<p><span style="font-weight: 400">Delighted you asked! We like to tell our stories visually, so check out this </span><a href="https://www.outdoorsy.com/blog/outdoorsy-founder-story"><span style="font-weight: 400">blog post about the founders</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400">.</span></p>


Who started it?

<p><span style="font-weight: 400">Outdoorsy is the largest and safest community-driven RV marketplace for renting RVs directly from local RV owners. We don&#8217;t own a fleet of identical, anonymous RVs with giant billboards down the side and a million miles on the odometer. Instead, we connect RV owners with folks who want to experience the RV life without having to own one themselves. We make it safe for RV owners to rent out their rigs and earn money, and we make is easy for travelers to rent great vehicles from dependable and knowledgeable owners. Our goal is to help people get rolling to the best locations in the country—and to have the time of their lives doing it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400">We started Outdoorsy with the belief that everyone should have the chance to experience the great outdoors. And that meant creating a platform with unlimited range, including trailers, toy haulers, fifth wheels, Class A RVs, Class B RVs and Class C RVs, as well as garden variety trailers and motorhomes. </span></p>


What is Outdoorsy?


<p>Every year, thousands of people converge on Nevada’s Black Rock Desert for the annual Burning Man festival. There, “artists, makers, and community organizers who co-create art, events, and local initiatives around the world” gather to celebrate and construct the sizeable—yet temporary—Black Rock City. Over the nine-day festival, the makeshift city is built, celebrations abound, the famous wooden statute is set ablaze, and then the city is disassembled.</p>



<p>While this can be an interesting way to spend your vacation, it can also wreak havoc on your RV. In all the excitement, some festival-goers may go a little too far and your property may get damaged or vandalized. More common, an ultra-fine dust gets kicked up in the wind and coats anything in sight.</p>



<h2>Playa dust</h2>



<p>The Black Rock Desert is the site of a long lost, prehistoric lake bed and the desert playa (or just ‘playa’) is the bottom of it. The playa dries out, cracks, and creates a unique, ultra-fine dust—playa dust—that the festival is often associated with. As you might imagine, this dust can get into even the cranniest of nooks.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Festival-goers try to beat the dust by taping air vents, seams, and windows. Some cover furniture with plastic and others even wax the outside of the RV. But, playa dust is sure to get in and when it does, it is difficult to clean from the interior and exterior of your RV. It can even damage your electrical and mechanical systems.</p>



<h2>Insurance coverage</h2>



<p>Because of the damage that playa dust can do to your RV and the increased risk of physical damage on the festival grounds, Burning Man remains an unauthorized festival in Outdoorsy’s terms of service. As a result, Outdoorsy insurance does not provide coverage for your RV on the festival grounds nor does it cover festival-related damage. That includes damage from playa dust to the interior, exterior, anything mechanical or electrical, or vandalism.</p>



<p>If your RV goes to Burning Man, Outdoorsy offers liability-only coverage to and from the festival to ensure your RV is road legal. But, if your RV is involved in a covered loss and your guest is at fault: your RV is not covered, only other peoples’ damaged property is covered. In addition, our liability-only coverage is provided at the state minimum level of coverage.</p>



<p>Outdoorsy’s Burning Man policy also means that our teams can only provide limited support in disputes you may have with your guest. In addition, if your guest is traveling from abroad, you will most likely be unable to collect on damages through small claims court. Candidly, if your RV goes to Burning Man, collecting for damages to your RV will be between you and your guest.</p>



<p>We understand that our Burning Man insurance policy may give you pause in accepting bookings headed for the festival. That’s okay! It’s your vehicle and you can do as you wish. If you would like to cancel a festival-bound booking, you may do so with no penalty for the cancellation. Simply reach out to our customer support team at support@outdoorsy.com.</p>


What the heck is Burning Man?


