Proper’s Amenities Liability Coverage: On & Off the Property
When travelers choose to stay at an Airbnb or short-term rental instead of a hotel, they’re looking for more than just a place to sleep. From on-premises pools, hot tubs, and spa amenities to kayaks, bikes, and golf carts that help guests explore the local scene, amenities are often the standout feature that sets your property apart.
But for short-term rental owners, amenities elevate your risk exposure as standard Homeowners and Landlord policies exclude or limit liability coverage for them.
When you offer the extras that make a stay unforgettable count on Proper to provide liability protection to match the added risk. Only Proper includes powerful, industry-leading liability coverage for amenities, both on and off the rental property.
Understanding Liability for Short-Term Rental Amenities
Amenities liability is a specific kind of liability coverage that protects you when a guest is injured or causes damage while using an amenity you provide — whether it’s a pool, bike, kayak, fire pit, or any other special feature of your property. And the more amenities you offer, the more opportunities there are for things to go wrong.
For example:
- A guest breaks their arm after falling off a bike you provided on their way to the beach because the rusted chain broke off.
- Your guests leave embers burning in your outdoor fire pit ultimately causing the neighbors house to sustain damage.
- A child slips on wet icy concrete and hits their head exiting your hot tub.
- A golf cart flips while being used to access the neighborhood pool.
These aren’t far-fetched scenarios — they’re the types of real-world claims hosts face. And while they may feel like “guest accidents,” the legal system can certainly hold you, the property owner, accountable.
Most standard insurance policies limit liability for amenities or even flat out exclude coverage for them— especially when it comes to off-premises ones like kayaks, golf carts and even waterfront or beachfront access.
Common Short-Term Rental Amenities and Risk
Amenities are more than just a nice extra, they’re are your short-term rental’s competitive advantage. Whether it’s a hot tub, pool, fire pit, bicycles, a backyard pickleball court, or waterfront access, amenities play a major role in how often your property is booked, how much you can charge, and how your listing stands out among the other Airbnb’s in your area.
Guests today expect more than a bed, kitchen and four walls. On platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo, they filter their searches based on amenities. If your listing doesn’t offer the experience they’re looking for, it may never even show up in their results.
And the data backs this up. According to AirDNA, certain amenities can lead to a measurable increase in revenue performance:
- Hot tubs can boost Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) by up to 15%
- Pools and waterfront access remain high-value differentiators in vacation destinations
- Pet-friendly properties consistently outperform those that don’t allow animals
Every new feature you offer — every bonus guest perk — increases the chance that something could go wrong. Pools come with drowning risk. Bikes come with injury risk. Fire pits, grills, and hot tubs come with both injury and property damage risks. And the majority of standard insurance policies exclude or limit liability coverage for these features, especially when they’re considered high-risk or involve off-premises use.
That means a guest could be injured while using your kayak, golf cart, or fire pit — and you, the host, could be held financially liable. And if your policy excludes that type of exposure, you’re left with the costly bill.
Why Amenity Liability is Important for STR Owners and Hosts
Amenities liability coverage is important because it ensures the features that attract guests to your property don’t become the reason your insurance fails to protect you, ultimately tanking your short-term rental business, or worse, bankrupting you.
Often, we see liability claims meet or exceed $500k demands when injury is a result of using a provided amenity.
That’s why Proper Insurance provides $1M in liability coverage as standard with the option to increase. Proper Insurance automatically includes Amenity Liability in every policy — with protection that extends both on and off the premises. Whether your guests are relaxing in the hot tub after a day of skiing or biking down the street to the beach, our coverage is designed to follow the experience you’re providing. Because when your guests expect more, your insurance needs to include more, too.
Proper Insurance Uniquely Protects You with Robust Liability Coverage for Amenities
Proper Insurance includes the industry’s strongest liability protection for short-term rentals, and it even extends off the property following your guests while they explore your community. Whether you’re offering guests a relaxing soak in the hot tub under the stars, a paddleboard to explore the lakefront, or a golf cart to access the nearby beach, our coverage is designed to follow the experience you provide.
