Broker-arranged
Short-term rental and Airbnb insurance
Renting a property on Airbnb, Stayz or your own website is a different risk from a 12-month lease, and a standard home or landlord policy may not cover it. Here is what short-stay hosts need, the NSW register and Code of Conduct, Victoria’s short stay levy, and how a licensed broker arranges it.
- NSW and Victorian rules for hosts
- Guest damage, liability and loss of income
- One short form, then a licensed broker takes it from there
What insurance does a short-term rental host need?
A policy written for short-stay letting. It covers the building and contents, damage caused by guests, theft, loss of booking income after an insured event, and your liability if a guest or visitor is injured. Standard home insurance often excludes paying guests, and a landlord policy written for long-term tenants may not respond to guest damage or short-stay liability.
Platform guarantees are not insurance. Read what they exclude, and treat them as a backstop rather than your cover.
Rules for hosts in NSW and Victoria
| Rule | What it means | Where |
|---|---|---|
| NSW short-term rental register | Most hosts must register the property on the NSW Planning Portal before they advertise or offer it for short-term rental | NSW |
| NSW Code of Conduct | A mandatory Code applies to all participants in the industry, and under it hosts must hold insurance that covers their liability for third-party injuries and death | NSW |
| Victoria short stay levy | A 7.5% levy on the total booking fee for short stays from 1 January 2025. Platforms pay it on platform bookings; owners pay it on direct bookings. Stays in your principal place of residence are exempt | Victoria |
| Councils and strata | Local planning rules and by-laws can limit or ban short-term letting | All states |
Queensland, WA and other states have their own registration and planning rules. A broker will ask where the property is.
What’s usually covered, and what isn’t
Usually covered
- Guest damage, accidental and malicious, in a short-stay policy.
- Theft by guests of your contents.
- Loss of booking income after an insured event, such as fire or storm.
- Liability for a guest or visitor injured at the property.
Usually not covered
- Wear and tear and gradual deterioration.
- Unregistered or unapproved letting, if your policy requires compliance.
- Guests’ own belongings.
- Rent default, which belongs to long-term tenancies.
What changes the price
No prices on this page. A broker arranges quotes for your property.
How to get short-stay cover through us
Short-term rental insurance questions
Does home insurance cover Airbnb guests?
Often not. Many home policies exclude paying guests or limit cover once the property is let. Check your PDS, then insure it on a short-stay policy.
Does landlord insurance cover short-term rentals?
A landlord policy written for long-term leases may not respond to guest damage or short-stay liability. Some insurers offer a short-stay option; a broker will check.
Do NSW hosts have to hold insurance?
Under the NSW Code of Conduct, hosts must hold insurance that covers their liability for third-party injuries and death. Most hosts must also register the property before advertising it.
Who pays Victoria’s short stay levy?
The booking platform pays it on platform bookings. If guests book directly with you, you pay it. The levy is 7.5% of the total booking fee, and stays in your principal place of residence are exempt.
Is Airbnb’s host guarantee enough?
It isn’t an insurance policy and it has exclusions and limits. Treat it as a backstop and hold your own cover.
Keep reading
More guides
Sources
Short-stay hosts