In most cases, yes — renters are expected to carry some form of liability insurance when booking a space through Storefront. The exact requirement depends on the listing owner, the type of event, and the duration of the rental.
What type of insurance do I need?
Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance — recommended if you are running a retail pop-up, brand activation, or any commercial operation out of the space.
Event or host insurance — suitable for private events and shorter activations. This type of policy can often be purchased online on a per-event basis.
Some listing owners may allow you to occupy the space without insurance for shorter events at their discretion — always confirm this with the owner before assuming no coverage is needed.
What is a Certificate of Insurance (COI)?
A Certificate of Insurance (COI) (sometimes called an "Acord certificate") is a document issued by your insurance company that verifies your coverage. It summarises the policy type, coverage limits, effective dates, and named parties. Listing owners often request a COI after booking is confirmed and before your event begins.
You can obtain a COI by contacting your existing insurance provider or visiting their website. If you do not have an existing policy, you can purchase short-term event insurance from providers such as The Event Helper (US only) or similar services.
Additional insured parties:
Some listing owners or building managers require that their business be listed as an "additional insured" on your COI. Ask the listing owner about this requirement early in your inquiry so you have time to arrange it before your event.
For more information on whether Storefront itself provides any coverage, see Does Storefront provide insurance?