Here’s what sets Proper’s liability coverage apart:
✅ $1 million in liability coverage standard (higher limits available)
✅ Coverage included for both on-premises and off-premises amenities
✅ No breed or animal restrictions, whether you allow pets at your rental or not
✅ Includes unique enhancements to protect you from liquor liability, invasion of privacy and more.
✅ Expert underwriting team helps guide safety standards for your amenities (e.g., pool signage, outdoor lighting, handrails, etc.)
What Other Policies Get Wrong When It Comes to Amenity Liability
Most traditional insurance policies were never built to accommodate short-term rentals — and that becomes especially clear when amenities are involved. Here’s where standard policies fall short:
⚠️ Homeowners Policies
- Exclude liability related to business activity — meaning short-term rentals often aren’t covered at all for property damage, liability, loss of rental income and more.
- Any coverage provided is personal in nature and doesn’t extend to guest-facing or business-
- Riders may offer some additional yet limited coverage, but often limit or exclude features like hot tubs, pets, or other popular amenities
⚠️ Landlord Dwelling Policies
- Constrains liability strictly to your property line
- No protection for off-site amenities like bikes, kayaks, golf carts, or waterfront access
- Common exclusions for communicable disease (e.g., hot tub rash), breed-specific pets, or wildlife-related injuries
⚠️ Other Commercial Policies
- May include undefined exclusions for “recreational activities,” leaving you exposed and in the unknown until the time of a claim
Coverage often varies depending on who writes the policy — with no consistency or clarity on amenities.
The Real Risks of Airbnb Amenities
Tragedy at Lakefront Airbnb Highlights the Risk of Off-Premises Liability
A family’s summer vacation turned tragic when three loved ones drowned while staying at a lakefront Airbnb in New York. The listing promoted private lake access and a floating swim platform as key amenities for guests to enjoy but failed to mention a 18-foot underwater drop-off.
The family has since filed a lawsuit against both the property owner, property manager and Airbnb, alleging negligence for promoting lake-related amenities without providing safety warnings, signage, or instructions about dangerous water conditions. The suit also cites the emotional trauma suffered by the surviving relatives who witnessed the event unfold.
$100 Pool Safety Oversight Leads to $1.3M Settlement in Short-Term Rental Drowning Case
A 16-year-old guest drowned while staying at an Airbnb in Jacksonville, Florida, after slipping into deeper water in the property’s backyard pool. Although the pool had hooks for a $100 safety rope meant to separate shallow and deep areas, the rope was never installed.
The guest’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Airbnb and the property owner, alleging failure to maintain a safe environment and warn of known dangers. The case ultimately resulted in a $1.3 million settlement. Tragedy at Lakefront Airbnb Highlights the Risk of Off-Premises Liability
Airbnb hosts should have liability protection for amenities they provide
Whether it’s kayaks, fire pits, swimming pools, waterfront or trails that start at your property line, your coverage should follow the experience you offer to your guests. Because when guests are encouraged to explore — your liability coverage should tag along with them. That’s why Proper Insurance includes off-premises liability coverage as part of every policy, backed by the strength of Commercial General Liability.
Frequently Asked Questions: Airbnb Amenities and Host Liability
Are Vacation Rental Owners Liable for Guest Injuries?
Yes. As a short-term rental host, you can be held legally liable if a guest is injured on your property, while using something you provided and even off-premises. Proper Insurance includes comprehensive liability coverage for both on-premises and off-premises incidents.
Does Airbnb AirCover Include Off-Premises Liability?
Airbnb’s AirCover may extend to incidents that happen away from your property. However, Airbnb has full authority over how much they pay for a liability claim. The difference is that AirCover is Airbnb’s insurance rather than a policy with your name on it. AirCover is also limited to bookings placed on the platform and constricted to the booking window, so if you provide an option for direct bookings or a guest comes back after checking out, you don’t even have the weak promise of AirCover to fall back on. Proper Insurance includes commercial-grade liability that extends off-premises by default, covering guest use of amenities like waterfront access, kayaks, bikes, or golf carts beyond your lot line.
