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Written byElizabeth Rivelli
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Elizabeth Rivelli
5+ years writing insurance and personal finance topics
Auto, home, health, and life insurance expertise
Elizabeth has extensive insurance industry experience, having written for Insureon, Rate Retriever, and Insurify. She’s also finance and insurance editor for Car and Driver.
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Edited byDanny Smith
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Licensed auto and home insurance agent
4+ years in content creation and marketing
As Insurify’s home and pet insurance editor, Danny also specializes in auto insurance. His goal is to help consumers navigate the complex world of insurance buying.
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Updated September 26, 2023
Reading time: 4 minutes
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Staying in an Airbnb can be more convenient and affordable than renting a hotel room. And now, Airbnb offers travel insurance for guests in certain regions. Travel insurance can offer valuable financial protection if you need to cancel a prepaid trip for a covered reason.
Before you book a short-term rental through Airbnb, you should review and understand the available insurance options. Here’s what you need to know about Airbnb insurance, including what’s covered, what’s not covered, and how to file a claim.
Airbnb travel insurance explained
Airbnb travel insurance is an optional policy that you can purchase when booking a short-term rental. If you need to cancel your Airbnb booking for a covered reason, your insurer will reimburse you for up to 100% of your non-refundable reservation costs. It also provides coverage for things like travel delays and medical emergencies.
Airbnb travel insurance is currently available for customers in the United States, United Kingdom, and some European countries, including Austria, Germany, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain.[1]
Good to Know
The cost of Airbnb travel insurance is a percentage of your total reservation cost. When you book your stay, you’ll have the option to add travel insurance to your reservation. The cost is added to the total reservation cost as a line item, and you pay for the policy when you check out online.
AirCover vs. Airbnb travel insurance
Every Airbnb booking includes AirCover, which covers things like last-minute booking cancellations by the host and problems during check-in. There’s also a 24/7 safety line that Airbnb guests can call if they feel unsafe.[2]
In addition, AirCover provides certain protections for hosts, like guest identity verification, $3 million in property damage protection, liability insurance, and loss of income insurance.
AirCover and Airbnb travel insurance are different products. AirCover is free with all bookings and covers significant issues that arise with a booking, like inaccurate listings or missing amenities.
On the other hand, Airbnb travel insurance is optional, and you can add it to your reservation for an additional cost. Unlike AirCover, Airbnb travel insurance will refund you for prepaid booking expenses if you need to cancel your trip for a covered reason, like flight delays or illness.
What Airbnb travel insurance covers
Airbnb travel insurance provides coverage for many unforeseen situations that can arise during travel. Here are some of the things an optional Airbnb travel insurance policy covers.[3]
Trip cancellation
If you need to cancel your Airbnb reservation for a covered reason, you can file a claim and get refunded for up to 100% of your prepaid and non-refundable costs. Covered reasons include illness and injury, flight cancellations and delays, and government mandates for evacuations due to a natural disaster or other inclement weather events.
Travel delays
This part of the policy will reimburse you for additional expenses if your trip gets delayed by more than 12 hours for a covered reason. Some covered situations include delayed flights, bad weather, and stolen passports and travel documents.
Medical emergencies
If you get sick or injured during your trip, an Airbnb travel insurance plan will reimburse you for medical costs, including prescription medication, emergency transportation in an ambulance, and hospital bills.
Delayed baggage
Guest travel insurance from Airbnb will reimburse you for lost, damaged, or stolen baggage. In addition, this policy will cover damaged travel documents and unauthorized credit card transactions that occur while traveling.
24/7 emergency and travel assistance
Airbnb offers 24/7 assistance while you’re traveling. Whether you experience a medical emergency and need to go to the nearest hospital or have questions about booking restaurants on your trip, a representative from Airbnb can provide the appropriate assistance, day or night.
What Airbnb travel insurance doesn’t cover
Airbnb travel insurance doesn’t cover everything, so it’s important to read your policy’s fine print before purchasing coverage. You’ll have the option to review the terms of Airbnb’s travel insurance contract before you add it to your reservation.
For example, for bookings made on or after May 31, 2022, having COVID-19 is no longer considered an extenuating circumstance that would allow you to cancel your trip for a refund.
There are also some location-specific restrictions. For UK travelers, Airbnb travel insurance doesn’t cover the cost of travel to and from your Airbnb listing, such as trains and ferries. It also won’t cover treatment for pre-existing medical conditions.[3]
How do you file an Airbnb travel insurance claim?
The insurance company that underwrites the policy handles Airbnb’s travel insurance claims. For U.S. residents, the underwriter is Generali. For UK and EU residents, the underwriter is Europ Assistance.[3]
You can initiate the claim process by visiting the coverage overview page on the Airbnb website and selecting “Start a Claim.” You can also contact the insurance company that underwrites your policy directly to start a new claim.[3]
Airbnb travel insurance FAQs
Below, you’ll find answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about Airbnb travel insurance.
How do you add Airbnb travel insurance to your booking?
When you reserve an Airbnb, you’ll have the option to add travel insurance to your reservation before you check out. The travel insurance premium will already be generated, so you can simply check the box to add the insurance policy to your total reservation cost.
Does Airbnb travel insurance cover COVID-19?
Airbnb travel insurance doesn’t cover COVID-19. If you test positive for COVID-19 and need to cancel your trip, the Airbnb host’s cancellation policy will apply. Additionally, Airbnb travel insurance doesn’t cover unexpected travel disruptions due to COVID-19, like quarantine mandates or border closures.
Are hosts covered by Airbnb travel insurance?
Airbnb travel insurance doesn’t provide any protection for hosts or their Airbnb property. However, AirCover, which is included for free in every booking, does provide protections for Airbnb hosts, such as damage to their rental property.
Should you get insurance for Airbnb?
Airbnb travel insurance can be beneficial if you’re spending a lot of money on non-refundable bookings or want to ensure coverage for unexpected issues, like travel delays and lost baggage. However, if you’re driving a short distance to stay in a vacation rental for the weekend, this policy may not be worth the added cost.
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Elizabeth Rivelli
Elizabeth Rivelli is a freelance writer covering insurance and personal finance. She has extensive knowledge of various insurance lines, including property and casualty, health, and life insurance. Her byline has been featured in dozens of publications, including Investopedia, Forbes, Bankrate, NextAdvisor, and Insurance.com.
Edited byDanny Smith
Licensed auto and home insurance agent
4+ years in content creation and marketing
As Insurify’s home and pet insurance editor, Danny also specializes in auto insurance. His goal is to help consumers navigate the complex world of insurance buying.
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