The short-term rental industry is relatively new, but already there have been a few insurance companies that have come and gone; one of them is Slice’s homeshare Insurance.
Slice Insurance was a popular choice for many vacation rental owners and managers because it offered a budget on-demand option. In this article, we’ll discuss the features of Slice’s insurance coverage that were appealing to many vacation homeowners, and we’ll share some alternatives to help you find a great replacement.
Slice Short-Term Rental Insurance
Slice Labs is an “on-demand insurance cloud platform provider that empowers insurers to deliver new value to customers…” with their “digital insurance” services. They bring insurance right to your fingertips, making it more accessible for individuals and small businesses, especially those in the on-demand industries.
Think of it this way: they are firstly a technology company that developed a platform to make getting insurance easier, and within that marketplace, they offer several on-demand insurance packages of their own.
Slice’s flagship product is their “Insurance Cloud Services” (ICS) which is powered by machine learning and AI and is aided by behavioral science expertise that helps them offer their digital insurance products. Their main target is offering on-demand insurance to on-demand economies like gig workers, freelancers, and, until recently, short-term rentals and homesharers.
What Slice Offered
Slice’s homesharing and short-term rental insurance policy started at $7/night (as stated previously on their site and according to other review sites). Slice used to be a solid option for many vacation rental property owners and managers since they offered an on-demand insurance policy that made them the budget insurance option for Airbnb and other homesharing hosts.
Basically, instead of getting a premium insurance vacation rental insurance plan that requires a minimum commitment of six months to a year, vacation rental owners could get insurance coverage only on the nights or days that their property was rented out. This has been a great alternative for many small-time short-term rental property owners or for those who have a second property or rent out their homes only in select seasons.
What Happened to Slice
While Slice is still up and running as a “digital insurance” provider, a few Airbnb hosts have noticed that they can no longer access Slice’s short-term rental insurance. So we did some digging.
If you go to Slice’s website to get a quote, you can see that it states, “Please Note: We no longer offer homeshare insurance.”
At the time of writing, there seems to be no official post or statement from Slice explaining this change (at least from online sources). But this is the closest thing we have to a confirmation that they no longer offer homesharing or short-term rental insurance policies for Airbnb or Vrbo rental owners.
We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but it seems that Slice is no longer an option for vacation rental property owners.
What To Look For in Short-Term Rental Insurance
If you’re ready to start shopping for an alternative to Slice, there are several things you need to consider when selecting a vacation rental insurance policy.
Loss of Income – Circumstances like unexpected repairs and even planned renovation can prevent the possibility of renting your property out. Lost income incurred during these times should be covered by your insurance policy.
Property and Contents Insurance – You’ll want to ensure that not only is your home’s structure covered, but everything in it as well: furniture, furnishings, bedsheets, and the like. If these items are damaged or need replacing due to an accident or natural disaster, your insurance policy should absorb the cost.
Liability Coverage – Perhaps the most important coverage in any vacation rental insurance is liability coverage. You want to be prepared if a guest has an accident while they’re checked in to your Airbnb or Vrbo and files a claim against you.
Location-Specific Coverage – Some properties are prone to natural calamities like storms, floods, and earthquakes. If you’re in one of those areas, you should look for an insurance policy that includes this.
No Forced Entry Requirement for Damage or Theft – Most standard commercial and landlord policies require you to provide proof that your rental property was forcibly entered in the event of property damage or theft. As a short-term rental owner, you’ll want to find an insurance policy that makes an exception to this rule so you can be sure your property and its contents are covered.
Alternatives to Slice
With Slice no longer offering what could’ve been a great option for many vacation rental hosts, it’s time to explore other options in the market. Here are some of the best insurance companies you should consider:
Proper Insurance
Our top pick is none other than Proper Insurance. Founded with the vision to cater to the specific needs of short-term rentals, Proper has your back in all things related to vacation rental insurance.
While coverage from Proper comes at a premium price, it’s justified by their great customer service and tailor-penned insurance packages.
Check out our full review of Proper Insurance, and visit their site for a quote!
American Family
American Family’s Temporary Rental Insurance and Second Home Insurance plans might be the most viable Slice alternative for you. They offer one of the most budget-friendly vacation rental insurance packages on the market today.
CBIZ
CBIZ is one of the pioneers in the industry and claims to be “the largest insurer of short-term vacation rental properties in the United States.” With that guarantee, you can be confident that you’ll find what you need in insuring your property with them.
AllState HostAdvantage
AllState HostAdvantage is among the most popular choices for Airbnb and Vrbo property owners and managers. A well-known and established insurance company, Allstate lets their homeowner policyholders extend their coverage to a short-term rental, which is a great alternative to what Slice used to offer.
Check out our full review of AllState HostAdvantage here.
Foremost
One of the biggest pros of working with Foremost Insurance is that you can customize additional coverages with them for an additional premium cost. While they’re not exactly budget-friendly, we still recommend exploring the options they offer.
Check out our in-depth review of Foremost here.
Final Thoughts
Slice’s on-demand short-term rental insurance offering was great while it lasted. It offered a great alternative to those who were tight on budget while still wanting to get their vacation rental insured. The good news is that there are a lot of insurance companies out there today that offer solid alternatives to Slice. It’s just a matter of getting a quote and researching the options to find your perfect fit.
