New Haven, CT Short-Term Rentals: Insurance Requirements (2026)

New Haven has not adopted a dedicated short-term rental ordinance, so there is no city-issued STR permit conditioned on proof of liability insurance, and the city's general Residential Rental Business License under Chapter 17 Article XIV of the Code of Ordinances likewise does not list a liability insurance certificate among the documents required for application or renewal. The Livable City Initiative, which administers the rental license, requires only photo identification showing the property address, a utility bill as proof, and successful completion of a housing-code inspection before issuing the license; the first two units cost $225 in license fees and each additional unit costs $60. Connecticut General Statutes contain no statewide minimum-coverage requirement for short-term rentals, in contrast with state-mandated liability minimums applied to other regulated activities. Hosts nevertheless face significant financial exposure because standard homeowner policies generally exclude commercial or short-term rental activity, and lender mortgage covenants frequently require disclosure of any commercial use. Industry practice is to add a short-term-rental endorsement or a dedicated landlord/STR policy. Airbnb's AirCover Host Liability Insurance and Vrbo's Liability Insurance program each provide up to one million dollars per occurrence as secondary coverage on bookings made through their platforms, but they do not satisfy any city or state requirement because none currently exists.