Fort Smith does not require a minimum STR liability insurance limit, but Arkansas Act 1023 of 2023 expressly authorizes cities to impose insurance requirements on short-term rentals. Hosts should carry commercial STR liability coverage (or rely on documented platform host-protection programs) because standard homeowners policies generally exclude business use.
Fort Smith has not enacted a mandatory minimum liability limit for STR operators as of 2026, but the regulatory authority exists. Arkansas Act 1023 of 2023 specifically preserves a city's right to require STR insurance, alongside health, safety, noise, parking, and occupancy regulation; future Fort Smith ordinances may impose a specific minimum (commonly $500,000 to $1,000,000 per occurrence in other Arkansas cities). In the meantime, the practical risk is significant: standard ISO-form homeowners policies (HO-3, HO-5) treat short-term lodging as a 'business' use and exclude bodily injury and property damage arising out of that activity. Hosts therefore typically need (a) a commercial STR endorsement on the homeowners policy, (b) a dedicated short-term-rental commercial policy (Proper Insurance, Slice, etc.), or (c) reliance on platform host-protection coverage. Airbnb's AirCover for Hosts provides up to $1,000,000 in liability and damage protection, and VRBO's Liability Insurance program provides up to $1,000,000 per occurrence, but both are excess and subject to numerous conditions and exclusions; they should not be the only line of defense. If the host has a mortgage, the lender's policy requirements may also be triggered by short-term lodging use.
No municipal sanction exists today for failing to carry STR insurance in Fort Smith, but a host without coverage is personally exposed to guest injury claims, fire damage, and liability suits without the homeowners-policy defense. The city retains the right to add minimum-limit requirements under Act 1023 of 2023 and to revoke the business license for non-compliance with any future insurance ordinance.
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