Myrtle Beach is one of the top short-term rental markets in the entire country. With millions of visitors arriving on the Grand Strand every year, property owners who list on Airbnb, VRBO, and similar platforms can generate significant rental income. But there's a coverage gap that catches many hosts by surprise: your standard homeowners insurance policy almost certainly does not cover short-term rental activity. If a guest is injured, your property is damaged, or a major storm hits during a rental period, you could be on the hook for costs your policy won't touch. Moore & Associates Insurance specializes in helping Myrtle Beach short-term rental hosts get the right coverage.

When you purchase a standard homeowners policy, you're insured as an owner-occupant — someone who lives in the home. The moment you start renting your property to paying guests, even occasionally, you've introduced a commercial activity that most standard policies exclude or severely restrict.

Some policies have a "incidental rental" clause that may provide limited coverage if you rent your home for a small number of days per year. But in a market like Myrtle Beach, where hosts frequently rent their properties for dozens or even hundreds of nights annually, that threshold is easily exceeded. Once exceeded, a claim related to a rental period can be denied entirely.

This means a guest who slips by your pool, a fire during a rental stay, or a theft by a guest could result in a denied claim — leaving you personally responsible for repair costs, medical bills, and legal fees.

Both Airbnb and VRBO offer host protection programs that provide some level of liability and property damage coverage. These programs have improved over the years, but they have important limitations that hosts should understand before relying on them as their primary coverage.

Platform protections typically exclude certain types of property damage, have strict claims processes, and may not respond as quickly or comprehensively as a dedicated insurance policy. They also generally do not cover loss of rental income, your personal belongings inside the property, or liability claims that fall outside their specific definitions. Treating platform protections as a substitute for real insurance is a risk most experienced hosts are not willing to take.

A dedicated short-term rental insurance policy — sometimes called vacation rental insurance or landlord insurance for short-term rentals — is designed specifically for properties like yours. These policies typically provide dwelling coverage that protects the structure during rental periods, personal property coverage for items you've provided for guests, and liability coverage if a guest or visitor is injured on the property.

Many policies also include loss of rental income coverage, which pays out if your property is damaged and becomes uninhabitable — meaning you don't lose your bookings revenue while repairs are underway. In a market where peak-season rental income can be substantial, this protection is particularly valuable.

For Myrtle Beach hosts, policies can also be structured to address coastal risks: hurricane and wind damage, flood coverage (through a separate policy or endorsement), and the unique liability exposures that come with amenities like pools, hot tubs, and beach access.

Before getting quotes, it helps to gather some basic information about your property and how you use it. How many nights per year do you rent it? Do you also use it personally, or is it purely an investment property? Do you have a pool, hot tub, or other amenity that increases liability exposure? Is the property in a flood zone or close to the ocean?

The answers to these questions determine which type of policy is right for you. A property that's rented year-round as a pure investment has different insurance needs than a beach house you use personally most of the year and rent out during peak season. An independent agent can help you sort through the options and make sure you're not paying for coverage you don't need — or missing coverage you do.

The most common time we hear from hosts who didn't have the right coverage is after a claim has already been denied. By then, options are limited and the financial damage is done. The right time to review your vacation rental coverage is now — before the next guest checks in.

Moore & Associates Insurance has been helping property owners on the Grand Strand find the right coverage since 1979. We work with multiple carriers who specialize in short-term rental policies and can compare your options to find the best fit for your property and rental model. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation quote.