@Simone1766
Hi Simone, it would be unwise to depend on Airbnb for any form of compensation claim, let alone one resulting from a listed building that does not have building or local government compliance.
The obvious question is, what is required to get your building compliant?
There are three principal rental insurers in Australia.
Terri Scheer is the main insurer but, they do not insure short term rentals, they provide long term rental coverage.
Of the short term rental insurers Some landlord insurance policies, such as Budget Direct, can cover you for Airbnb and other short term rentals, but generally only if you're renting out a room.
Most landlord policies have conditions you need to meet in order to be covered. For instance, the property needs to be owner-occupied. In other words, you still need to be living at the house to get cover. Other insurers may consider covering you once you've received a quote.
EBM Rentcover is possibly the most flexible STR insurer in Australia but you would need to contact them to ascertain if they would issue a policy in your situation.
https://www.rentcover.com.au/insurance/short-term
Sharecover is the other recognized STR insurer. They are now part of NRMA and do offer coverage by the hosting night. In other words you only pay for nights guests are on your property.....a better option for hosts who don't have a consistent heavily booked calendar.
https://www.nrma.com.au/holiday-rental-insurance
Short term rentals insurers concentrate more on damage a rental tenant is likely to do to a property rather than comprehensive for natural events like bushfires, earthquakes, storm or general structural issues which a general household policy covers.
But Simone, the thing that concerns me is this business of listing building compliance! Insurance companies are notorious for taking policy premiums, but looking for loopholes when a claim arises. I am not an insurance broker and am not qualified to give reliable insurance advice, but when dealing with the public you must do whatever you can to protect yourself adequately.....and that means more than relying on damage wavers.
For argument sake, you may have pushbikes you are prepared to let guests have the use of. Once they leave the perimeter of your property and are on public land a damage waver will not stand up in a court of law. It can be argued that the pushbike was not maintained in a suitable condition for public use! You become responsible!
My best advice to you is......get your building code compliant!
All I can tell you is, although not built as a habitable structure my listing does have local government compliance and I have an STR policy with EBM Rentcover. I can't tell you how good it is because I have never put it to the test but, I have set a high excess of $2,500 which keeps my premium down and $6 per hosting night goes into a interest baring damage account, and if a rug, bedlinens, toaster, crockery, any reasonably minor damage occurs, which the guest doesn't want to own up to, I don't hassle the guest or Airbnb, I just pull what is required out of the damage fund and get on with hosting.
I wish you well Simone, get onto one of the STR insurers above and see what they will do for you, All the best.
Cheers........Rob