<p>Outdoorsy is proud to partner with the Hartford to protect the safety of our guests and hosts worldwide by some of the world’s best insurance companies.</p>



<p>Our partners support our mission of providing high-quality Protection Packages and services to meet the needs of the Outdoorsy community. We chose to work with these partners because they operate in a manner consistent with our values and principles.</p>



<ul><li>Behave with integrity</li><li>Deliver an exceptional customer experience</li><li>Continuously improve and innovate</li><li>Execute thoroughly and seek excellence</li></ul>



<h1>Protection for hosts</h1>



<p>List your Stay with confidence. Our Protection Package for Stays can be included in your bookings at no cost to you when booked through Outdoorsy. Coverage during the rental period includes:</p>



<ul><li>Up to $1M in liability coverage</li><li>Free 24/7 customer support</li></ul>



<h1>Protection for guests</h1>



<p>Rest assured that we have you covered. Guests are covered by the Protection Package for Stays when booking through Outdoorsy; the price is included in the nightly rate. The coverage provides guests with bodily injury protection, which includes:</p>



<ul><li>Up to $1M in liability coverage</li><li>$5,000 deductible</li><li>Free 24/7 customer support</li></ul>



<h1>How the Protection Package works</h1>



<p>A few things to understand about Outdoorsy’s Protection Package for Stays:&nbsp;</p>



<ul><li>Hosts eligible for Outdoorsy’s Protection Package for Stays enjoy liability coverage; eligible guests are covered with a bodily injury policy.</li><li>Coverage is provided on an excess (or secondary) basis; if there is a covered event, the property’s primary insurance—whether personal or commercial insurance—will apply first and then the Outdoorsy Protection Package will be secondary. If there is no other policy in place that provides coverage, our policy will be primary.</li></ul>



<p><strong>Important:</strong> As a host, be sure to validate that your personal insurance policy permits rentals. As an example, some homeowner and condominium association rules restrict or prohibit subletting, short-term rentals, and/or longer-term stays.</p>



<h3>Checklist to make sure I’m properly covered before the trip starts:&nbsp;</h3>



<ul><li><strong>Insurance:</strong> If you don’t already have primary insurance, you should get the appropriate insurance for your Stay. Review the policy terms and conditions and be familiar with your coverage details and exclusions.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li><strong>Photos: </strong>The more pictures, videos, and documentation the better. Current photos are required for all claims.</li><li><strong>Maintenance:</strong> This is a big one. You will notice that a lot of coverage exclusions mentioned in our <a href="https://www.outdoorsy.com/help/outdoorsy-terms-of-service">terms of service</a> are maintenance related. You are responsible for keeping your Stay in a safe, clean, and well-maintained condition.</li></ul>



<h1>How do I file a claim?</h1>



<p>The outdoors is a beautiful place to be, but accidents do happen. As hard as we fight against it, there’s always that small chance that someone might get injured during their Stay. If this happens to you, our Protection Package for Stays is designed to help you get on the road to recovery fast.&nbsp;</p>



<h3>How do I start a claim?</h3>



<p>All Stays-related claims are handled by our insurance partner, the Hartford, who can be reached at 1-800-327-3636.</p>



<p><strong>Important:</strong> All claims must be submitted within 14 days of the trip’s end date (or before the next reservation) and current photos must be submitted.</p>



<h3>What happens after I file a claim?</h3>



<p>Our Protection Package for Stays differs from our <a href="https://www.outdoorsy.com/help/owners-protection-packages">RV Protection Packages</a> because Stays are naturally a different class of asset. As a result, the claims process differs as well; claims for covered events at a Stay are handled by the Hartford.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The claims process generally unfolds in the following way:&nbsp;</p>



<ul><li><strong>Excess coverage:</strong> Hosts are responsible for filing a claim with their personal (or commercial) insurance carrier first. In the event your carrier denies the claim, please submit the denial letter and relevant documentation to the Hartford.</li><li><strong>Gathering information:</strong> The Hartford claims team will ask for any other pertinent information to move forward with your claim. This may include a statement from your guest, proof of ownership (e.g. bill of sale, title), or any other evidence that is required.</li><li><strong>Confirming coverage: </strong>Almost there! Your adjuster will review the statements, documents, photos, and all other necessary information to confirm it’s a covered loss.&nbsp;</li><li><strong>Payment:</strong> After their determination has been made, the Hartford will issue any payments for the covered loss.&nbsp;</li><li><strong>Closing the Loop:</strong> The Hartford will help handle any other outstanding issues that might be present (e.g., if a third party is involved).&nbsp;</li></ul>



<h1>Other available protection offerings?</h1>



<p><a href="https://www.outdoorsy.com/help/travel-insurance-work">Trip protection</a> can reimburse you if a covered situation (e.g. medical event or natural disaster) stops the trip before it starts.</p>



