There are over 6 million Airbnb listings worldwide, and if you’re planning to add your home to the growing market, then you already understand the importance of preparation. Fresh linens? Check. Extra towels? Check. Wi-Fi password prominently displayed? Check. Liability insurance? If you’re not thinking, “Double check,” then it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get down to business.
Insurance isn’t the most exciting topic to discuss, but it’s a necessity. As a short-term rental host, you always need to expect the unexpected. It simply goes with the territory. Accidents, although rare, do happen. It’s better to exercise caution and prepare for the worst-case scenario than be blindsided by an unexpected event or injury.
Luckily for short-term rental owners, Airbnb offers Host Protection Insurance, which is automatically included with every booking. All hosts (and landlords, if they’re named in a lawsuit) receive primary liability coverage against a third party’s claims of up to $1 million. This program covers accidental bodily injuries as well as property damages. There are, however, a few caveats.
What is included in Airbnb’s Host Protection Insurance?
What is not included?
This is not a complete list. For a comprehensive program summary of Airbnb’s Host Protection Insurance, click here.
If you need to file an insurance claim, reach out to Airbnb and they will connect you with their third-party claims administrator.
Airbnb also has a Host Guarantee in place. This covers up to $1 million of damage inflicted upon your personal property by guests. However, it is simply an agreement, not actual insurance. Airbnb strongly encourages you to purchase third-party insurance in case your loss is not within the terms of the Host Guarantee.
To cover all the bases, consider protecting yourself and your rental home with liability insurance or short-term rental insurance. That way you can rest assured that you have the proper protection on the off chance something goes wrong. After all, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Keep in mind that even if you already have homeowners or renters insurance policies in place, they aren’t designed to cover rental properties. This unfortunately results in significant coverage gaps.
“It is common that home insurance policies explicitly exclude activities associated with short-term rentals,” Airbnb Superhost and blogger David Cross said.
If your property is rented out to guests year-round, you most likely have landlord insurance, but be careful. These plans frequently exclude short-term rentals.
“Not all landlord policies apply to short-term rentals,” Brad Goldsberry, an insurance solutions finder, said. “Though the coverages might be the same, a normal landlord policy has not priced in the increased risk you have with a short-term rental.”
Liability insurance provides coverage that often isn’t included in other policies. These plans protect you and your rental space in the event of an accident, mistake, or lawsuit. They are generally affordable and come in handy in an emergency situation.
The specific insurance you need depends on what provider you choose to work with and how often you rent out your space. You’ll want a comprehensive plan that covers both liability and property damage specifically for short-term rentals and guests. Some companies offer homesharing insurance or vacation rental insurance. Others add a short-term rental liability provision to current plans to extend coverage to a policyholder’s Airbnb.
For example, Progressive has homeshare insurance provided by a third-party called Slice. The flexible plan only charges you for the days your rental space is booked. American Family Insurance’s Temporary Rental Insurance offers coverage for rental property damage and theft protection. ISO (Insurance Service Offices), a subsidiary of Verisk Analytics, provides options specifically for homeowners renting their spaces online. The coverage includes liability, theft, vandalism, and property damage.
To prevent gaps in coverage and ensure you’re as thorough as possible, have a conversation with your insurance agent. He or she can help you pick the right plan that is all-encompassing and provides you with the desired level of protection.
Each insurance carrier has different rates, requirements, and options, so feel free to get a variety of quotes and research multiple places to find the right deal.
Above all, it’s crucial that you communicate openly and honestly with your insurance company about your specific situation. If you have homeowners insurance and neglect to disclose your plans to rent the space, your entire policy could become void because of the failure to reveal the real use of the home, and/or because of the material change in the risk.
In a perfect world, insurance is unnecessary and everything runs smoothly without the fear of accidents, damage, or injuries. As we all know, that’s unfortunately not the case. However, once you’re armed with protection from Airbnb’s insurance and your own liability or homesharing coverage, you can confidently run a successful rental business. Happy renting!
There are countless reasons to visit Nashville, and travelers around the globe are quickly realizing the city is much more than just a hub for country music. These Nashville vacation rental management tips will come in handy to gain those 5 stars your guests are actively looking for.
