I just had this happen to me as well. But havent recieved the outcome yet. But from what my lawyer told me, no one is required to have comprehensive car insurance. It is a luxury that can cover theft and vandalism while parked away from home. But when you are parked at the property that you live at, you are able to choose to either file claim with your comprehensive car insurance or your homeowners insurance or both. Since you are not the homeowner, you obviously dont have homeowners insurance. But the host is REQUIRED TO BY LAW. And airbnb even supplements thier insurance to make sure they have enough coverage to cover accidents. I have always had rental insurance, but i have been staying in an airbnb for a few months now (long term) and they wouldnt let me transfer or bring my coverage to this address because I am not on a lease and this is a business platform. Personal insurance does not apply to airbnb when it comes to renters insurance. Its like when you stay at a hotel, you pay a certain amount included in your rate and the hotel has liability insurance to cover any accidents. THEY HAVE TO. THEY ARE THE HOMEOWNER. So you mean to tell me that If I was parked at my own owned home, I would have the normalcy of making a claim with homeowners or rental insurance , but since I choose to pay outrageous rent through AirBnB, I dont get any type of protection whatsoever? No...I would have renters insurance, but I cant because its the responsibility of the host and the Airbnb company to have that coverage in place. Do you honestly believe if I fell down the stairs and broke my leg, They are not going to file an insurance claim? Why would they have to have homeowners insurance and additional 1 million dollar liability insurance from airbnb if it werent available in an emergency. So if you follow all of those rules, like my lawyer says, since i am covered under the homeowners insurance and airbnb insurance for the host, that is who the claim goes through. That is If.....you parked on the property of the residence( ex....designated parking spot that completely removes your vehicle from the public road like a driveway or carport for example. Trust me....I will sue if they try to void my rights as an American to being able to be insured and protected. They chose to operate thier company that way. They chose to make the homeowner be the one responsible to carry the required insurance protection for the whole home since you are not a "tenant" you are an airbnb "guest".....even though you pay a lot of rent..... If someone walks by a house and a dog comes and bites them, they file a claim with the owners homeowners insurance. and they are not even a guest.... they are a stranger... If you have a friend stay the nigt at your house, and they get really hurt, guess what, you are required to have the renters or homeowners insurance to protect yourself from paying out of pocket. And those are all ACCIDENTS. I know the airbnb host didnt plot with someone to steal my car and if thier dog bit me, I would guess they didnt force the dog to do so. But by being a home owner and allowing "airbnb guests" to stay at your property, you are liable for certain accidents. Same as they would be for your accident if it happened on thier property. If airbnb or the host had any problem with that, they could choose to rent in a different manor. They could have re written the process so that short term travelers or short or long term renters had tenant rights which would then allow them to have rental insurance to protect themselves at the property.
traveling people can get travelers insurance and that covers some travel related things, but if they get hurt on the property, the homeowner is required to file the claim on thier insurance because the "traveler" has and had "no option" to purchase , obtain, or maintain that type of insurance for himself because technically he/she is a "guest" that has been invited to book the reservation and stay and enjoy the accommodations. Just because they pay the required cost for "the experience" does not give them the rights or responsibilities of the owner of the residence. Could you imagine, You have your extended family over for dinner and you have to explain to each guest at the door that because they dont live with you, any insurance they have at thier house will not protect them there. " Sorry Grandma, I am just letting you know that If you fall and break your back, you're on your own. I absolutely will not be filing a claim on my insurance that I pay for each month for that very reason to get you the protection you deserve to have...." Could you imagine....Sorry but this debate makes me very full of temper because some people dont seem to understand certain things. Its the same with car insurance. The state you live in has a minimum liabilty amount required because if an accident happens, you dont have the choice to say, "I choose not to have insurance because I dont want to. So good luck....." I mean people unfortunately do that( choose to illegally not carry insurance)....and they might have to be taken to court to pay back the settlement amount. But in the case of airbnb, thats why they provide supplemental liability insurance to the host just in case thier homeowners insurance does not cover the total costs to resolve the circumstance. So technically, Airbnb will not be paying your claim, the homeowners insurance will. And if they try to deny for any reason whatsoever or the coverage isnt enough, (that is out of your control), you would then make a judgement against the host. and as long as you are ruled in favor of the claim or judgement, then airbnb would cover the liability amount that the homeowner is required to pay up to 1 million dollars. The only time they will not cover the host, is if the event was somehow the hosts fault, even partially. Like they failed to fix a loose handrail and you broke your neck down the stairs....But you know what happens then? The host is required to file the claim with thier homeowners insurance and then be liable for paying any remainder due out of thier own pocket. They dont get to choose who gets properly treated and cared for as guests in thier home. If a host cannot understand that, then dont invite guests into your home and find a way to pay your rent yourself.... Instead go have dinner at someone elses home, so that way you dont have to worry about being responsible for anything that may happen when people walk through your door. and trust me, homeowners insurance definately covers theft of a short term "guest in your home" . Ya your rates will probably go up for making a claim, but be glad you dont have to pay the full amount out of pocket. Its just the way it is. Id rather pay my own 40 dollars a month to know that I have insurance in case my car gets stolen. But since i cant have renters insurance for somewhere i am not a tenant, youre absolutely not going to talk to me like these other people leaving comments and say" lol. i dont know how you would even come up with the idea that either the host or aibnb are responsible......it was an accident. Trust me, If you hit someone by mistake with your vehicle and get in big trouble (for example), you will not like it when you get those same types of comments in return....
