The tragic death of a guest at a AirBNB (adult swung on a rope and the branch broke, hitting him on the head and killing him) has once again reminded me of the potential risks of opening your house up via AirBNB or any similar service.
In this case, the homeowners were effected by the death of a guest.
It is likely that your home policy will not respond to theft and or damage caused by a visitor while many others exclude public liability coverage for guests.
This is not just for AirBNB and can effect people opening their home for foreign exchange students or the like.
If you are in any doubt please check with your Insurance Broker or Insurer to discuss Airbnb Home Insurance.
It is not just AirBNB that is of interest here. Those engaging in “house swap” arrangements
No money changes hands between the participants in the swap but an insurer could well argue that it’s a commercial transaction in that there is offer, acceptance, consideration etc.
The same issue can apply to cars being used for Uber or any fare paying passengers.
Again the warning is the same. Check your policy and if you are in any doubt, speak to an insurance broker or your insurer.