Hawaii Rental Property Insurance in 2026

Landlord Insurance in Hawaii (HI)

Landlord Insurance Pricing in Hawaii

How Much Does Landlord Insurance Cost in Hawaii?

Compare Rental Property Insurance in Hawaii

All Landlord Insurance Providers in Hawaii (HI)

Finding the right insurance provider is one of the most important steps to protecting your investment. Compare options as coverage, rates and qualification requirements can vary significantly.

	Obie	Steadily	Honeycomb	NREIG
Most Suitable For	New and growing investors who want fast, fully online coverage	Tech-forward landlords, strong on short-term / Airbnb rentals	Multifamily, apartment buildings, and condo / HOA associations	Active investors, BRRRR and flips, and portfolios needing flexible coverage
Property Types	SFR, multifamily, apartments, condos, STR	SFR, multifamily, condos, STR / vacation, ADUs	SFR, multifamily, condos, STR / vacation, ADUs	SFR up to 20-unit, condos, mobile homes, vacation rentals, mixed-use
Coverage Types	Fire and smoke, Lightning, Windstorm and hail, Explosion, Vandalism, Theft, Water, Legal liability, Loss of rent	Fire, Legal liability, Loss of rent, Riot and civil commotion, Storm and hail, Vandalism and burglary, Water	Fire, Lightning, Windstorm and hail, Vandalism, Civil commotion, Theft, Water, Legal liability, Loss of rent	Fire, Lightning, Windstorm and hail, Vandalism, Theft, Water, Legal liability, Loss of rent
Optional Add-Ons	Water backup, equipment breakdown, vandalism, special hazard	Select endorsements; flood and earthquake typically excluded	Core-focused; limited specialized endorsements	Broad suite: flood, earthquake, equipment breakdown, terrorism, tenant protection
Claims Handling	Handled by the underwriting carrier; Obie assists	In-house on Steadily-issued policies; otherwise via partner carrier	Handled directly by Honeycomb as the insurer	NREIG acts as liaison; carrier / third-party administrator decides claims
Overview & Review	Obie Review	Steadily Review	Honeycomb Review	NREIG Review

Who is the Best Landlord Insurance Provider in Hawaii (HI)?

Popular Cities in Hawaii for Landlord Insurance

How Does Location Within Hawaii Affect Rental Property Insurance Premiums?

Landlord insurance premiums in Hawaii depend heavily on island and location. Honolulu and most of Oahu price on high rebuild costs and hurricane exposure, which many carriers exclude without a separate hurricane policy, while Big Island properties near Hilo are rated by lava zone, with zones 1 and 2 facing severely limited coverage options. Wind, flood, and hurricane coverages are frequently sold as separate policies statewide.

Finding the Best Rental Property Insurance in Hawaii

How to Find the Best Rental Property Insurance in Hawaii?

We’ve created a step-by-step guide designed for rental property investing that helps landlords secure coverage to protect both their property and rental income.

1. Determine Your Coverage Needs

Evaluate your property’s replacement cost, liability risks, rental income loss potential, and Hawaii-specific hazards.

2. Calculate True Cost of Coverage

To research rental property insurance costs in Hawaii, start with rental property calculators and then look for landlord-specific discounts like multi-property policies, claims-free history, and security systems.

3. Identify Providers Specializing in Rental Properties

Find insurers experienced with Hawaii investment properties who offer flexible vacancy terms, strong loss of rent coverage, and have positive landlord reviews.

4. Compare Quotes with Identical Coverage

Get quotes from at least 3-5 providers with matching coverage limits and speak with agents who can find rental property discounts unavailable online.

5. Review Policy Details and Finalize Coverage

Examine vacancy clauses, rental-use exclusions, tenant damage procedures, and confirm your liability limits protect your assets before signing.

Rental Property Insurance Risks in Hawaii

What are the Insurance Risks for Rental Properties in Hawaii?

Hawaii’s risk profile is unlike any mainland state, with hurricane coverage frequently sold as a separate policy, Big Island properties rated by lava zone, and wind-driven tropical rain generating claims statewide, making coverage structure the first thing Hawaii landlords should verify.