<h1>Contact information:</h1>



<h3>Outdoorsy Customer service</h3>



<ul><li>Call us at 1-877-723-7232 Mon – Sun, 24 hours a day</li><li>Chat with us on <a href="https://www.outdoorsy.com/">Outdoorsy.com</a> Mon – Sun, 24 hours a day</li><li>Email us at support@outdoorsy.com</li></ul>



<h3>Claims reporting</h3>



<ul><li>Call the Hartford at 1-800-327-3636</li><li>Email the Hartford at lossconnect@thehartford.com</li></ul>



<p></p>


Protection Package for Stays


<p>At Outdoorsy, our goal is to create the safest, most secure peer-to-peer marketplace for lovers of the great outdoors. That’s why both hosts and guests go through our verification process.&nbsp;</p>



<p>We know that your RV—or your Stay—is a treasured asset. That’s why we take steps to ensure that it’s in safe hands. Not only is your primary guest verified (the person who booked your RV or Stay), but we ask that their adult-aged companions are verified, too.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Each verified guest is checked for fraud, identity theft, and other marketplace hazards—and that’s just before the trip. During your bookings, our teams monitor and ensure safe transactions, help handle behavioral issues, and keep fraudsters and scammers at bay.&nbsp;</p>



<p>List your RV or Stay with confidence on Outdoorsy—we’re built on trust and safety.</p>


Guest verification&#8230; for hosts


<p>If you’re tired of managing your listing’s availability with different calendars for each platform, we can help. Calendar Sync allows you to import your rental calendar from other platforms and displays it alongside your Outdoorsy calendar.</p>



<p>Bookings from your other platforms—synced bookings—are labeled and appear as unavailable dates on your Outdoorsy calendar. That way, you are less likely to double-book your RV or Stay. You can also export your Outdoorsy calendar if you’d like to manage everything in iCal, Google Calendar, or another calendaring program. But, keep in mind that if you export your Outdoorsy calendar, we won’t include synched bookings in our export.</p>



<p>When your calendars are connected via Calendar Sync, they automatically ‘refresh’ every two hours, giving you the most up-to-date availability information. Your calendars will stay connected until you ‘break’ the connection by clicking the little trash icon next to the imported calendar.</p>



<p>We currently support RVShare, AirBNB, VRBO, Hipcamp, Hostaway, and Newbook calendars. Let us know if you are using another platform that we might be able to support. Email our support team at support@outdoorsy.com.</p>



<p></p>



<h2>Importing other calendars</h2>



<p>You can import your calendar from another platform by copying the ICS calendar URL (ICS) and pasting it into your Outdoorsy calendar. You can import as many calendars as you need into your Outdoorsy calendar. Keep in mind, though, that when you import a calendar, it&#8217;s attached to only one of your listings (if you have more than one)—the one you&#8217;re currently looking at in your Outdoorsy calendar.&nbsp; Of course, not every platform’s calendar can be imported, so check that it’s possible first. Your Calendar Sync settings are accessible from your Outdoorsy calendar.</p>



<h4>Outdoorsy beta</h4>



<ol><li>Click “Calendar” in the top bar</li><li>Click “Add calendar” from the sidebar on the left</li><li>Paste the ICS in the Calendar URL field</li><li>Give your new calendar a name</li><li>Click “Add calendar”&nbsp;</li></ol>



<h4>Outdoorsy classic</h4>



<ol><li>Click “Calendar” in the top bar</li><li>Click “Sync Settings” to open the sidebar</li><li>Paste your other calendar’s ICS into the “ICS Calendar URL” field</li><li>Give your new calendar a name</li><li>Click “Add”</li></ol>



<p></p>



<h2>Exporting your Outdoorsy calendar</h2>



<p>We have made exporting your Outdoorsy calendar to other sync-enabled platforms quick and easy. Export your Outdoorsy calendar to make your bookings visible in many calendaring platforms. Regardless of which user experience you have now—Outdoorsy classic or our beta—navigate to your Outdoorsy calendar to export it.</p>



<h4>Outdoorsy beta</h4>



<ol><li>Click “Calendar” in the top bar</li><li>Click “Copy URL” in the Export section of the left sidebar</li><li>Paste the ICS link in your other calendar</li></ol>



<h4>Outdoorsy classic</h4>



<ol><li>Click “Calendar” in the top bar</li><li>Click “Sync Settings” to open the sidebar</li><li>Click “Copy” under the ICS Export section of the sidebar</li><li>Paste the ICS link in your other calendar</li></ol>



