Can I donate my listing through Airbnb

[Erika122]

Hi,

I was recently contacted, through the app, about donating a week or weekend as a fundraiser for a charity. I am not opposed to the idea as I think it would be good publicity for my listing, however, I would not want to do this outside of the air BNB app. Has anyone done this and if so how? 

[David126]

If you are operating a business, liting on AirBnb, from a risk point of view giving away a freebie is not significantly different.

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

@David126 - the risk here being that if you let a guest stay and it wasn't booked on Airbnb, you have all of the liability and no protections afforded to you by Airbnb.  This means up to and including invalidating your homeowners insurance if the policy was written with the understanding that you were covered by their insurance and policies first.  Someone who rents rooms in their home or has a vacation rental doen't get a pass on the legal, financial and operational aspects because a trip was given away for free.  

[Ben205]

Seems like we're forgetting the meaning of the word 'charity'. If all acts of kindness or goodwill were met with questions about liability, insurance and tax accounting how many U12s football teams would ever play a match? Or community centres get a refurb?

Yes, we're talking about our homes, so if you're not comfortable with giving up a couple of nights to a good cause, don't. But many hosts will find it rewarding being associated with their local communities in this way.

[David126]

@Alice-and-Jeff0

I am not aware of a Homeowners Policy that will only allow you to rent if you do so through ABB, begs the question what value an Underwriter would place on ABB Insurance and Policies.

Not of course to say that there is not one out there, a big world.

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

@David126 - my policy is specifically written because I have an occassional B&B business in my home.  The premium is based on the additional coverage provided by Airbnb.  It is not specific to Airbnb per se, but we were asked very specific questions and told the premium could increase if we listed on Home Away, Couch Surfing, or Craig's List  - where no additional insurance is provided.   Most hosts here are not even carrying the extra insurance to cover their business.  It's the same as being an Uber driver - your normal auto insurance is not enough when you use your personal car for the business of driving others (same holds true for pizza delivery, but that's another story). However, there are policies specifically written to cover people who use their personal vehicle in the course of their business - Uber, Shipt, Task Rabbit, etc.  You are an independent contractor to these organizations, it's not like writing off your mileage to your corporate parent and them taking the risk.   

My advice to everyone is that you need to know to what degree you are covered and to what degree you are not.  Charity give-aways do not relieve you of your legal obligations.  

[David126]

Inevitably I have to talk in the round as this is a worldwide platform and Insurance varies from one Country to another, and in the US from one State to another.

Generally

The Uber etc market seems much simpler in that there seems more useful cover provided by these companes and the type of vehicle used is much more normal, for example not too many exotic vehicles being used for Uber, if any.

ABB provide a little bit of liability cover in the way of the Insurance, and the Host Guarantee.... The Liability Insurance is hardly significant and the Host Guarantee is an unknown as many posts on here show. As an Underwriter not sure I would take either into account in either pricing or deciding to cover this market.

I can also see that there can be no standard response forom the Insurance Market to STR's as there is no standard AirBnB listing.

I do not know about your individual situation but I do know that the details can be confused in transmission and that insurance is not a logical business.

[Debbie210]

Hi.  
If you don’t mind giving the name of the company that insures your home? 

[Erika122]

How do you handle bookings?

[Cristian119]

Let's say I own a cabin in the mountains and rent some nights via airbnb and rest of the time it sits empty.

Can I use airbnb as a platform to donate the unused time to a local school for a school trip? It just seems that the question is not addressed above. Reason to use airbnb is for visibility only, not for adverstising my listing or anyhthing else. I just think it's a shame for this cabin to sit empty and would like to donate this unused accomodation to kids or people in need of fresh air.

Can I do it or no?

[David126]

@Cristian119

Of course you can, no need to involve ABB, just contact the local schools and offer them free accomodation.

Just make sure you block out the dates on your ABB listing to avoid double bookings.

[Lizzie · Accepted solution]

Hello @Cristian119,

Lovely to meet you. This sounds like a really kind idea. 

I thought you might also like to hear more about Airbnb's Open Homes program where you can sign up to offer you home to those in need. 

I hope to speak with you again.

Lizzie