When accepting bookings from young unattached people either directly or via Stayz/Homeaway/VRBO, I levy a security bond to cover any damage or additional cleaning or other charges. However, Airbnb don't do this, but instead say it's not necessary because of their 'Owners guarantee'.
I learned the hard way that their Owners guarantee is useless when tenants [a group of young guys] engaged in pure drunken stupidity, twisting artworks out of shape, damaging the oven and washing machine, punching a number of holes in the walls, breaking a chair, smashing a glass table top, plus the carpet needed cleaning because of the amount of beer spilled on it and a locked cupboard was broken into and property was stolen. I provided quotes of more than $1000 which was cheap because I wasn't assured I would get paid, and Airbnb only offered about $160 to replace the $235 table top and when I queried 'What about the other items?' and ‘Why didn't you pay the full replacement cost?’, they withdrew their offer, 'finalised' my claim and wouldn't enter into any further correspondence on the matter.
Their approach was atrocious, and if they were an insurer I would have referred them to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal or the Financial and Insurance Ombudsman, where they would have been severely castigated.
Stayz/Homeaway/VRBO, as Airbnb's major competitor in Australia, offers to handle a security bond - as owner, I decide on an amount [say $1000] and the tenant doesn't get charged anything unless I lodge a claim within 14 days of moving out. No fees are charged either to the renter or the owner, and it gives owners piece of mind when renting to young unattached people.
Why don't Airbnb do this? I've suggested it to them but they think their Owners guarantee makes it unnecessary. Obviously their Claims Department runs by different rules.