WHY WILL COVID-19 BANKRUPT HOSTS AROUND THE WORLD?

[Michael303]

COVID-19 WILL BANKRUPT HOSTS AROUND THE WORLD BECAUSE AIRBNB REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE EXISTENCE OF TRAVEL INSURANCE!

Travel Insurance is easy and inexpensive for Guests to purchase. The lack of travel insurance protection is completely devastating for Hosts!

For 3 1/2 years I have been trying to get AirBnB to listen. Well, unfortunately, a global pandemic is going to bankrupt hosts around the world because AirBnB refuses to make legitimate travel insurance available for booking guests.

VRBO and HomeAway do such a superior job offering travel insurance to their/ our guests.

1. If you drive a car without insurance and get into an "unforeseen" accident, you are responsible, not the person you ran into. If you book a trip without travel insurance and something "unforeseen" happens, you are responsible, not the person who is hosting you. 

2. I have to carry liability insurance, flood insurance, homeowners insurance with an added hotel policy on top of that on my building to protect me and my guests for short term rentals. I would carry travel insurance for all my guests if I could... no wait it do?! It is AirBnB's insane policy of refunds?! Hosts are not Insurance companies. 

3. I think it's beyond unfortunate for Airbnb, hosts and guests that Airbnb does on hold guest accountable for travel insurance. The simplest way to handle this is to explain travel insurance up front - prior to booking and let guests know it's their responsibility to purchase it or guests will be taking the risk themselves. Travel insurance has existed since the beginning of modern travel. 

4. Airbnb Actually Recommends Travel Insurance. (the AirBnB link is blocked by AirBnB) Airbnb offers refunds at the host’s expense. It is completely unacceptable as a policy and puts the hosts in an untenable situation of loss that cannot be recouped for last minute cancellations – which, by the way, is why trip insurance exists.

5. Suggestion: if Airbnb wants to act like an insurance company and refund guests their money then charge a fee ($35 – $45 to be competitive with trip insurance companies) for that service.

This part of the Airbnb & Host relationship is 100% unfair and 100% unprofessional. Hosts are not Insurance companies. This policy is insane. Travel insurance has existed since the beginning of modern travel.

Airbnb is hurting the small business owners who are the reason Airbnb is in business at all. Shame on them for allowing this and for interfering with legitimate trip insurance companies who protect the owners as well as the traveler when situations happen outside of either parties control. Airbnb clearly is not protecting owners and their businesses with this kind of policy.

[Adriano78]

@Michael303 @Emma690 @........

Your PAST Airbnb Bookings Are NOT Safe from a 100% Refund

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj6mtgjvPrM&feature=youtu.be&

Airbnb is now refunding your past guests. Taking old bookings that have canceled weeks ago and giving them the extenuating circumstances loophole even though they canceled prior to Airbnb modifying the policy to include the USA. Strike Three Airbnb

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Lydia94 

I also like to share with other hosts that way before Airbnb I invoice my guests with my paypal account and I still do for my private bookings. My policy with paypal is strict the same like with AIRBNB. Paypal has more respect than Aibnb and honore the agreement - no refund for cancellation.

Thats an interesting point. The refund procedure via Paypal is very much evidence based. Airbnb can claim back funds from their payments to your Paypal account automatically. With this in mind, it would be pertinent to save evidence of cancellations and refunds and extenuating circumstances policy amendments and dates.

Just when you might need that;

"Extenuating circumstances policy and the coronavirus (COVID-19) Updated 15 March 2020"

in July 2020, it will no longer be there.

[Lydia94]

Thanks very much, I wasn't aware that Airbnb can go into my PayPal account. If so it means we have another fight on our hands. So far I only received money for guests in my home 

But I will watch and I hope we don't have to go there. 

[Kathy899]

How on earth do you invoice guests via Paypal?  When I try to send phone numbers or url's via message, they are blocked.

[Thomas977]

https://youtu.be/sknmg7iBOEw

[Thomas977]

Please sign petition http://chng.it/Sj9nRW7VDn (AirBNB's UNFAIR treatment of HOSTS amid COVID-19)

[Kathy899]

With the cancellations just this week affecting the next three months, I have lost over $10,000, and have no idea how I will pay my mortgage and HOA fees.  All because guests couldn't bother to buy a $70 trip insurance policy to protect their $6,000 trips.  I am so angry that Airbnb is now refunding any guests who want a full refund, and having hosts shoulder the entire financial hit.  Their cancellation policies already heavily favor guests.  My "strict" policy still allows people to cancel up to 7 days before check-in. Not even the "no-refund policy (in which we give away 10% of our revenue) is fool-proof, due to the extenuating circumstances clause.

