Since Airbnb doesn't offer travelers insurance...

[Denny20]

 Airbnb should give the host the ability to make a costumized contractual agreement with the guests before the booking is confirmed. The key parts of the contract should be hightlited by the host to make it an easy read. Have the guest initial by each one and sign and date the contract. It isn't fair that the guest can just say a family member passed and get a free stay all money returned. It isn't fair that the guest is being a nuisance and their dirty dog bought fleas and mites into your home. You call Airbnb the guest gets a rebooking plus a refund. There needs to be stricter rules.

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

@Denny20 - you can already do this: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/465/can-hosts-ask-guests-to-sign-a-contract

[Claudia391]

@Denny20Can you expand on the stricter rule set you have in mind? 

And @Alice-and-Jeff0 thank you for the contract link you pasted in. Have you used one?  

Travel insurance is definitely something which Airbnb should encourage people to purchase, so as to protect us hosts from cancellations given it is not always easy to get last minute bookings.

Many thanks and best wishes.

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

@Claudia391 - absolutely not.  Airbnb will not enforce any extra contract and it adds a layer of complexity that almost fully absolves Airbnb from stepping in and helping a host who has a problem with a guest.  Essentially, if you want to enforce things outside of the Airbnb terms of service, you will need to hire a lawyer to secure any remedy and now Airbnb holds all the money and client information - not you.  You have to disclose upfront to any booking guest that you have a third-party contract and it needs to be available for review prior to a guest booking which is impossible to do with Instant Book and not using IB means  you are further down in the search results.  A third-party contract is not worth it in my opinion.  

[Claudia391]

Thank you @Alice-and-Jeff0 this information is very useful and enlightening indeed. By the way, I very much enjoyed reading your profile and listing blurb. Do touch base if you aim to visit London UK. It would be great meet you! Best wishes, Claudia