Augusta, GA Short-Term Rentals: Insurance Requirements (2026)

Augusta has no STR-specific insurance ordinance. The Augusta-Richmond County Code does not list liability insurance among the conditions for issuing an Occupational Tax Certificate (business license) under Title 2 of the Code, and neither the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance nor the Property Maintenance Code conditions occupancy on proof of coverage. Georgia state law likewise has no STR insurance mandate; O.C.G.A. 48-13-50 et seq. (the Hotel-Motel Tax statute) and the State Hotel-Motel Fee statute (O.C.G.A. 48-13-50.3) impose tax-collection duties but no insurance requirement, and 2025 House Bill 555 did not enact a statewide STR insurance floor. Standard Georgia homeowner policies (ISO HO-3 and similar) generally exclude business or commercial activity, including transient rental for fewer than 30 consecutive days, so hosts who rely solely on a homeowner policy may have a denied liability claim if a guest is injured. Airbnb's AirCover for Hosts and Vrbo's Liability Insurance offer up to $1 million per occurrence, but apply only to bookings made through the platform and exclude many common scenarios such as intentional acts, mold, or pollution. The Augusta Insurance Industry Council and the Georgia Department of Insurance recommend that STR hosts purchase a dedicated short-term rental policy or a commercial general liability policy of at least $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate, plus building and contents coverage on a commercial form. Hosts who finance the property through a federally backed mortgage may be contractually required by the lender to maintain hazard insurance that recognizes the rental use; the lender, not the City of Augusta, enforces that requirement.