About This Course

Today's homeowners often use their property in ways that extend far beyond traditional residential living. This course examines three increasingly common exposures—seasonal homes, home-based businesses, and short-term rentals—and explains why each requires careful underwriting, full disclosure, and specialized insurance solutions. Participants will explore the unique risks associated with seasonal properties, including prolonged vacancy, winterization requirements, inspection schedules, remote rebuilding challenges, and waterfront exposures. The course also reviews the additional property, liability, income, automobile, and cyber risks created by operating a business from home, highlighting when endorsements or commercial insurance become necessary. Finally, participants will examine the rapidly growing short-term rental market, learning how guest occupancy, platform-based rentals, business activity exclusions, liability exposures, and insurer disclosure requirements can significantly affect coverage. Designed for Canadian personal lines brokers, this course strengthens the ability to recognize material changes in risk, ask the right underwriting questions, identify coverage gaps before a claim occurs, and recommend appropriate insurance solutions for clients whose homes serve as cottages, businesses, or income-producing rental properties.