability limit the state wants and adds coverage for the dwelling, your contents, and lost income after a covered loss.

Carrying your own policy means you meet the state's bar on every stay, not just platform ones. Run a quick quote to see what short-term rental insurance costs for your Seattle property.

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

Seattle has regulated short-term rentals since 2019, and it takes two licenses to operate: a short-term rental operator's license, about $75 a unit each year, and a city business license. Your license number, in the STR-OPLI format, has to show up on every listing.

The defining limit is the cap: one operator can license at most two units citywide, and you only get the second one if one of them is your primary residence, where you live at least six months a year. Some downtown units and operators grandfathered in before 2017 are exempt from that cap.

Seattle also charges a per-night tax on top of regular lodging taxes, $14 a night for a whole home and $8 for a room, collected by the platforms. Fines for violations run $150 to $500 a day, and the city can deny or revoke a license outright.