Landlord Insurance, Rent Guarantees and Deposit Alternatives for Small Landlords (2026)

Small landlords run into three kinds of risk products: landlord insurance for the property, rent guarantees that cover unpaid rent, and security-deposit alternatives that replace a cash deposit. This hub explains what each one does, who pays, and what the seven providers in our catalog publish about their pricing.

We don't sell insurance and we aren't an insurance agent or broker. Nothing here is insurance, legal or financial advice. Premiums and fees vary by property, location, coverage and applicant, and most providers don't publish prices, so you'll need your own quote. Read the policy or program terms before you buy.

Short answer: Landlord insurance is paid by you and priced by quote; Steadily, Obie and Proper Insurance sell it online. Rent guarantees and deposit alternatives are usually free to the landlord and paid by the renter; TheGuarantors, SingleKey, Obligo and AAOA offer them. Compare coverage and terms, not just price.

Best for:

• Best for a long-term rental policy quoted online: Steadily or Obie, which both sell landlord policies with online quotes.
• Best for short-term rentals: Proper Insurance, whose policy is built for Airbnb and Vrbo owners.
• Best for covering unpaid rent at no cost to you: TheGuarantors, where the renter pays the premium.
• Best for letting renters skip a cash deposit: Obligo, which is free to the property.

The seven providers at a glance

Details come from each provider's own site, checked October 28, 2026. "Not published" means we couldn't find a price on the provider's site.

All seven are listed in insurance and rent guarantee tools.

Landlord insurance

Landlord insurance covers a rental property and your liability as its owner. Your current homeowners policy may not cover a property you rent out, so ask your insurer or a licensed agent which policy form fits it, especially for short-term rentals.

• Steadily sells landlord policies online for rental homes, multi-unit buildings and short-term rentals. Its site lists $300K to $2M of liability on landlord policies, optional loss-of-rent cover and a water or sewer backup endorsement. It doesn't publish rates; you get a quote per policy.
• Obie is an online landlord insurance agency with instant quotes and online binding for single-family, 2–4 unit, 5+ unit and condo rentals. It also handles lender-required coverage for fix-and-flip and long-term rental loans. Prices aren't published.
• Proper Insurance sells a commercial short-term rental policy that replaces a homeowners or landlord form. Its site lists building and contents at replacement cost, $1M commercial liability with $2M optional, business income cover, and guest damage, squatter and bed-bug cover in all 50 states and DC. Prices are by quote.

Ask each one the same questions: what's covered and excluded, the deductible, the liability limit, whether loss of rent is included, and how claims work. Get more than one quote, because premiums vary by property, location and coverage.

Rent guarantees

A rent guarantee pays you if a covered tenant doesn't pay rent, up to the limits in the terms.

• TheGuarantors lets an independent landlord enroll a property for free and choose 3, 6 or 12 months of rent coverage. The renter pays a one-time, non-refundable premium per lease, which roommates can split, and its site says landlords may require a new policy on renewal. It also offers optional deposit coverage.
• SingleKey sells tenant screening and an optional Rent Guarantee, starting at 5% of monthly rent per month per tenant on its pricing page.

Before relying on one, read how claims work, what counts as a covered default, and any waiting periods or limits.

Security-deposit alternatives

A deposit alternative lets a renter move in without a full cash deposit, usually for a fee the renter pays.

• Obligo offers no deposit, a reduced deposit, installments or a full deposit. It's free to the property, and the renter pays a non-refundable service fee set per renter as a percentage of the security deposit requirement. Buildium's help center says this fee is typically 7–29% of the security requirement. Obligo collects amounts owed at move-out and pays the property by ACH, and it's built into some property management platforms, including Buildium's marketplace.
• AAOA (American Apartment Owners Association) is mainly a tenant screening service, from $19.99 per applicant. Screened applicants can also be offered LeaseGuarantee, a security-deposit alternative.

Check your state and local rules on security deposits and fees charged to renters before you offer or require any of these.

How we checked

On October 28, 2026, we read each provider's own website and help pages, as listed in our catalog. Where a provider doesn't publish a price, we say so and don't estimate one. We don't publish ratings or user reviews. Steadily and Proper Insurance run affiliate programs, but we don't have live links with either, and no provider pays for placement here.

FAQ

Do you sell insurance?

No. We're a software directory, not an insurance agent or broker. Get quotes and policy terms directly from a licensed provider.

How much does landlord insurance cost?

It varies by property, location and coverage. Steadily, Obie and Proper Insurance price by quote and don't publish rates.

Who pays for a rent guarantee?

With TheGuarantors, the renter pays a one-time premium and it's free to the landlord. SingleKey's Rent Guarantee is priced from 5% of monthly rent per month, and its pricing page doesn't say who pays, so check its terms.

What does a deposit alternative cost the renter?

Obligo's fee is set per renter as a percentage of the deposit requirement. Buildium's help center says it's typically 7–29% of the security requirement, and Obligo lists plans from $7.99 a month.

Do I still need landlord insurance with a rent guarantee?

They cover different things. A rent guarantee covers unpaid rent under its terms, while landlord insurance covers the property and your liability. Ask a licensed agent what fits your rentals.

Related

• All insurance and rent guarantee tools
• Best tenant screening services
• Best short-term rental software
• How to collect rent online
• Landlord software by unit count