The world’s largest taxi firm Uber owns no cars. Airbnb owns no property, but is the largest accommodation provider. Likewise, Airbnb owns no property, but has been an extremely popular choice of accommodations. The sharing community has really taken off in the past few years, and Airbnb in particular has been a hot topic in insurance.

While watching videos about home sharing recently, I noticed one in particular, where a woman rents out a bedroom in her home. In the video she said that she doesn’t “rent to strangers”, but that they are just friends that she just hasn’t met yet. Opening your home or income property to people you don’t personally know can come with some potential issues; in terms of insurance, your standard policy does not cover you for many claims that could occur.

On the flip side, your home rental company also offers a very basic insurance package when you sign up, such as Airbnb Host Guarantee. Although they all vary slightly, the basic premise is to provide a simple insurance package for a short list of claims that may arise. Check out their insurance pages for more detail.

This is where the gaps appear and leave you open for potential claims. The following items are extremely important, and may not be covered under your current home policy or the policy provided by your home sharing network:

• intentional or criminal acts caused by a renter
• theft or attempted theft by a renter
• loss of income
• up to $1,500 coverage for uninsured property belonging to renter

Imagine a renter coming into your home, walking away with your 55-inch TV, and there not being any coverage! It isn’t worth the $59 per night that you charge for your Milton escarpment getaway, is it?

As the world around us changes, so does insurance. Make sure that you discuss your plans to join the home sharing community with a trusted and licensed insurance broker. They will help navigate you through the new landscape of insurance. Having the right coverage in mind will help to make sure that you protect yourself from those friends that you just haven’t met yet!