We've all been there, running to the restroom at a crowdedfestival or concert only to find a line stretching out the door anddown the block, much further than our bladder will likely be ableto hold.
|Leave it to technology to come up with a solution to thisall-too-human problem.
|Airpnp is a newsmartphone app that connects homeowners with available bathrooms topotential “users” in their area, who pay $3-$5 for the right to usethe host's facilities. The system got its start in New Orleans —where Mardi Gras revelers helped to put the app on the map — but ithas since expanded globally, with some 400 bathrooms availableworldwide via the service.
|It's like Airbnb for bathrooms, but it's no joke from aliability standpoint. Car-sharing services like Lyft and Uber, andhome sharing sites like Airbnb and HomeAway, have already comeunder fire from insurers, regulators and industry groups over whatsome consider to be their illegal activities, enabling homeownersand car owners to rent out their properties without having adequateliability insurance in place. Airpnp opens up another front in thisfight, and it's one where the potential for trouble issignificant.
|Drunken Mardi Gras revelers in my home, potentially slipping onmy bathroom tile? What could go wrong?
|What do you think? What should the industry do about thesenew “sharing economy” services? Are they out of bounds fortraditional insurance plans?
Want to continue reading?
Become a Free PropertyCasualty360 Digital Reader
Your access to unlimited PropertyCasualty360 content isn’t changing.
Once you are an ALM digital member, you’ll receive:
- All PropertyCasualty360.com news coverage, best practices, and in-depth analysis.
- Educational webcasts, resources from industry leaders, and informative newsletters.
- Other award-winning websites including BenefitsPRO.com and ThinkAdvisor.com.
Already have an account? Sign In
© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
