Insuring a holiday let in Spain: Airbnb, Booking.com and the rules you need to know

Letting your apartment on the Mar Menor or your villa inland on Airbnb, Booking.com or Vrbo can cover the costs of a second home in Spain. But a tourist let isn't the same as living in the property, and many owners only discover that their home insurance doesn't fit when a guest breaks something, floods the flat below or gets hurt.

First, the paperwork

Before insurance, make sure the let itself is legal. Rules change regularly, so check the current requirements for your property:

• Regional registration. In the Region of Murcia, tourist homes (viviendas de uso turístico) must be registered with the regional tourism authority, which gives you a registration number.

• National rental register. Since July 2025, short-term rentals advertised on platforms also need a registration number from the national single rental register.

• Your community of owners. Since April 2025, in buildings under horizontal property, starting a new tourist let requires the express approval of a qualified majority of the owners. Check your community's rules before you start.

• Guest registration. Hosts must record and report guests' details to the authorities.

• Taxes. Rental income must be declared. If you aren't tax resident in Spain, non-residents report it through Modelo 210.

A gestor or lawyer can help you with the licence and the tax side. Our part is making sure you're properly covered.

Why a standard home policy may not be enough

Home insurance is designed for people living in the property. A tourist let changes the risk: different people every week, more wear and tear, and your responsibility towards guests. Depending on the wording, a standard policy may exclude or limit cover when the property is used commercially, or when the damage is caused by paying guests.

Cover to look for in a holiday let policy

• Liability towards guests and third parties: a guest slips on the terrace, or water from your flat damages the neighbour's ceiling.

• Damage to the building and contents, including damage caused by guests.

• Theft, including cases where there's no forced entry, which is common when keys and codes change hands.

• Loss of rental income if a covered incident makes the property unusable.

• Legal defence, including against squatters or guests who refuse to leave.

Our holiday rental insurance covers theft without forced entry and damage caused by guests, two of the gaps we see most often in standard home policies. The exact limits depend on the plan, so we go through them with you before you sign. You can see the options on our holiday rental insurance page.

Practical tips from our experience

1. Declare the tourist use to your insurer. Hiding it is the quickest way to have a claim rejected.

2. Keep an inventory with photos of the property and contents, updated every season.

3. Use the platform's host guarantee as a complement, not a replacement: it has its own conditions and doesn't replace a Spanish policy.

4. Think about summer: long, hot summers mean more air-conditioning use, more guests and more pool and terrace accidents.

If you rent long term instead, see our landlord insurance, and if your property stays empty for months, read how to protect your home against squatters.

How we can help

We insure holiday homes across the Region of Murcia and the Costa Cálida. Send us your listing by WhatsApp or come to our office in central Murcia, and we'll check that your cover matches how you really let the property.

Get a quote for your holiday let

Ask for a holiday rental insurance quote or contact us with your questions.