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.

[Deborah350]

My understanding that travel insurance isn't covering the pandemic.

[Anonymous]

@Deborah350   It's...complicated. Many insurers have retroactively imposed a cutoff date, basically saying that if you booked the trip after the global spread of the virus began, the coverage won't extend to some pandemic-related expenses. Involuntary quarantines are outside of most insurers' coverage range, and prior to the outbreak most travelers would not have thought to check that. And when the trip cancellation is a voluntary precaution, the only way to be sure that it's covered is to choose a plan with an added "Cancel For Any Reason" (CFAR) benefit, which is significantly costlier than standard travel insurance. 

But I don't think it's correct to say that travel insurance isn't covering the pandemic. Rather, it's important to read the policy carefully before committing. The same should go for Airbnb hosts' cancellation policies, but every day Airbnb is announcing new ways to undermine them at the hosts' expense.

[Mary312]

Is this true

On Brian chesky Airbnb Twitter account several people are posting screenshots that Airbnb giving guest full refund except for the booking fees they are pocketing the booking fees and issuing travel credit

[Sheila22]

That is true -- in a kind of Bernie Madoff way of pocketing money.

[Sky13]

Trip insurance may not cover hosts in the rare case of a pandemic or another unpredictable catastrophe. But generally speaking,  it would be simple to offer guests trip insurance, just like the airlines do. This situation with covid-19 is different obviously. But there is no reason why Airbnb can’t address the growing call for trip insurance, which would protect the host and guest in normal circumstances. 

[Scott222]

A guest with VRBO/Homeaway bought trip insurance at check out and was covered. FYI

[Michael303]

100% not true. It has zero to do with the cause only effect. Guests with travel insurance: Flight cancellation is covered. Lodging cancellation is covered.

[Jonathan1252]

Insurance companies never cover for pandemic or state force majeure! They are super wise.

They are Legal Mafia companies.

[Gerhard4]

This is not completely true.

the misunderstanding is that if you as a traveler want to cancel because of a virus outbreak on your destination. it is not covered.

this is basically fear!!  (not covered)

this happens most of the time with our US travelers to Florida, they like to cancel because of the outlined situation. 

however , if your airline is not flying or you are no longer allowed to enter the country of destination, or you are no longer allowed to travel it is covered.

the insurance company of course don't want to payout, so many times, if it is a holiday package, they like to give a travel voucher of some kind. if you have your own travel insurance. flight and lodging (and if you already prepaid other amenities) are covered. 

the sad part is , I always tell our guests when they book to have adequate travel insurance. our international guest mostly do have these in place (was very well handled in 2010 with the Iceland volcano, and they had to extend their stays)
but most US travelers do not have or acquire a travel insurance. I don't think the host has to be the victim of the guests negligence not acquire adequate insurance.

[Michelle-Larry0]

Not true- you can buy travel insurance which is called “ cancel for any Reason“ (CFAR) Which applies to ANYTHING.  More expensive, but you get what you pay for. 

[Sheila22]

Exactly.  It doesn't cover "fear of travelling."  Some guests well before travel restrictions were in place and before flights were cancelled were becoming afraid to fly because of COVID-19 and insurance wasn't covering it -- so people were saying insurance was covering pandemics.  But insurance covers flight cancellations (as result of the pandemic).

[Michael303]

@Sheila22 you are 100% correct! Travel  Insurance has nothing to do with the cause of the cancellation only that the flight is cancelled or that lodging is cancelled. 

[Sheila22]

*wasn't covering pandemic

[Michael303]

I am shocked by the complete systemic miss handling of this by AirBnB. I struggle with this every year during hurricane season.

And it is the same thing over and over... guests with travel insurance we both come out whole Financially. Guests with no travel insurance, I am forced to take a total financial loss.

I have written letters to: 

Aisling Hassell: Vice President Community Support: Greg Greeley

Chief Operating Officer: Belinda Johnson

Chief Executive: Brian Chesky