Hi John and Debbie,
I am in the UK too (Devon) and I just had my house insurance cancelled today when I told my insurer that I am a host on Airbnb. I asked Airbnb for advice and this was the response:
Greetings Gabi,
My name is Tina and I work here at Airbnb. I am sorry to hear about this current situation. We absolutely want you and your home to be safe. Thank you for reaching out about insurance
As we operate in so many cities around the world, we cannot give you specific advice regarding insurance options in your area.
We do have a FAQ regarding insurance, however, we are unable to give referrals or recommendations at this time: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/296
Your best bet is to consult with an insurance broker to assess the risks and liabilities that are covered by your existing insurance coverage, or that can be purchased.
The following links may also be of help:
- www.airbnb.com/responsible-hosting
- www.airbnb.com/help/question/231
Finally, we have a new called our 'Community Center' and you can you learn about this new area here: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1153
The Community Center allows our users to collaborate, brainstorm, and socialize with one another. Many hosts have been able to find answers to issues or matters that arise from short-term hosting.
Please let me know if you have any other account-related questions. We are here to help the best we can. If not, I hope you have a wonderful week.
Kind regards,
Tina
www.airbnb.com/help
I think we need to be very careful to get insurance sorted out before taking in guests. The danger as I see it, is if there is a claim (nothing to do with Airbnb hosting) and it comes out that you are hosting, the insurer can legitimately refuse to pay out at all. I am researching insuranc eproviders for myself and I will post on here when I get myself sorted....
Good luck! BTW it is definitely worth all the effort!!!
Gabi Humphries
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/251785