Kennesaw, GA Short-Term Rentals: Insurance Requirements (2026)

Kennesaw's Short-Term Rental Ordinance (Chapter 22, Article XIII), adopted in July 2025 with applications opening October 1, 2025, lists 'Proof of Short-Term Rental liability insurance' among the documents required for a Short-Term Rental Certificate application; the city's published Business License Office checklist treats it as mandatory alongside the $250 application fee, $90 inspection fee, 24-hour local contact, and onsite certificate display. The ordinance text and the Finance/Business License page do not publish a specific minimum dollar limit, so the practical floor is the standard market product offered by carriers such as Proper Insurance, Safely, CBIZ, and Steadily, which typically write $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate on a commercial general liability or dedicated STR form. Standard Georgia homeowner policies (ISO HO-3 and similar) generally exclude commercial or transient lodging use, so a host relying solely on a homeowner policy would not satisfy the certificate requirement and could face a denied claim. Airbnb's AirCover for Hosts and Vrbo's Liability Insurance offer up to $1 million per occurrence but apply only to bookings made through the platform and exclude many common scenarios; operators advertising on multiple platforms or direct-booking sites should carry stand-alone coverage. Georgia state law has no STR insurance mandate (O.C.G.A. 48-13-50 et seq. addresses only hotel-motel tax), and 2025 House Bill 555 did not enact statewide STR insurance preemption.