Crazy Vacation Rental Insurance Claims: Same Shirt, Different Day

Manic Monday – Renters Who Didn’t Give Two Shirts

When it comes to short-term rental properties, I think we’ve established that no matter how many precautions you take, risky renters always manage to slip through the cracks. I don’t know if it’s because mercury was in retrograde, there was a full moon, or people just simply act differently when the home they’re staying in isn’t their own, but no matter the reason, the crazy stories continue to roll in, and so do the claims. 

This week’s Manic Monday, similar to our last, involves some backed-up pipes. However, while this story doesn’t end in $22,000 of damage, it does make you wonder what on earth people are doing on vacation!

The Shirt You Have To Deal With

The claim was listed as “damage to rental property” and the estimated cost was $1,000. Like so many claims, this is pretty standard; the amount isn’t anything wild. In fact, this is a claim we would typically get paid out in about 48 hours. 

But, as everyone knows, people on vacation can make some interesting decisions. What makes this claim so crazy was outlined in the description:

“After these guests checked out, the following reservation reported both the kitchen sink and toilet were backed up. A plumber came out and pulled a shirt out of the line. After the plumber’s visit, the subsequent reservation reported backing up of the toilet and tub. The plumber came out again for a second service call and was unsuccessful at removing a second shirt from the pipe. The second shirt was later retrieved by the owner of the property after performing the drain cleaning himself.” 

Compared to the previous Manic Monday stories this seems…tame, but ask yourself this: what occurred at this short-term rental that resulted in the guest putting a shirt down the drain? If you can think of a logical explanation, you’re more creative than we are. But what about two shirts? We’re still scratching our heads!

Coverage For A Shirty Situation

Fortunately for the property manager who filed this claim – and everyone covered by Safely – we don’t necessarily need to know the why.  With our simple claims process, we only need to know what happened And, because we don’t involve your guest at all, they don’t even need to admit what they did. As curious as we might be, all you need to do is tell us what the guest damaged, provide us with photos, and an estimate of the cost. Our simple, frictionless claims process means quicker turnaround that won’t prompt guests to leave a bad review. 

But we love a good story, so if you know more, we’d love to hear it – either way, it won’t impact your claim!