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What can go wrong when you rent out your property on short-stay accommodation platforms?
Platforms like Airbnb or Stayz have created a community that is built on a system of trust and, mostly, this system works. But sometimes, accidents happen, guests make some bad decisions and things happen that are out of anyone’s control.
ShareCover has been handling claims since 2015 – we’ve seen a lot.
The most common claims? Accidental damage.
It doesn’t matter if your guest has a long list of glowing reviews, accidents happen, and it is always best to be prepared. Some of the most common claims we’ve seen:
- Carpet stains (in carpeted houses this can mean pulling the whole carpet up and replacing it with a new one!)
- Water damage (broken dishwashers flooding through the ceiling, baths overflowing and a whole lot more)
- Damage to floor boards (furniture getting moved around, water, burns)
- Damage to worktops (from hot pans, drinks without coasters)
- Oven doors broken, and stove tops cracked
Everyone always thinks it is the big, scary claims that will catch you off guard – but from our experience its all the little things that you’ve got to be prepared for.
Of course, we’ve seen some more unusual claims over the years, including a frozen chook breaking a host’s kitchen sink, personal liability claims for injured guests, and a few big parties causing some extensive damage.
**This is why ShareCover exists. To make sure you’re covered for a crack in a mirror to having to rebuild part of your home. **
Check out our blog on how to avoid being burned by bad guests for some tips on how to minimise risk as a host.
ShareCover is issued by IAG New Zealand Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Insurance Australia Group, Australasia’s largest general insurer. When making decisions about a product, always read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). You should carefully read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and all policy documentation for more details.
ShareCover Enterprises is owned by Insurance Australia Limited and is not related to either Airbnb, Bookabach, Booking.com, TripAdvisor, Spacer, and Uber. References to these platforms on this website do not constitute an endorsement by these platforms of ShareCover nor an endorsement of these platforms by ShareCover; nor IAG being partnered with these platforms.