In addition to providing live entertainment for music lovers, Nashville is full of amazing art, delicious food, energetic sports games, and breathtaking natural beauty. Last year, the city’s tourism numbers surpassed previous records with a whopping 15.2 million visitors who spent over $7 billion. That jaw-dropping volume of people is predicted to increase year after year, outpacing both state and national averages. Visitor revenue in Nashville represents one-third of all tourist spending in the entirety of Tennessee.
“These numbers are the latest indication of what we all know–that Nashville has become a major tourist destination and that visitor spending is helping our city by creating jobs and giving us revenue to build a better community,” Mayor David Briley said.
Nashville’s popularity with tourists, coupled with the fact that by 2020, vacation rentals are expected to topple the hotel industry with a projected revenue of over $57 billion, means there’s no better time to invest in a vacation rental in Music City. This industry is very lucrative and has been growing at a rapid rate in the last decade, partially due to improved apps and software. The trend toward home rentals increases each year as more people recognize this option is a great alternative to booking a hotel room.
The following graph showcases the growth over time in the U.S. vacation rental industry:
Here are some tips and tricks for managing a rental property in Nashville.
First and foremost, you need to follow the law! An important element of managing your Nashville rental property is ensuring you have the right permit and are operating in compliance with the city’s regulations. For more information, you can visit Nashville’s Metro government website. Here you’ll find answers to frequently asked questions and details about BL2017-608, the current law that governs short-term rental properties in Nashville and Davidson County as well as links to the ordinances that preceded it.
Travelers spend about 59 seconds navigating your listing and viewing your pictures, so you need to make this time count—after all, you only have one chance to make a good first impression. Boost your booking success rate and show off your gorgeous space by posting high-quality photographs. You can earn up to 40% more if you use professional photos for your listing, and many hosts are even able to raise their nightly price by 26% after upgrading their photographs. Add a variety of pictures that showcase the home’s various amenities, and brighten the space by turning on lights and opening curtains or blinds. Make sure your photos are taken in landscape format for the best display on listings.
Take the time to find the right platform for your vacation rental listing needs. There are so many options to choose from—Airbnb, Booking.com, HomeAway, and Vrbo consistently rank in the top favorites. Do some research to determine which options work best for your hosting wants and needs. You might decide to go with just one website, or you can post your rental on several different outlets! Do whatever works best for you.
Communication is a crucial aspect of running a successful vacation rental business. Provide your guests with several methods for getting in touch with you. Let them know they can call or text you any time, and enable push notifications on your phone so you can easily access emails and rental site messages. Having a quick response time will put guests at ease and boost your chances of coming away with a satisfied customer. In addition, many sites will rank your property based on your response time. The faster you reply to inquiries, the better your ranking will be and your property will gain more exposure.
Save guests a trip to the store by stocking up on travel-sized toiletries and bathroom essentials. Traveling can be a whirlwind experience, so tiny details are often forgotten or lost along the way. Stock up on soap, Band-Aids, toothpaste, shampoo, body wash, shaving cream, dental floss, and toilet paper so travelers don’t have a panicked moment when they unpack and realize they forgot something important. Providing guests with extra towels, washcloths, and blankets is a nice touch as well.
It might sound basic, but ensuring you have a strong WiFi connection (don’t forget to provide guests with the password) and instructions for using your various digital entertainment devices can really make a difference. In a recent study, 74% of travelers revealed that WiFi was the most important amenity in a rental home, while 52% said having slow or no WiFi was their top complaint about rentals. Tourists want to be connected to friends and family back home without worrying about a dwindling data plan or having spotty service.
If you’re a new host, your goal is to get bookings and show potential customers that you’re trustworthy. If possible, be flexible with check-in and check-out times for guests’ convenience. This will come in handy for many tourists, as flight cancellations, health issues, and the unpredictability of Mother Nature can easily throw a wrench in travel plans. By being flexible, you’re showing customers you truly care about their needs, which will help them trust you while you build your reputation and experience.
If you’re looking for a hassle-free management experience, we’re here for you! Chady Property Management is a seamless turn-key vacation rental property management for Airbnb, Vrbo, Bookings.com, and more. We do everything from helping you get the right permit and optimizing your listings to answering tenant questions and offering professional cleaning services. Reach out to us today to learn more or get started.