<p></p>



<h2>Manually syncing your calendars</h2>



<p>Once you have imported your calendars from other platforms, they will refresh every two hours. You can refresh more frequently if you need to by clicking the “refresh” icon by the Calendar Sync settings. You can only manually refresh your every three minutes.</p>



<h4>Outdoorsy beta</h4>



<ol><li>Click “Calendar” in the top bar</li><li>Click the “refresh” icon next to the Calendar sync section of the left sidebar</li><li>Look for a green checkmark next to your synced calendars when successful</li></ol>



<h4>Outdoorsy classic</h4>



<ol><li>Click “Calendar” in the top bar</li><li>Click “Sync Settings” to open the sidebar</li><li>Click the “refresh” icon next to your synced calendars&nbsp;</li><li>Look for a green checkmark next to your synced calendars when successful</li></ol>



<p><em>Note: Outdoorsy makes no representations or warranties and takes no responsibility for any errors or issues resulting from a host choosing to sync with any third-party calendar, to include multiple guests booking the same dates. It is solely the responsibility of the host to manage their booking requests and confirm all bookings.</em></p>


What is calendar sync? How does it work?


<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide" />



<p>Sponsors: Outdoorsy, Inc. (“Outdoorsy”) and MHC Property Management, L.P. (“<strong>MHC</strong>”)</p>



<p>MHC will offer $50 off its RV retail site rates at its RV resorts and campgrounds located on ThousandTrails.com for customers who rent an RV through Outdoorsy’s website during the calendar month of July 2023, and such RV stays must be booked by August 15, 2023 and completed by August 31, 2023 (the “Promotion”). The Promotion cannot be combined with any other MHC discount or promotion and is valid for new reservations only. The Promotion requires a minimum two (2) night stay and maximum 14 night stay on an RV site. Reservations are required prior to arrival and customers must present a valid rental confirmation from Outdoorsy upon check-in. Limited quantity available MHC and/or Outdoorsy reserve the right to discontinue Promotion at any time upon written notice to the other party. [The following resorts and campgrounds are excluded from the Promotion:_Desert Vista Salome KOA, Grandy Creek KOA, Lake Conroe West KOA, Little Diamond KOA, Okeechobee KOA, Pine Island KOA, St. George KOA, Catherine’s Landing, Garden of the Gods RV Resort, Gulf Shores RV Resort, Live Oak Landing RV Resort, Pigeon Forge Landing RV Resort, Pine Mountain RV Resort and Yosemite RV Resort.</p>



<p><strong>General Terms:&nbsp;</strong></p>



<p>Subject to availability. Reservations required. Offers valid on new reservations only. Electric not included for stays of 30 days or longer. Rates do not include taxes. Amenities vary by resort. Holiday reservations are excluded. Cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion. Offer valid for customers that book an RV rental from Outdoorsy between July 1-31, 2023 and will be required to show Outdoorsy booking confirmation upon check in at campground. $50 discount valid on all RV site types; provided, however, that the following are excluded from this promotion: Reservations at Desert Vista Salome KOA, Grandy Creek KOA, Lake Conroe KOA, Little Diamond KOA, Okeechobee KOA, Pine Island KOA, St. George KOA, Catherine&#8217;s Landing, Garden of the Gods RV Resort, Gulf Shores RV Resort, Live Oak Landing RV Park, Pigeon Forge Landing RV Resort, Pine Mountain RV Resort, and Yosemite RV Resort. Offer valid on reservations with a minimum length of stay of 2 night and a maximum length of stay of 14 nights. Book by August 15, 2023. Stay must be completed by August 31, 2023. Employees of MHC Property Management, L.P. and its affiliates are excluded from this promotion.</p>



<p>Ask how you can camp all year long with our Thousand Trails Camping Pass!</p>



<p>Our Thousand Trails Camping Pass is offered by MHC Thousand Trails Limited Partnership, Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606. This advertising is being used for the purpose of soliciting sales of resort campground memberships. This document has been filed with the Department of Licensing, State of Washington as required by Washington Law. Value, quality or conditions stated and performance on promises are the responsibility of the operator, not the Department. The filing does not mean the Department has approved the merits or qualifications of any registration, advertising, or any gift or item of value as part of any promotional plan.</p>


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