South San Francisco, CA Short-Term Rentals: Insurance Requirements (2026)

SSFMC Section 20.350.037 regulates location, permit, primary residence, occupancy, and host responsibility for short-term vacation rentals, but the publicly posted City Short-Term Rental program materials do not state a minimum general-liability insurance amount. The required permit application package (submitted through the South San Francisco Permitting Portal) requires a valid City Business License (SSFMC Chapter 6.12) and identifies a local responsible contact who must respond within one hour at all times the unit is occupied — but does not list a numeric insurance threshold. Standard California homeowner's insurance (HO-3 form) typically excludes or limits 'business pursuits,' which most carriers treat short-term rental income as. Hosts should notify their carrier in writing and either add a business-use endorsement or purchase a dedicated short-term rental policy (e.g., Proper Insurance, Steadily, CBIZ STR). Tenant-hosts must additionally maintain renter's insurance acceptable to the property owner, and obtain notarized owner authorization to operate the STR. Platform-provided protections — Airbnb's AirCover (up to $1,000,000 host liability and $1,000,000 host damage protection) and Vrbo's Liability Insurance (up to $1,000,000 per occurrence) — apply only to bookings made through that platform and do not replace the host's own coverage for direct bookings, period damage, or platform-excluded claims (e.g., intentional acts, certain pets, pollution). The 24/7 local responsible contact required under 20.350.037 is a separate operational requirement and is not a substitute for liability insurance.