The insurability of new ways of doing business is a question. Airbnb, "an online booking site for home rentals," presents one occasion for the question. See Natalie Sherman, "As Airbnb Grows in Baltimore, Stakeholders Still Weighing How to Best Regulate It" (Baltimore Sun Online, posted Friday, May 13, 2016). The question of insurability is never asked in the linked article, but the reporting gives rise to it anyway.
First of all, this particular, unregulated "online booking site for home rentals" is secret. "It's difficult to gauge Airbnb's impact on the hospitality market because the firm keeps much of its data secret …." Since the company is not regulated like a hotel, it does not have the same "disclosure and audit requirements" that hotels have to face -- such as health and safety requirements. See Natalie Sherman, "As Airbnb Grows in Baltimore, Stakeholders Still Weighing How to Best Regulate It" (Baltimore Sun Online, posted Friday, May 13, 2016).
An important piece of this business model at work is in the public domain, though. "Airbnb tells hosts and guests they must comply with local regulations, including taxes, but that can be difficult to enforce." Natalie Sherman, "As Airbnb Grows in Baltimore, Stakeholders Still Weighing How to Best Regulate It" (Baltimore Sun Online, posted Friday, May 13, 2016) (emphasis added).
Postscript re: the linked headline: Who in heaven's name are supposed to be the "stakeholders" in this piece?
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