Airbnb Sweet Airbnb

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Airbnb Sweet Airbnb

Just one week after short-term rentals became legal in New Orleans, the city received 1,360 applications from people who want to rent their houses and apartments on Airbnb, VRBO, and similar services. Airbnb remains a controversial topic in New Orleans. Many locals complain that tourists who rent from Airbnb hosts are helping to displace longtime residents and fuel the dissolution of historic communities. Regardless of what Airbnb’s impact on New Orleans is, Airbnb’s Host Protection Insurance is causing a substantial headache among homeowners.

Studies show that Airbnb has had a positive economic impact on New Orleans. Many rental owners believe they are improving the local economy and providing a needed service. Property owners tend to make slightly more than $2,500 a month through rentals. Considering that most of the available Airbnb rentals in New Orleans are entire houses and apartments, it still provides a better bang for the accommodation buck. As tourists get better value for their money, it leaves them more money to spend in the city. However, individuals renting out their homes come back to a horrific scene after guests have vacated such as property damaged, belongings missing, and unrepairable destruction.

Airbnb’s Host Protection Insurance acts as primary insurance and provides liability coverage to hosts and, where applicable, their landlord. The insurance is subject to certain conditions, limitations, and exclusions. The policy provided by Airbnb is hardly comprehensive, and renters need to be aware of what is being excluded if something were to happen that would warrant a claim. Airbnb’s policy will cover a liability claim in the event a guest slips and falls in the temporary rental and files a lawsuit against the host. It would also cover a lawsuit against the host from some injured by the guest on accident.

There’s a lot the policy won’t cover. Without an independent homeowners or renters insurance policy, Airbnb hosts are leaving themselves susceptible to serious financial risk. It does not cover the personal property of the host. For example, if a guest were to damage a bed or steal something valuable belonging to the host, Airbnb would not be responsible. Airbnb is also not responsible for any issues with a listed property that might cause damages to a guest or their property. Slander, defamation, and harm caused by intentional criminal acts also contribute to the long list of situations that Airbnb does not observe.

Because of this, it is so important for any host that is planning on participating in Airbnb to have Homeowners insurance. At AWS insurance, we know your house is one of your biggest investments and the place that you and your family call home. With a comprehensive home insurance coverage policy with AWS, we will create a custom tailored plan that’s specific to your needs to get you financial protection and compensation for all of your belongings.

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Melinda Martin

Account Executive

Melinda began her insurance career in 1985 with Alexander & Alexander where she received her Property & Casualty and Life & Health license. Since then she has worked at various agencies in the New Orleans area and in California as a senior account manager for Employee Benefit Plans.  While in California, she was also the Membership Director for the Burbank Chamber of Commerce. Melinda joined the AWS team in July of 2015.

Michael A. Seeling

Vice President

Graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a B.A. in Insurance Risk Management and is a graduate of Archbishop Rummel High School in New Orleans. He joined AWS in October of 2008 and has been awarded the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Certification (PPACA). Additionally, he is working towards his Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC), Registered Health Underwriter (RHU), and Registered Employee Benefits Consultant (REBC) designations. He is also a member of the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU), National Association of Insurance Financial Advisors (NAIFA), and is an active member of the Fore!Kids foundation.

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