Do I have to take out vacation rental insurance?

Do I have to take out vacation rental insurance?

There is no law requiring the owner or tenant to take out specific insurance for seasonal accommodation.

Astonishing? In fact, the rental of this type of accommodation is generally covered either by insurance already taken out by the owner or by that of the tenant.

This is why it is imperative that you read the rental agreement carefully. It is he who must specify who is responsible for the insurance of the rented property and for what guarantees. There are 3 possibilities:

the owner is covered by home insurance
the tenant is already covered by his insurance contracts
the tenant is not already covered and can take out home insurance for the duration of their stay
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If the owner is already covered by his insurance

Very often, the owner who offers accommodation for seasonal rental has already taken precautions to protect his property with a comprehensive home insurance year-round and to which he can add special guarantees for the benefit of any seasonal tenant. So read the information in the rental contract carefully so as not to have any bad surprises.

"On whose behalf it will belong": this mention indicates that the tenant will be covered in the event of disasters (fire, water damage, etc.) that he could cause to the owner's accommodation as well as to those that he could cause to third parties (neighbors, for example). With this guarantee, the landlord does not need to ask their tenant if they have personal insurance.
"Waiver of recourse": this guarantee also called "waiver of recourse" will only cover damage that the tenant could have caused to the owner's home but excludes those caused to people or to neighboring accommodations. This clause also implies that the owner will not turn against his tenant in the event of damage (fire, water damage, etc.) that he may have caused in the accommodation during his stay. This means that the civil liability of the holidaymaker remains engaged vis-à-vis neighbors and third parties. The owner can then ask the tenant to show him proof of personal insurance.
Namely: in the event of other damage (deterioration, loss, breakage, theft of furniture or objects, etc.) caused by the tenant, the responsibility is his responsibility. All the more reason, to be very careful and not let Junior scribble on the new beige sofa in the vacation home!

Is my home insurance sufficient for a seasonal rental?

The owner may require in his seasonal rental contract that the holidaymaker has personal insurance.

Note that generally your comprehensive home insurance includes a "resort guarantee" which covers you and acts like vacation rental insurance. If you do not benefit from a resort guarantee, you can take out additional insurance only for the duration of your seasonal rental.

IMPORTANT! Make sure that this guarantee also covers you for a rental abroad.

Did you know ? AXA liability insurance abroad and its many guarantees cover you (up to € 4,500,000) in the event of accidental bodily injury, material or immaterial damage caused to third parties by yourself, by your children or even by your pets!

How do you avoid and deal with problems with a vacation rental abroad?

Accommodation that does not exist when you arrive in Greece and an "owner" with absent subscribers, a last minute cancellation or the villa with private pool in Sicily which turns out to be a shed near a public swimming pool ... Unfortunately, seasonal rentals abroad and the unforeseen are not uncommon.

To avoid them:

Choose recognized rental platforms, such as Booking and Airbnb. In the event of a concern, cancellation, loss or accommodation not as described, you will have more opportunities to assert your rights and will be able to benefit from coverage. To learn more about Airbnb rental insurance
Check the existence of the accommodation: by doing a search on Google Maps / Google Earth to geolocate the building and better know its location (near the beach or a waste reception center!). You can also ask a loved one to book the same accommodation for the same period to see if it is not a scam.