Here’s How Airbnb AirCover For Hosts Protects Your Vacation Rental Business

The saying goes: prepare for the worst to happen while expecting the best. When it comes to running an Airbnb rental, this saying remains true. No Airbnb host ever expects property damage or bodily injury to occur during each guest’s stay. But, when it eventually occurs, hosts need to be prepared for it so that it does not negatively impact business. That’s where Airbnb AirCover comes in.   

Airbnb AirCover offers much-needed protection for Airbnb rentals and has become a huge drawcard for hosts to list their properties on the platform. Curious about how it works? Read on to find out what it’s all about. 

What is Airbnb AirCover for Hosts?

Airbnb AirCover is a way for the platform to provide hosts with top-to-bottom protection against damage, liability, unexpected cleaning costs, and income loss that may arise in the course of running an Airbnb rental. 

Aircover is made available to all Airbnb hosts and is completely free. In other words, if you are a host listed on the Airbnb platform, AirCover automatically applies to your vacation rentals. It is a way for Airbnb to allow hosts to keep their security deposit low and discourage charging exorbitant cleaning and pet fees.  

How Does Airbnb AirCover Work?

In a nutshell, AirCover makes it possible to get reimbursed or will limit your liability if one of the events covered by Aircover occurs at your Airbnb.  

Typically, hosts have a 14-day filing window after a guest’s stay to file a damage report for reimbursement. Then Airbnb’s goal is to make quick reimbursements and aims to pay out for the claim within about 2 weeks. Airbnb Superhosts also enjoy a dedicated support line with priority routing when filing a claim. 

What Exactly Is Protected Under Airbnb AirCover?

AirCover was recently upgraded to include a wide range of different qualifying events. Let’s take a closer look at what exactly AirCover includes: 

1. Host liability insurance

$1M host liability insurance covers hosts in the rare event that a guest gets hurt during their stay. 

2. Host damage protection

$1M host damage protection is available to cover any damage made by guests to your property and its contents.

3. Pet damage protection

In an effort to encourage pet-friendly accommodation, AirCover also covers pet damage when travelers’ four-legged guests cause any accidents. 

4. Deep cleaning protection

Deep cleaning protection covers any unexpected deep cleaning costs that hosts may not budget for. 

5. Income loss protection

Income loss protection kicks into effect if you are forced to cancel confirmed Airbnb bookings due to damage. Airbnb will reimburse you for the lost income.  

What Is Not Protected by AirCover? 

Naturally, AirCover only applies to Airbnb hosts and incidents that occur during an Airbnb stay. If you list on other OTAs like Vrbo, and the incident happens during a stay booked on that platform, the host liability insurance, host damage protection, pet damage protection, and coverage for unexpected cleaning costs all fall away.

AirCover also will not cover hosts and their properties for normal, everyday wear and tear of their rental and belongings, nor will any acts of nature be covered. It’s best to read Airbnb’s full terms for their host protection insurance. 

How Do I Submit an AirCover Claim?

• Host damage protection reimbursement 

If an event occurs that the host damage protection covers, for example, a pet or guest damages a property, there is a process to request reimbursement. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Take pictures or videos of the mess or damage so that you can submit them to Airbnb. Also, be sure to keep any receipts and estimated costs ready to submit too.
2. Describe the damage and the reimbursement request to both the guest and Airbnb support via the Resolution Center.  Hosts need to inform the guest so that they have an opportunity to respond to the request.
3. If your guest agrees to pay for the damages caused, they will do so via Airbnb, which will then transfer the payment to you. If the guest refuses to pay or does not respond within 72 hours of the request, you will be eligible for reimbursement from Airbnb. An Airbnb Support Ambassador will take ownership of the case to ensure you are properly reimbursed. 

• Host liability insurance claim

In the event of an injury that the host liability insurance covers, hosts will need to complete a liability insurance intake form. Here you will be able to describe the incident that took place so that Airbnb can process the claim.

Airbnb AirCover FAQs

• Do I need personal insurance on top of AirCover for hosts?

The short answer is yes. While AirCover for hosts is quite comprehensive and provides cover for the main instances where hosts could suffer a loss, it still has its limitations. Vacation rental insurance will give you peace of mind that your Airbnb rental is protected no matter what.

To keep your rental fully secure and manage your Airbnb effortlessly, it’s also a good idea to invest in robust vacation rental management software like iGMS. iGMS integrates with leading vacation rental insurance providers while allowing you to automate the management of your Airbnb rental. 

From one platform, you can manage all your listings across the top vacation rental sites, avoid double bookings, improve guest experience, and keep track of your vacation rental insurance and payments. 

• Does AirCover include Airbnb Experiences?

Yes, Airbnb Experiences are also covered under Experiences liability insurance. This liability insurance will cover hosts in the event that a guest is injured during their Experience, or if their belongings are damaged.

• How long does it take to receive an AirCover reimbursement?

Airbnb aims to reimburse hosts within 2 weeks of the request.