How To ''Insure'' You Have A Successful Home Exchange
Nicole Frank is one of the leading experts of the home exchange community. Nicole has been an avid home exchanger since childhood and has completed dozens exchanges around the world with her family. Nicole’s "Key to Home Exchange" appears weekly on RoofSwap.com with do’s and don’t regarding house swapping and tips and advice on a wide array of travel topics. Have a question for Nicole or want to share some insight of your own? Visit our Member Forum section and post your comments and questions.
Dear Key to Home Exchange,
Our family has toyed around with this idea [of home exchange] for some time but had many questions...most of which were answered by reading your website.
We have an apartment in Nice France and would like to start swapping. My only question would be regarding some type of renters insurance. Is this something that most people pick up just to be safe or has that ever been an issue? Thanks.
Dear Future Home Exchanger,
It is good to hear that the info on the RoofSwap site answered most of your questions about home exchange. In coming months we will be adding more tips and interactive features to make it as easy as possible to set up your RoofSwap home exchanges.
You raise a good question about renters' insurance. Many people mistakenly assume that renters cannot do home exchange. While you should check your lease, most rentals allow short-term guests. Allowing other people to stay in a rental apartment for several nights in exchange for money is generally not permitted, but of course in home exchange no money changes hands.
Renters' insurance is actually a good idea whether or not your swap homes. The regulations in France are probably much different than those in the US. Renters' insurance should be in place if you have anyone enter your home, especially workers.
You should definitely check with local insurance companies to see if they cover short-term guests. I strongly recommend renters' insurance for anyone leasing a home.
Another type of insurance now being offered is home exchange insurance. It's true, you can purchase a policy for very little money that will cover your losses if your swap partner cancels at the last minute.
Go to http://www.roofswap.com/index.php/page/show/home-exchange-insurance for more information.
Happy home exchanging!
Nicole Frank, Your Key to Home Exchange
