Life has become a bit complicated in the area of insurance. We take certain things for granted as we carry on with our daily lives in the 21st Century, but we must protect ourselves from being uninsured.
When you rent a home from another homeowner (as we often do in the Jersey Shore or the Hamptons, etc), you are not necessarily covered for loss or damage to the home (or person). Most “Homeowners Insurance” policies do not cover “commercial use of the premises (e.g., renting to outsiders). This means that if you are a renter and injured due to the negligence of the landlord, there is a strong possibility that you will not be protected in the event of a loss on those premises.
Also, if YOU negligently cause damage to the place that you are renting, you are likely NOT covered by your own “Homeowners Insurance.” Generally, you are not a covered person if you rent a property and cause damage to that property.
The solution is to contact an insurance agent or broker and inquire about short term coverage of rental properties. You do not want to bear the risk of loss without insurance. That would be a sure way to ruin your summer!