The Slip-and-Fall That Turned Into a $60,000 Claim
Snowy mornings and icy sidewalks are part of the charm of a winter vacation rental. But they’re also one of the most common causes of lawsuits against vacation rental managers and co-hosts.
The Incident
A guest slipped on an icy stairway outside a rental property, fracturing their wrist. They sued the owner and manager, arguing the stairs hadn’t been salted or cleared.
The Gap
Many managers and co-hosts rely solely on being added as additionally insured to their owners' homeowners' or landlords’ policies, which often exclude business-related guest injuries—even some STR-specific policies cap liability below the amounts real-world claims require.
The Cost
$60,000 in medical treatment + legal defense
The co-host had to cancel future bookings while dealing with the fallout
The co-host lost the owner as a client
How Wister Coverage Helps
Wister’s policies provide general liability coverage tailored for short-term rentals. In this case, the co-host’s legal defense would have been covered, along with any settlement or judgment up to $1,000,000.
Takeaway
Slip-and-fall claims are the #1 liability in the U.S., costing over $70 billion in medical and compensation expenses in 2024.
*While Wister cannot disclose details of actual lawsuits or settlements, the examples shared here reflect real claim scenarios and hypotheticals designed to illustrate the protection our policies provide.
