Going on vacation or a business trip and don’t want to say at a hotel? You can opt to stay in a house with all the amenities and comfort of your own home! Airbnb has become a popular online service that linking guests looking for short-term accommodations with property owners willing to rent it to them. Airbnb, which was launched as a small startup in San Francisco in 2007, is now valued at more than $38 billion. The company operates in 191 countries and has approximately 5 million listing in more than 81,000 cities.
However, just like any other lodging, not all experiences are positive. Some reservations do go wrong. Accidents can happen during a stay causing bodily injury. Just as hotel owners would be responsible for your injuries, Airbnb owners can also be held liable. If you were injured while staying at an Airbnb, it is important to immediately contact an experienced Los Angeles Airbnb accident attorney as you may be entitled to compensation.
Liability of Airbnb Property Owners
Similar to property owners, Airbnb owners owe individuals renting their property a duty of care to maintain their property in a reasonably safe manner and to warn any individual who enters their premises of known dangers. If a renter lawfully on the premises is injured as a result of an unsafe condition, the Airbnb host can be held liable.
However, most insurance policies exclude injuries suffered by guests when the property is being used for business purposes, such as an Airbnb rental. Some insurance companies have even taken the extra step to specifically exclude claims from homeowners who are Airbnb hosts. In response, Airbnb has responded to this problem by providing hosts with Airbnb Host Protection Insurance.
Airbnb Host Protection Insurance
Airbnb’s Host Protection Insurance is designed to protect Airbnb hosts against third party liability claims. These include bodily injury claims, which may be filed against hosts by guests, and property damage claims, which may be filed against hosts by landlords. The policy covers all claims of up to $1 million.
Host Protection Insurance applies automatically to any hosts who list their property with Airbnb. It also provides primary protection, so you don’t have to exhaust any other insurance policies first.
Naturally, there are a few exceptions to Host Protection Insurance; for one, it only covers the building itself; it does not cover damage to any personal property within the building, such as furniture.
Steps to Take If You Were Injured in an Airbnb Accident
If you or a loved one has been injured while staying at an Airbnb, you should take the following steps to ensure you get the full compensation that you deserve:
- Seek medical attention
- Collect evidence – take pictures of the scene of accident, the dangerous condition in the rental that caused it, and your injuries.
- Get contact information from any witnesses who saw the accident
- Hire an attorney to help you file a claim with Airbnb
Call a Los Angeles Airbnb Accident Attorney Today!
The legal team at Vahdat & Aboudi, APLC is dedicated to helping our injured clients obtain the full compensation when they are involved in any type of accidents.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident while staying at an Airbnb, you may have a claim against the host/owner and be entitled to compensation. Call us at 1-800-288-4-LAW or 818-745-2974 to schedule a free, complimentary consultation with one of our experienced Airbnb accident attorneys today.