Hurricanes

Hawaii’s hurricane risk is real but irregular, with Iniki’s 1992 devastation of Kauai remaining the benchmark loss event. Critically, many Hawaii property policies exclude hurricane damage entirely, which is instead covered through a separate hurricane policy, so landlords should verify they hold both coverages rather than assuming wind is included.

Lava Zones (Big Island)

Hawaii County properties are rated by USGS lava zones, and the 2018 Kilauea eruption that destroyed hundreds of structures in Puna showed the consequences, with standard carriers largely unwilling to write zones 1 and 2. Landlords considering Big Island rentals should verify lava zone before purchase, since it determines both insurability and price more than any other factor.

Tropical Rain & Water Intrusion

Hawaii’s trade-wind showers and Kona storms drive persistent water-intrusion claims, with wind-driven rain finding roof seams, lanais, and single-wall construction common in older island rentals. Landlords should distinguish covered wind-driven rain from excluded flood and surface water, maintain roofs aggressively, and consider flood coverage in mapped zones.

Flood Damage: Not Covered by Standard Policies

Hawaii’s intense tropical rainfall produces flash floods and landslides, with the record-setting 2018 Kauai storm that dropped roughly 50 inches in 24 hours the modern benchmark for island flood risk. Standard landlord insurance policies exclude flood damage in every state. Landlords in flood-prone areas should consider a separate flood policy through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private flood insurer.

DP-1 vs DP-3: Which Landlord Policy Form Is Best?

Landlord insurance policies in Hawaii are typically written on one of two dwelling fire forms: DP-1 or DP-3. A DP-1 policy is the most basic and least expensive option, covering only a short list of named perils (such as fire and lightning) and paying claims at actual cash value, meaning depreciation is subtracted from every payout. A DP-3 policy is the standard choice for most rental property investors: it covers all perils except those specifically excluded, pays at replacement cost, and typically includes loss of rental income coverage.

For most landlords, the premium difference between DP-1 and DP-3 is small relative to the gap in protection, making DP-3 the better value for any property in decent condition. DP-1 is generally reserved for vacant properties, older homes that don’t qualify for DP-3, or owners insuring only against catastrophic loss.

	DP-1	DP-3
Perils covered	Named perils only (9–10 basic)	Open perils (all except exclusions)
Claim payout	Actual cash value (depreciated)	Replacement cost
Loss of rent coverage	Rarely included	Typically included
Best for	Vacant or lower-value properties	Most tenant-occupied rentals
Relative cost	Lowest	Moderate

Hawaii Real Estate Investor Resources

Hawaii Landlord Insurance FAQ

Is Landlord Insurance Required by Law in Hawaii?

No. Hawaii law does not require landlords to carry insurance on rental properties. However, if the property has a mortgage, the lender will almost always require a landlord (dwelling fire) policy as a condition of the loan, and operating without coverage leaves the owner personally exposed to property losses and liability claims.

---

How Much is Landlord Insurance in Hawaii?

The average cost of landlord insurance in Hawaii is $2,410 per year, which is roughly 18% below the national average. Actual premiums vary based on property location, age, construction type, coverage limits, deductibles, and claims history

---

Can a Landlord Require Renters Insurance in Hawaii?

Yes. Hawaii landlords may require renters insurance as a condition of the lease. It is particularly worthwhile in Hawaii, where hurricane and flood events can displace tenants for long stretches, because the tenant’s policy covers belongings and living expenses that the landlord’s property coverage never would.

---

Does landlord insurance cover hurricane damage in Hawaii?

Often not without a separate policy. Many Hawaii property policies exclude hurricane damage entirely, with coverage instead provided through a standalone hurricane policy, a structure unique to the islands. Hawaii landlords should verify they hold both a property policy and hurricane coverage rather than assuming wind is included, and remember that flood and surge require a third, separate flood policy.

---

Is Landlord Insurance Tax Deductible?

Yes. Landlord insurance premiums are a fully deductible operating expense for rental property owners, reported on Schedule E for individually owned properties. See our guide to Hawaii rental property taxes for a full breakdown of deductible expenses.

Find and Compare Rental Property Insurance Near You

More Rental Property Insurance Guides