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Updated over 7 years ago,
VRBO trip insurance and vacation rental agreement terms
Hi BP community! I am a newbie to vacation rentals - helping my mother and father turn their beach home into a rental to help subsidize (likely, soon) assisted living/nursing home expenses. Their property is in South Nags Head, on the Outer Banks of NC. I am managing the property through VRBO and have a team in place for maintenance and cleaning while I am at home, in Raleigh.
I am currently setting up our Vacation Rental Agreement and have a question regarding how to deal with trip cancellations/interruptions. I understand VRBO offers travel protection. According to NC's Vacation Rental Act, in the event of a mandatory evacuation order the tenant would be entitled to a prorated refund for any days they are unable to occupy due to that order unless they (i) refuse trip insurance that has been offered by "the landlord or real estate broker" (VRBO works here too??) or (ii) they purchase the insurance. I have not rented anything through VRBO in a long time, so I'm not familiar with how this insurance policy is presented to a renter. Is it safe to assume that if I don't get notification that a renter purchased the insurance through VRBO they essentially refused the offer? And further, if that is the case, are we expected to refund them for days they are not able to occupy due to a mandatory evacuation? Or, did they lose that right by refusing the insurance? I hope I am making sense here. I plan on refunding any days a renter cannot occupy on rentals I make on my own (not through VRBO) because of a mandatory evacuation, as I don't have a trip insurance program to offer. I'm just not sure how to deal with this for VRBO renters. How would you suggest I address/detail this possible scenario in the VRA I'm formulating for my VRBO renters?
I'm not trying to be shady! Just want to help cover my parents as much as possible financially as this has been a very emotionally trying time for them. The decision to rent out their beach home was not made easily. Thank you very much, in advance, for any assistance y'all can give me!