Whatcom County, WA Short-Term Rentals: Insurance Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum
- $1 million liability
- State Law
- RCW 64.37.050
- Platform
- May satisfy its own bookings
- Homeowner Policy
- Often excludes STR use
Summary
Washington's RCW 64.37 requires STR operators statewide to carry at least $1 million in liability coverage. Standard homeowner policies often exclude rental activity, so most hosts need a rider or commercial policy.
A short-term rental operator must maintain primary liability insurance to cover the short-term rental dwelling unit in the aggregate of not less than one million dollars or conduct each short-term rental transaction through a platform that provides equal or greater primary liability insurance coverage.
Full Breakdown
Under Washington's short-term rental law, an operator must maintain primary liability insurance of at least one million dollars covering the rental unit, unless every booking runs through a platform that provides equal or greater coverage. Airbnb and Vrbo offer host liability protection that can satisfy this for platform bookings, but direct bookings put the burden on the host. Standard homeowner policies frequently exclude commercial rental use, so many Whatcom County hosts add an endorsement or buy a dedicated STR or commercial policy. Bellingham and county registration may request proof of coverage.
Violations & Fines
Operating without the required coverage exposes the host to personal liability for guest claims and can undermine permit or registration standing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much STR insurance does Washington require?
Does my homeowner policy cover short-term renting?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Whatcom County
Compare Whatcom County to another location·View the Washington short-term rentals overview
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