Wister Insurance, the specialty insurance agency for STR property managers and co-hosts, commits to strengthening industry representation in local policymaking.
BOZEMAN, Mont., July 6, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Wister Insurance, the specialty insurance agency built exclusively for short-term rental (STR) property managers and co-hosts, has joined the Right to Rent Collaborative (R2RC) as a partner. Through its membership, Wister will help fund the state and local STR associations that represent property managers, hosts, and owners in policy decisions shaping the industry's future.
The Right to Rent Collaborative, founded in October 2024, is an independent 501(c)(6)-pending organization that pools contributions from across the short-term rental industry and grants them to qualified state and local STR associations through an independent, transparent review process. R2RC does not lobby or take policy positions itself; instead, it strengthens the organizations that engage policymakers directly: in the city halls, county commissions, and state legislatures where STR rules are written.
To date, R2RC has granted $187,000 across 16 grants to associations representing more than 618,000 short-term rentals, and its funding has created six paid executive director positions, transforming volunteer-run groups into professionally staffed advocacy organizations. Its long-term vision is a network of 50 fully staffed state STR associations engaging policymakers early, before regulatory crises emerge.
"Every policy we write protects a manager's business from lawsuits, claims, and coverage gaps but no insurance policy can protect a business from a bad ordinance. Supporting R2RC means making sure the managers we insure have a voice in the rooms where those rules get written." said Darren Pettyjohn, Co-Founder of Wister Insurance.
Wister's membership deepens an existing family connection to STR advocacy: sister company Proper Insurance, the leading provider of STR homeowner policies, is a founding member and top 2026 contributor of R2RC, alongside industry leaders including Airbnb and Vrbo.
Wister provides Commercial General Liability (CGL), Professional Liability (Errors & Omissions), and related coverages designed specifically for STR property management companies and co-hosts, underwritten through Lloyd's of London and backed by an AM Best A+ rating. Because Wister serves the short-term rental industry exclusively, the company views advocacy funding as a natural extension of its mission: insurance addresses the operational risks inside a management business, while organized advocacy addresses the regulatory risks around it: permits, caps, zoning, taxes, and licensing decisions that no insurance policy can cover.
Property managers can also contribute through the Right to Rent Program, first launched in 2020, which allows operators to opt in to a small per-reservation contribution (starting at $1) through integrated property management software including Guesty, Hospitable, Hostfully, OwnerRez, Track, and CiiRUS.
Property managers, vendors, and homeowners interested in supporting STR advocacy can learn more about R2RC membership at r2rcollaborative.org.
About Wister Insurance
Wister Insurance provides specialty Commercial General Liability (CGL), Professional Liability (Errors & Omissions), and related coverages built exclusively for short-term rental property managers, co-hosts, and property management companies. Underwritten through Lloyd's of London (AM Best A+ rated), Wister is a one-stop insurance agency designed around the real-world risks of professional STR management. Learn more at www.wister.insure.
About the Right to Rent Collaborative
Founded in October 2024, the Right to Rent Collaborative (R2RC) is an independent 501(c)(6)-pending organization dedicated to broadening the impact of advocacy within the short-term rental industry. R2RC pools financial resources from its member community to provide structured grant funding that helps state and local STR associations build staffing, capacity, and long-term sustainability. R2RC does not lobby or take policy positions; it funds qualified associations through a transparent, independent review process. Learn more at r2rcollaborative.org.
Media Contact
Melia McDaris, Wister Insurance, 1 8882411902, [email protected], https://www.wister.insure/
SOURCE Wister Insurance
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