Hawthorne, CA Short-Term Rentals: Insurance Requirements (2026)

Insurance is a mandatory part of Hawthorne's short-term rental permit. Under Chapter 17.74, an applicant must provide evidence of, and maintain, general liability insurance of at least one million dollars ($1,000,000) during the term of the short-term rental, and that policy must cover the applicant's short-term rental operations. This requirement protects guests, neighbors, and the city by ensuring an operator carries meaningful coverage for accidents or injuries arising from the rental. Because the coverage must be maintained throughout the permit term, lapsing the policy is not just a private risk but a compliance failure that can affect the permit. The insurance requirement sits alongside the other application elements, the notarized fire and building safety affidavit, the business license under Chapter 5.02, the transient occupancy tax registration certificate under Chapter 3.40, and the 24-hour local contact, forming a package the city reviews before issuing a permit and re-checks at annual renewal. Some short-term rental platforms offer host liability coverage, but operators should confirm that any platform-provided protection actually satisfies the city's $1,000,000 general-liability standard, since platform programs vary and may not meet the code requirement on their own. California state law does not impose a statewide short-term rental insurance mandate, so this $1,000,000 liability requirement is specific to Hawthorne. Operators should keep current proof of insurance on file and be ready to show it on request.