Insurance Requirements: Lakewood vs Tacoma
How do insurance requirements rules compare between Lakewood, WA and Tacoma, WA?
Tacoma has fewer restrictions than Lakewood.
Lakewood, WA
Pierce County
Washington law requires short-term rental operators to maintain primary liability insurance of at least $1 million or operate through a platform that provides equivalent coverage. This statewide requirement applies regardless of local rules.
View full Lakewood rules →Tacoma, WA
Pierce County
Tacoma short-term rental operators must carry adequate liability coverage, either through a commercial host policy or a qualifying platform-provided policy, to qualify for registration under TMC 6B.130.
View full Tacoma rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Lakewood | Tacoma |
|---|---|---|
| Statute | RCW 64.37.020 | - |
| Minimum Coverage | $1 million liability | - |
| Coverage Type | Primary liability | - |
| Platform Alternative | Equal or greater coverage | - |
| Code | - | TMC 6B.130 |
| Coverage type | - | Liability for guest harm |
| Platform policies | - | Generally accepted |
| Homeowner-only | - | Usually insufficient |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Lakewood FAQ
Does my homeowners insurance count?
Standard homeowners policies typically exclude commercial activity. You generally need a specific short-term rental endorsement or commercial policy meeting the $1M primary requirement.
Are platform-provided policies sufficient?
Yes, if the platform provides primary liability coverage of at least $1 million per RCW 64.37.020, operators can rely on that coverage instead of obtaining their own.
Tacoma FAQ
Is Airbnb Host Protection enough?
Often yes for Tacoma registration, but hosts should confirm limits and exclusions match TMC 6B.130 expectations and consider gap coverage for non-platform bookings.
Does my homeowner policy cover STR use?
Most standard policies exclude business use; contact your insurer about an STR endorsement or commercial rider before listing the property.
Compare other topics
See how Lakewood and Tacoma compare on other ordinance categories.
Want to add a third city?
Use our full comparison tool to compare up to three cities.
Open Comparison Tool