Saratoga County, NY Short-Term Rentals: Insurance Requirements (2026)

Saratoga Springs Chapter 138-6 (STR Permit Application) requires applicants to provide proof of general liability insurance with minimum $500,000 coverage listing the city as a certificate holder for notice purposes. Standard NY homeowners policies (HO-3, HO-5) typically exclude commercial short-term rental activity under ISO endorsement HO 04 96 or equivalent, meaning hosts usually need a commercial landlord policy, a short-term rental endorsement, or a specialized STR policy (e.g., Proper Insurance, CBIZ). Platform-provided coverage like Airbnb AirCover ($1M host liability) may be accepted as supplemental but Saratoga Springs §138-6 requires the host to be the named insured. Clifton Park does not mandate STR-specific insurance but Town Code §208-29 requires STR operators to carry insurance appropriate for the use. Halfmoon and Malta follow similar discretionary approaches. NY State does not preempt or mandate STR insurance, leaving this to local jurisdictions. Hosts should verify their policy covers race season liability (Saratoga Race Course draws ~1M visitors annually), guest slip-and-fall on icy surfaces (common November-April), and guest-caused property damage.