Steadily vs. Foremost for Landlords: Which Fits Your Rental?

Landlord insurance is its own world. A rental property doesn't belong on a homeowners policy (here's why landlord and homeowners insurance are different animals), and the carriers that do rentals well are a different set from the household names most people know.

Two of the markets we use most for rental owners are Steadily and Foremost — and they arrived at landlord insurance from opposite directions. Steadily is a modern insurtech that does nothing but rental property coverage. Foremost has been insuring specialty dwellings since 1952 and is part of the Farmers Insurance Group. Both are excellent; they just win in different situations.

Steadily vs. Foremost at a Glance

When Steadily Wins

Short-Term and Vacation Rentals

If your property hosts Airbnb or VRBO guests — whether occasionally or as a full-time vacation rental — Steadily is one of the most capable markets we have. Short-term rental use is a coverage minefield on standard landlord policies, and Steadily writes for it deliberately rather than tolerating it reluctantly. It can also handle properties that mix long-term and short-term use.

Vacant Properties and Value-Add Projects

Buying a fixer-up rental? Property sitting empty between tenants for months? Vacancy is one of the most common coverage traps for investors, because most policies restrict coverage after 30 or 60 days empty. Steadily quotes vacant and under-renovation properties — a genuinely hard thing to place in the standard market.

Growing Portfolios

Steadily's digital platform makes adding the next property fast, and because it works through multiple underwriting markets (both admitted and non-admitted), it can usually find a home for door number seven even when door number seven is a duplex in another state. For investors scaling up, that flexibility pairs well with our guides on multi-unit properties and out-of-state rentals.

Higher Liability Limits

Steadily commonly writes premises liability from $300,000 up to $2 million on landlord policies. If you'd rather not stack a separate umbrella right away, that higher on-policy limit is convenient — though for multi-property landlords we usually still recommend reading our take on umbrella insurance for landlords.

When Foremost Wins

Older Homes and "Character" Properties

Foremost's dwelling fire program was literally built for properties the standard market turns away: older homes, homes with some cosmetic wear, homes with older (but functional) systems. If your rental is a 1920s two-flat that three standard carriers have declined over the roof photos, Foremost has been saying yes to that house for seventy years. Pair this with our guide to insuring older homes.

Manufactured and Mobile Homes

If your rental is a manufactured or mobile home, this isn't a close call: Foremost is one of the longest-standing leaders in manufactured-home insurance in the country, with policy forms and adjusters that actually understand these structures. Very few carriers can say that.

Seasonal and Secondary Dwellings

Foremost's specialty-dwelling appetite extends to seasonal homes and secondary residences that get rented part of the year under traditional arrangements — another niche the standard market handles awkwardly.

Landlords Who Want an Established Carrier Relationship

Foremost is part of the Farmers Insurance Group, with the balance sheet, claims infrastructure, and decades-long track record that implies. Some landlords — especially those with lenders or partners who ask questions — simply prefer a long-established carrier name, and that's a legitimate preference. Foremost also offers coverage tiers, so you can choose between more basic and more complete protection levels for each property.

Bonus: The Toy Box

Foremost also writes motorcycles, boats, RVs, and off-road vehicles. It won't decide your landlord policy, but for clients with a rental property and a camper, keeping specialty items with one carrier can simplify life.

Coverage Basics Both Handle Well

For a standard long-term rental in good condition, both carriers cover the fundamentals a landlord policy needs: dwelling coverage (ideally on a DP-3 open-perils form), loss of rental income after a covered loss, premises liability, and optional add-ons like water backup. Both can list your LLC or trust as an insured, and both work fine with lender requirements. For the fundamentals, start with our Illinois landlord insurance guide.

The Honest Caveats

For Steadily: it's a specialist brokerage-style insurtech that places business across multiple underwriting companies, so the paper behind your policy can vary — including non-admitted markets for harder risks. That's how it says yes so often, but it means the policy details deserve a careful read (which is our job). For Foremost: its specialty focus means pricing on newer, pristine rentals is sometimes beatable by standard markets, and short-term-rental hosts will usually find a better fit elsewhere. Neither point is a knock — it's just appetite, and appetite is exactly what an independent agent navigates for you.

Our Take as an Agency That Quotes Both

• Lean Steadily for short-term rentals, vacant or renovation properties, fast-growing portfolios, out-of-state doors, or when you want higher on-policy liability.
• Lean Foremost for older homes, manufactured homes, seasonal dwellings, and landlords who want a long-established carrier with tiered coverage options.
• Quote both for ordinary long-term rentals in decent condition — and let us throw in the other landlord-friendly markets on our panel while we're at it.

Whether you own one condo or forty doors, we'll match the property to the right market. Get a free landlord insurance quote from Better Choice Insurance Group — about 20 minutes, no obligation. Call (847) 908-5665 or learn more on our landlord insurance page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Steadily or Foremost better for landlord insurance?

It depends on the property. Steadily, a landlord-only specialist, is often the stronger fit for investors who want fast quotes, coverage for short-term rentals or vacant properties, and flexible options for harder-to-place risks. Foremost, part of the Farmers family, has decades of specialty-dwelling experience and is often the better fit for older homes, manufactured homes, and landlords who want an established carrier with agent-based service. We quote both.

What is a DP-3 policy?

A DP-3 (dwelling fire, special form) is the standard policy type for rental properties. It covers the dwelling on an open-perils basis, meaning damage is covered unless the cause is specifically excluded, and typically includes loss of rental income after a covered loss. Both Steadily and Foremost write DP-3-style coverage for landlords.

Can I insure a short-term rental like an Airbnb with these carriers?

Steadily writes coverage designed for short-term and vacation rentals, and it is one of the more flexible markets we have for Airbnb-style properties. Foremost's landlord programs focus more on traditional long-term tenancies. If you host short-term guests, tell us up front, because using the wrong policy type can leave real gaps.

Which carrier is better for an older rental property?

Foremost has one of the longest track records in the industry for older dwellings and properties with cosmetic imperfections; its dwelling fire program was built for exactly these homes. Steadily can also place older properties through its network of markets. In practice we quote both and compare coverage forms and price.

Related Reading

• Landlord Insurance from Better Choice
• Illinois Landlord Insurance Guide
• Landlord vs. Homeowners Insurance
• Requiring Renters Insurance of Tenants