Renting Your Home During the World Cup?
Read This Before You List It.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is coming and with matches being played across the U.S., millions of international fans are looking for places to stay. If you live near a host city, you might be tempted to rent out your home on Airbnb, VRBO, or another short-term rental platform. It's a great way to earn extra income. But before you post that listing, there's something most homeowners don't think about until it's too late: your standard homeowner's insurance policy probably doesn't cover you.
Your Standard Policy Wasn't Written for This
A traditional homeowner's insurance policy is built around the idea that you and your family live there. The moment you invite paying guests into your home, the nature of that risk changes. Most insurers treat short-term rentals as a commercial activity, which falls outside the scope of a personal homeowner's policy.
That means if a guest trips and falls, if there's a fire, if your property is damaged during their stay, or if something is stolen, you could be on your own. Your claim might be denied outright, or your policy could be cancelled entirely for undisclosed commercial use.
What About Airbnb's Host Guarantee?
Airbnb and similar platforms often advertise protections for hosts. And while those programs do offer some coverage, they come with important limitations. They typically don't replace a comprehensive insurance policy, they may have exclusions around certain types of damage, and they're not designed to protect you against liability the same way a dedicated policy would.
Airbnb’s are short term leases rather than long term and that is a caveat that insurance companies look for.
Coverage Options Worth Knowing
The good news is that you have options. Here's what to ask your insurance advisor about before listing your home:
Short-term rental endorsement: Some insurers will add a rider to your existing homeowner's policy that extends coverage during rental periods. This can be a cost-effective solution for occasional rentals.
Short-term rental insurance policy: For more frequent rentals, a standalone policy designed specifically for short-term rental activity may be the right fit.
Landlord or dwelling policy: If you plan to rent out your home for extended periods, a landlord policy may provide the level of protection that reflects the actual use of your property.
Umbrella policy: An umbrella policy adds a layer of liability protection above your primary policy — especially valuable when strangers are regularly using your home.
Every situation is different. The right coverage depends on how often you rent, whether you're renting a room or the whole home, and the value of what's inside.
A Quick Checklist Before You List
Before you accept your first booking, make sure you've worked through these steps:
Review your current homeowner's policy for short-term rental exclusions
Contact your insurance advisor to discuss your options
Confirm whether your current carrier offers a rental endorsement
Understand what the platform's host guarantee does — and doesn't — cover
Document your belongings with photos or video before guests arrive
Consider an umbrella policy if you don't already have one
Keep records of all rental activity for your insurer if a claim arises
Don't Let a Good Opportunity Become a Costly Mistake
Renting your home during the World Cup can be a smart financial move. But going into it without the right coverage puts your home, and your finances at real risk. The coverage gap between a standard homeowner's policy and short-term rental activity is one of the most common mistakes we see, and it's entirely avoidable with a quick conversation.
At Engage Insurance Group, we help homeowners understand exactly what their policy covers — and what it doesn't. If you're thinking about renting your home, let's talk before you list it.
Engage Insurance Group is an independent insurance agency specializing property insurance and risk management. Learn more at engage-ins.com.