California mountain-town STR condo — Proper vs OBIE?

Question

Hi everyone,

My first post here, yay!

We’re looking at a condo in a California mountain town that would be used personally some of the time and rented as a short-term rental when we’re not there, likely through a property manager.

I’m comparing insurance options and the two with the closest quotes are:

- Proper Insurance: seems very STR-friendly, with coverage language around guest damage, theft by guests, loss of rental income, and that kind of stuff.

- OBIE / Evanston: seems to offer home-sharing coverage and tenant liability, but the STR wording feels a little less explicit.

Has anyone used either one for a condo STR, especially in a mountain/ski town? I’d be interested to hear about any claims experience, how it worked with the HOA policy, and anything you wish you had asked before choosing.

Also open to other insurance company suggestions. I got quotes from Steadily too, but they were less competitive for this situation and seemed a little less clear on some of the STR-specific coverage.

Thanks in advance!

Bradley Buxton · Answer

@Mattias U.

Get the HOA insurance policy first. Then send that to the insurance companies you're considering and see where the gaps are. Also check to be sure there is enough coverage on your HOA insurance so you're not stuck with special assessments every year. This has been an issue with condo complexes in Lake Tahoe. You can always check with a broker that has worked with STR operators before.

Eduardo Cavasotti · Answer

I would not pick this on premium first.

Ask the broker to put 6 items in writing: STR use is covered, the HOA master policy gap, wildfire and smoke treatment, water backup, loss of rents trigger, and guest theft or damage.

For a mountain condo, the scary part is thinking you bought STR coverage when the actual exclusion sits in the HOA gap or the rental income wording.