Insurance Requirements: Brentwood vs El Cerrito
How do insurance requirements rules compare between Brentwood, CA and El Cerrito, CA?
El Cerrito has fewer restrictions than Brentwood.
Brentwood, CA
Contra Costa County
Brentwood does not impose STR liability insurance minimums because the city prohibits short-term rentals entirely under BMC Chapter 17.796 (Ord. 1079, Dec 10, 2024). There is no permit or registration that an insurance certificate could attach to.
View full Brentwood rules →El Cerrito, CA
Contra Costa County
Unincorporated Contra Costa County does not require short-term rental operators to carry a county-mandated minimum liability insurance policy. The Chapter 88-32 STR ordinance (added by Ordinance 2020-12) and the county's published STR application materials regulate registration, occupancy, parking, and operating standards but do not impose a $500K or $1M liability floor of the kind seen in some California cities.
View full El Cerrito rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Brentwood | El Cerrito |
|---|---|---|
| City Insurance Minimum | None (STRs banned) | - |
| Code Section | BMC Ch. 17.796 | - |
| Ordinance | No. 1079 (Dec 10, 2024) | - |
| Permit Pathway | Does not exist | - |
| Long-Term Rentals | Use standard landlord policy | - |
| Rental Inspection | City program separate | - |
| County Liability Minimum | - | None set |
| Authority | - | Ord. Code Ch. 88-32 (Ord. 2020-12) |
| Application Requires | - | Owner info, site/floor plan, responsible party |
| Application Fee | - | $380 |
| Platform Coverage | - | Airbnb AirCover $1M, Vrbo $1M (not county-mandated) |
| City Rules May Differ | - | Walnut Creek, Concord, Richmond, San Ramon |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Brentwood FAQ
How much liability insurance does Brentwood require for short-term rentals?
None, because Brentwood prohibits short-term rentals under Chapter 17.796. There is no STR permit to which an insurance requirement could attach.
Does Airbnb's AirCover let me legally host in Brentwood?
No. Platform host-protection programs do not override the citywide STR ban in BMC 17.796.
What insurance applies to a 31-day or longer rental?
A standard landlord/dwelling policy is typical. Long-term rentals are not STRs, so the Chapter 17.796 prohibition does not apply, but Brentwood's Rental Inspection Program may.
El Cerrito FAQ
Does unincorporated Contra Costa County require STR hosts to carry liability insurance?
No. Chapter 88-32 and the county's published STR application materials do not set a minimum host liability insurance amount as a condition of issuance. Some California cities require $500,000 or $1,000,000 minimums, but the Contra Costa County unincorporated rule does not.
Does Airbnb or Vrbo coverage substitute for a county requirement?
There is no county requirement to substitute for. Airbnb AirCover for Hosts and Vrbo Liability Insurance both provide $1 million in host liability coverage at the platform level, authorized in California by Insurance Code Section 1758.9. These are platform-level, not county-mandated, programs.
Could my homeowners policy or HOA still require STR coverage?
Yes. Standard homeowners and dwelling fire policies often exclude or limit coverage for paid short-term rental activity, and HOA CC&Rs or lender covenants may require a named-insured endorsement or commercial general liability coverage independent of the county ordinance. Check your policy and CC&Rs before listing.
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