Kent, WA Short-Term Rentals: Insurance Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum Coverage
- $1 million per occurrence
- State Law
- RCW 64.37.040
- Platform Coverage
- Airbnb and VRBO may satisfy
- Homeowner Policy
- Typically insufficient alone
- Proof
- Required on request
Summary
Washington RCW 64.37 requires Kent short-term rental operators to maintain at least $1 million in liability insurance or list through a platform that provides equivalent coverage. Proof must be available upon request.
64.37.050 Liability insurance. 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. Nothing in this section prevents an operator or a platform from seeking contributions from any other insurer also providing primary liability insurance coverage for the short-term rental transaction to the extent of that insurer's primary liability coverage limits.
Full Breakdown
Under RCW 64.37.040, every short-term rental operator in Washington including Kent must maintain primary liability insurance of no less than $1 million per occurrence or conduct each transaction through a hosting platform that provides equivalent coverage. Platforms such as Airbnb AirCover and VRBO Liability Insurance typically meet this standard. Operators using direct-booking channels must purchase commercial short-term rental insurance separately since standard homeowner policies typically exclude business activity. Proof of insurance must be provided to the city or Department of Revenue upon request.
Violations & Fines
Operating without required insurance violates state law, with penalties including fines, suspension of business license, and personal liability for guest injuries.
Frequently Asked Questions
What insurance does Kent require for STRs?
Does my homeowner policy cover Airbnb guests?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kent
Compare Kent to another location·View the Washington short-term rentals overview
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Insurance Requirements in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle insurance requirements.