Hi Laura,

Do you know if we are supposed to charge sales tax on the damage insurance we sell to guests? So far we have not been charging tax on damage or travel policies.

I have been VERY happy with the damage insurance as it allows us to recoup money for  damaged items without damaging the relationship with the guest. In the last two years, we have only had one claim that is over $500. Most of them are around the $50 to $200 level. Therefore we have decided to start making the $25 TravelGuard policy for $500 in insurance mandatory.Yes, Travel Guard has other policies other than the $45 one, both higher and lower.

The only downfall that we see with it is that when we had a security deposit, we told them they would be fined $250 out of their security deposit if they had a party (against our rules) and disturbed the neighbors. Now, with the damage insurance, we don't have that option/recourse anymore.

Nancy

Hi there,

You might find the property damage protection insurance offered by HomeAway (care of CSA Travel Protection) of interest.

Any questions - just let us know!

Cheers,

Laura

HomeAway Community Manager

We submitted a claim to CSA this summer and they paid it without a fuss (although only on replace-able items, not on the labor required to repair a damaged wall that I fixed myself). 

I'm not sure if they contacted the renters or not - I kind of believe the answer is not since the renter called to ask if they could rent again later in the summer (which we did not accept of course!).  Given the arrogance of the renter, I believe that if CSA had contacted them about the hot tub damage, they would have denied it.  But either way, CSA paid the portions they said were covered.

Here is the wording we use in our rental agreement regarding Guest Checker:

" RENTAL POLICY ON PRIVACY- In order to improve the rental experience for all Guests and to preserve the standard of quality established by the Agent/Owners, all Guests are reviewed using www.guestchecker.com. This contract may be canceled based on the results of this search.   At any time during, before, or after your stay, your information may be shared with www.guestchecker.com."

VRBO is now offering it to owners.  I used to be an owner/agent but when VRBO decided to get in the business they dropped all of us small agents and try to force us to purchase through VRBO.  Candidnly, I used this instead of a damage depsoit for over a year and while they paid on the two claims I had to make, it became clear that another claim and they would no longer make it available.  I now advise guests that I authorize the $500 damage deposit just prior to their check-in and if all is well when they leave I cancel the authorization and do not settle.  Their is no charge to the customer and no fee paid by me.  It encourages them to leave the place as they found it and or report problems they find on check-in.  This seems to work very well.

I authorize the full $500 as a damage deposit not as a security deposit.  I don't settle the transaction and if all is ok on check out I void the transaction.  If not, I change the authorized amount to the actual damages to be charged and authoriz and settle.  My contract specifies that they are agreeing to authorize me to do just that so between the contract and the fact that it is for actual damages it becomes much harder to dispute.

When I was selling this insurance and using it on my own property, they apid actual replacement cost up to the limit of the policy.  However, it was my job as the selling agent to fight for my customers.  We all know that Homeaway and VRBO don't see protecting their customers as their primary responsibility.  Instead, they seem to prefer to stand against us.  Such arrogance and poor treatment to their customers will eventually cost them the very customers they treat with disdain as other services grow in recognition with the vacationing public and owners drop their advertisements.