Fall River, MA Short-Term Rentals: Insurance Requirements (2026)

Fall River STR hosts are bound by both the statewide insurance mandate and the local registration requirements in Ordinance No. 2025-07. The state floor, codified at MGL c.175, §4F(b), requires the operator to maintain liability insurance of not less than $1,000,000 to cover each short-term rental, unless the rental is offered through a hosting platform that maintains equal or greater coverage. The coverage must defend and indemnify the operator and any tenants or owners in the building for bodily injury and property damage arising from the short-term rental use. Standard Massachusetts homeowner (HO-3) and condominium (HO-6) policies typically exclude business or short-term rental activity, so most Fall River hosts either add a short-term rental endorsement to their homeowner policy or carry a dedicated landlord/STR policy that meets the $1M per-occurrence threshold. Major platforms satisfy the carve-out: Airbnb's AirCover Host Liability Insurance and Vrbo's Liability Insurance both publish $1,000,000 per-occurrence limits. Locally, Ordinance 2025-07 requires that proof of property liability insurance with a minimum of $1,000,000 per occurrence be submitted with the operator's registration filed with Fall River Inspectional Services, and the operator must file a sworn annual certification attesting to continued compliance with applicable insurance and public-safety requirements. State STR registration with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue under MGL c.64G and MGL c.62C, §67 via MassTaxConnect is also required, and intermediaries (Airbnb, Vrbo) are obligated by MGL c.64G, §13 to verify operator registration before listing.