Insurance Requirements: El Cerrito vs Oakley

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.

Does Oakley require a specific amount of liability insurance for a short-term rental?

Oakley Municipal Code Chapter 5.15 does not set a specific dollar minimum for STR liability insurance. The chapter instead makes the owner personally responsible for all guest and occupant conduct, so most hosts carry an STR-specific policy or rely on a hosting platform that provides primary host liability coverage (commonly up to $1,000,000).

Will my regular homeowner's policy cover my Oakley short-term rental?

Usually not. Standard homeowner's and renter's policies typically exclude short-term/transient rental activity. California state law requires hosting platforms to advise hosts to review their policy for short-term rental restrictions, and most Oakley hosts add a short-term rental endorsement, a landlord policy with STR coverage, or rely on a platform's host liability insurance.