Wimdu has introduced a global insurance policy for its hosts which will take effect from the beginning of October.
The policy, which is free, protects hosts from theft, negligence, vandalism and fire to the tune of €50,000.
The move follows a guarantee scheme from rival airbnb offering $50,000 to host owners in the event of theft or vandalism.
Wimdu’s policy will initially be available to hosts in seven countries including Germany, France and the UK and will be extended to other destinations in the coming months.
The company has also said it wants to introduce a consumer protection policy amid wider industry criticism which believes sites such as Wimdu should subject be to the same regulations as other travel providers.
A team from the insurance company is being made available to Wimdu hosts around the clock should any incidents arise.
Co-founder and CEO Michael Riegel said:
“We wanted to offer a solution to our hosts, not just paper over the cracks.”