How Much Liability Insurance Do I Need for My Airbnb Amenities?
Proper Insurance recommends a minimum of $1 million in liability coverage. That’s why it comes standard in our policy, with higher limits available. This protects you in case of lawsuits and/or guest injuries on or off your premises.
Does Landlord Insurance Cover Off-Premises Amenities at Short-Term Rentals?
No. Landlord (Dwelling) policies typically only cover long-term rental use and limit liability to on-premises incidents. They may also carry exclusions or limit coverage for amenities on-premises. If your guests use bikes, kayaks, or other amenities, you likely will want more coverage than a standard Landlord policy. The Proper Insurance policy is a unique Commercial Homeowners policy that is far superior to a Landlord policy with robust liability coverage, superior building & contents coverage, and unique loss of revenue protection.
Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Short-Term Rental Amenities?
You need to provide documentation of initial written communication asking the guest to leave, evidence of their overstay after the booking period ended, eviction notices, legal fees, and any other related expenses.
What’s the Best Insurance for Airbnb Properties with Amenities?
Proper Insurance is the leading short-term rental insurance provider offering built-in liability coverage for pools, hot tubs, golf carts, bikes, and other amenities — on or off the premises. Unlike riders or endorsements, our coverage is built into every policy and completely replaced inadequate Homeowners and Landlord policies with superior coverage.
Specific Questions About Common Short-Term Rental Amenities and Liability
What Insurance Covers Kayaks, Bikes, and Golf Carts at a Vacation Rental?
Most standard insurance policies don’t provide coverage or limit coverage for short-term rental amenities. Proper Insurance includes superior liability coverage for these amenities by default — even when they’re used off your property.
Do I Need Insurance for Airbnb Amenities Like Pools and Fire Pits?
Yes. If you offer high-risk amenities like pools, hot tubs, or fire pits at your Airbnb or short-term rental, you should have liability insurance that covers guest injuries and property damage. Most standard policies exclude these features, but Proper Insurance includes them automatically.
Do I Need Special Insurance for a Vacation Rental with a Pool?
Yes. Pools are considered high-risk amenities at short-term rentals. In most standard policies coverage could be excluded or limited under standard Homeowners or Landlord insurance. Proper Insurance includes superior liability protection for pools — including injuries, communicable disease exposure, and more.
Should I Offer a Golf Cart at My Airbnb?
Most standard policies exclude liability for guest use of golf carts, especially off-premises. If you choose to provide a golf cart at your rental, you should be certain your insurance carrier provides protection for your increased liability exposure. Proper Insurance extends our liability coverage for golf carts that are not licensed for the road as part of our Commercial General Liability coverage that has been enhanced to protect you from the risks of common short-term rental amenities.
Will My Homeowners Insurance Cover an Injury on My Rental’s Sport Court or Pickleball Court?
Unlikely. Most insurance policies offer limited coverage or simply do not provide coverage at all for business-related injuries. Proper Insurance includes liability coverage for courts and sport-related amenities commonly excluded elsewhere.
Is My Airbnb Fire Pit Covered by Insurance?
Not always. Fire pits are considered high-risk and may be excluded or restricted in many standard policies. Proper Insurance extends coverage for fire-pit related liability.
Can I Get Sued If My Airbnb Guest Crashes a Bike I Provided?
Yes. If your guest is injured while using a bike you supplied, you could be held liable — especially if the bike wasn’t properly maintained, or safety equipment wasn’t provided. Proper Insurance offers coverage for liability for bike-related injuries, even off-premises.
Can Airbnb hosts be liable if there’s an accident related to the pool, hot tub, or other amenities on the rental property?
Yes. As the host, you are responsible for providing a safe environment for your guests. If a guest is injured while using an amenity like a pool, hot tub, bicycle, fire pit, or kayak — even if the accident seems like their fault — you could still be held legally liable.
Standard Homeowners and Landlord insurance policies often exclude liability for business activity or high-risk amenities like these. Proper Insurance includes built-in commercial-grade liability coverage for amenities on and off the property, to help protect you during lawsuits and from devastating financial loss.
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