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>But for Uber for local babysitting, why would the buyer and seller not just leave the platform permanently after meeting, and transact directly, saving both th

by kharms 9y ago

>But for Uber for local babysitting, why would the buyer and seller not just leave the platform permanently after meeting, and transact directly, saving both the fee? Insurance. Uber/airbnb/rover/etc. provide insurance for both parties. To me that's a critical value add - I want to know that if my dog sitter leaves some chocolate around I won't be out a few grand. The more important the task, the more likely I am to stick with an insured party.

the_stc 9y ago
We guarantee payments and provide legal insurance to both sides. But honestly, once you have worked with someone, your trust of them is probably enough for you to decide if you want to keep them on without the insurance. If you get a worker that is working on a Dog Sitter platform and you've had an appointment or two with them, you're probably going to judge they're OK enough. The insurance is more of a first-time-per-person kind of thing. Same for renting out your house and so on: For the first meeting, yeah it's super important. After that, you'll probably know if you trust them enough to skip the fees.
- FICO 9y ago
  That is not how insurance works, or rather, people don't just insure against malice perpetuated by untrusted actors. Example: Say I rent out my house and an electrical fire breaks out. Insurance company says "you were using the premises for commercial purposes at the time of loss and your policy does not cover commercial activity. We won't cover the fire damage." This is a very real possibility you'd find yourself in unless you specifically bought commercial/landlord insurance.
- icebraining 9y ago
  Same for renting out your house and so on: For the first meeting, yeah it's super important. After that, you'll probably know if you trust them enough to skip the fees. You poor trusting fellow. That's exactly how they get you: pay a few months on time, then stop and live for free until you can evict them. Been there, had it done to me.
lsc 9y ago
I don't usually insure a few thousand dollar risks... I would use a cleaning agency if they credibly promised workers comp... Fixing a damaged human is way more expensive than a damaged dog, or any object I own. The problem is that as far as I can tell, the maid agencies all use independent contractors, so while they will replace my stuff, I see no evidence they will cover the expensive thing.
- kharms 9y ago
  Vet bills can easily go up to tens of thousands of dollars, but that's not the point. The point is that I could be away on a mountain backpacking trip for two weeks, and I need to know that the dog sitter has that money easily accessible, because I'm not going to be around to pay for it. Most folks that dog sit don't have huge savings.
  - lsc 9y ago
    I shouldn't say your dog isn't valuable, but I must insist that the human worker is more valuable than the dog. I do think it is fundamental that an injured worker who was injured on the job is the employers financial responsibility. Anything else creates hugely inefficient externalities and unnecessary human suffering. Worker's compensation law is super important

by kharms 9y ago

the_stc 9y ago

We guarantee payments and provide legal insurance to both sides. But honestly, once you have worked with someone, your trust of them is probably enough for you to decide if you want to keep them on without the insurance. If you get a worker that is working on a Dog Sitter platform and you've had an appointment or two with them, you're probably going to judge they're OK enough. The insurance is more of a first-time-per-person kind of thing. Same for renting out your house and so on: For the first meeting, yeah it's super important. After that, you'll probably know if you trust them enough to skip the fees.

FICO 9y ago
That is not how insurance works, or rather, people don't just insure against malice perpetuated by untrusted actors. Example: Say I rent out my house and an electrical fire breaks out. Insurance company says "you were using the premises for commercial purposes at the time of loss and your policy does not cover commercial activity. We won't cover the fire damage." This is a very real possibility you'd find yourself in unless you specifically bought commercial/landlord insurance.
icebraining 9y ago
Same for renting out your house and so on: For the first meeting, yeah it's super important. After that, you'll probably know if you trust them enough to skip the fees. You poor trusting fellow. That's exactly how they get you: pay a few months on time, then stop and live for free until you can evict them. Been there, had it done to me.

lsc 9y ago

I don't usually insure a few thousand dollar risks... I would use a cleaning agency if they credibly promised workers comp... Fixing a damaged human is way more expensive than a damaged dog, or any object I own. The problem is that as far as I can tell, the maid agencies all use independent contractors, so while they will replace my stuff, I see no evidence they will cover the expensive thing.

kharms 9y ago
Vet bills can easily go up to tens of thousands of dollars, but that's not the point. The point is that I could be away on a mountain backpacking trip for two weeks, and I need to know that the dog sitter has that money easily accessible, because I'm not going to be around to pay for it. Most folks that dog sit don't have huge savings.
- lsc 9y ago
  I shouldn't say your dog isn't valuable, but I must insist that the human worker is more valuable than the dog. I do think it is fundamental that an injured worker who was injured on the job is the employers financial responsibility. Anything else creates hugely inefficient externalities and unnecessary human suffering. Worker's compensation law is super important