What you are responsible for as a guest
If you are the guest and cause damage, you are responsible for the first €500/$500, and HomeExchange may step in for damage above this amount.
A useful tip: before relying on this guarantee, check your personal liability insurance. In many cases, the excess on your own liability insurance is less than €500/$500, which may be more advantageous for you. Telling your insurer about your exchange dates in advance, which is often free, helps ensure that your coverage applies.
Please note that in cases of serious misuse, a guest may be held responsible for more than the €500/$500 deposit. This applies, for example, when the damage results from an unauthorized party or from an animal being brought into the home without the host’s consent.
How can HomeExchange help?
If you have followed the process with your home insurance and still need help, HomeExchange can review your claim and may offer a goodwill payment.
If the damage was caused by serious misuse or malicious behaviour, HomeExchange may also seek to recover the amount from the guest responsible for the damage.
For this to be possible, it is essential that the host checks their home after every exchange, especially when exchanges take place back-to-back, and opens a claim within 10 days of the exchange, before the next guest arrives. If the host is on holiday and cannot carry out the necessary checks themselves within 10 days, they are encouraged to ask someone they trust to check the home.
How to open a claim
If a problem occurs during your exchange, contact Member Support via the Resolution Center: you’ll find it in your conversation with your exchange partner, under the “Request assistance” button.
From there, you can open a case, describe the problem and add any useful photos or supporting documents. We’ll guide you through the next steps, including what your own insurance should cover and the situations in which our guarantees may apply.
Reminder: HomeExchange is not an insurance company
HomeExchange provides a set of guarantees to its members as part of their membership. These guarantees are not an insurance policy, and HomeExchange is not an insurer. They are there to support you alongside your own home insurance, not to replace it.
Find this information at any time in the FAQ on the website and in the app: https://help.homeexchange.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000619417-Guarantees-vs-home-insurance-how-does-it-work