[Michael303]

@Kathy899 I am shocked how many of my guests don’t get travel insurance. Even though it is a mandatory part of my House Rules, Part of my first communication with them and part of our emailed guidebook. As I’ve told AirBnB over and over, I would buy travel insurance for my guests, but insurance does not work that way...

[Thomas977]

Airbnb gave away our money and now they want Congress to take the bill. How about Airbnb taking responsibility for its own actions?

https://www.businessinsider.com/airbnb-asking-congress-give-tax-relief-and-loans-to-hosts-2020-3?r=U...

[Elite-Holiday-Homes0]

Agree and not sure how any help from Congress will help out you and I.

[Michael303]

@Thomas977 thank you for posting!

[Adriano78]

It is not to the US taxpayer to pay for AirBNB !

Moreover, AirBNB is taking money from US hosts but also from hosts ALL OVER THE WORLD !

But this not the US taxpayer whos is going to give money to non US hosts ! (and that's normal !)

[Michael303]

I’m not sure why AirBnB thinks that their colossal business mistakes are now the US taxpayers problem or responsibility? No way will this fly. 

[Lydia94]

Hi Thomas, remember Airbnb protected themself and hosts are not able to join against Airbnb in a lawsuit

We all have to do it single.

[Adriano78]

here in Europe is well know you have a double-dipping. A massive fraud,  guest 100% refund with our money + 100% insurance.

This morning  I was furious, I received the scandalous Airbnb  bul**bleep** email message  sent to all the host in the world :

"We know that this decision has met some of you in a difficult situation. Many hosts were already accepting cancellations outside of the established conditions. You asked us why we made this decision when other companies in our sector did not pass. We want to make sure that you understand our reasoning.

This pandemic is pushing cities and countries to take extreme measures. In this crisis, our priority is to preserve the health of the population and our communities. We did not want travelers to make the decision to put themselves in dangerous situations and pose a public health risk in order to honor their reservation. We believe this is the most responsible choice given the advice of governments and health experts."

Are you kidding @Airbnb ??:       " In this crisis, our priority is to preserve the health of the population and our communities. We did not want travelers to make the decision to put themselves in dangerous situations and pose a public health risk in order to honor their reservation".

you really think the hosts are stupid????, YOU DON'T FU****NG CARE about population, communities..........,  what you want is just to make an advertising campaign by making the guests believe that Airbnb is so generous (with hosts money) and the other companies so nasty because they do not refund (booking, vrbo ...) .
After the covid crisis with this advertising campaign, you hope that your SUPER generosity (with host money)you will win new customers.

AIRBNB, I know you so generous because you have millions of dollars, and you love your hosts so now I suggest you to refund guests with YOUR MONEY and not with host money. WE ARE NOT AN INSURANCE COMPANY

[Adriano78]

here in Europe is well know you have a double-dipping. A massive fraud,  guest 100% refund with our money + 100% insurance.

This morning  I was furious, I received the scandalous Airbnb  bul**bleep** email message  sent to all the host in the world :

"We know that this decision has met some of you in a difficult situation. Many hosts were already accepting cancellations outside of the established conditions. You asked us why we made this decision when other companies in our sector did not pass. We want to make sure that you understand our reasoning.

This pandemic is pushing cities and countries to take extreme measures. In this crisis, our priority is to preserve the health of the population and our communities. We did not want travelers to make the decision to put themselves in dangerous situations and pose a public health risk in order to honor their reservation. We believe this is the most responsible choice given the advice of governments and health experts."

Are you kidding @Airbnb ??:       " In this crisis, our priority is to preserve the health of the population and our communities. We did not want travelers to make the decision to put themselves in dangerous situations and pose a public health risk in order to honor their reservation".

you really think the hosts are stupid????, YOU DON'T FU****NG CARE about population, communities..........,  what you want is just to make an advertising campaign by making the guests believe that Airbnb is so generous (with hosts money) and the other companies so nasty because they do not refund (booking, vrbo ...) .
After the covid crisis with this advertising campaign, you hope that your SUPER generosity (with host money)you will win new customers.

AIRBNB, I know you so generous because you have millions of dollars, and you love your hosts so now I suggest you to refund guests with YOUR MONEY and not with host money. WE ARE NOT AN INSURANCE COMPANY