Airbnb Travel Insurance: How It Works

If your travel plans go awry, travel insurance can protect your wallet from the fallout of a covered travel hiccup. Airbnb travel insurance is an option for guests in certain parts of the world staying in an Airbnb.

Here’s what you need to know about Airbnb insurance — including what is and isn’t covered, the potential costs, and alternative travel insurance solutions.

How does travel insurance through Airbnb work?

Airbnb offers optional travel insurance to travelers booking short-term rentals through the platform. Not every guest or stay is eligible. But most U.S., some Canadian travelers, some residents of the European Union, and some U.K. residents can opt to purchase Airbnb travel insurance.

If you want to purchase Airbnb travel insurance, you’ll have the opportunity when you pay for your reservation. You can also add travel insurance after you complete your booking.

Importantly, Airbnb isn’t an insurance company. Instead, Generali underwrites the policies available to Airbnb guests.

What Airbnb travel insurance covers

Airbnb travel insurance offers relatively comprehensive travel coverage. It includes the following covered perils:

• Trip cancellation: You can get reimbursed for up to 100% of your Airbnb reservation cost if you cancel for a covered reason. This might include unforeseen weather conditions or an illness.

• Travel delay: If your trip is delayed by a covered reason, like a flight delay, for 24 hours or more, you can get a reimbursement for up to $750 per person. Covered expenses might include meals and lodging.

• Medical: You can get reimbursed for up to $50,000 per person for certain doctor-ordered medical services. Notably, pre-existing conditions aren’t covered.

• Baggage: If your luggage or personal items are lost, stolen, or damaged, you can get reimbursed for up to $250 per person.

• Baggage delay: If you don’t receive your baggage in 24 hours or more, you can get a reimbursement of up to $250 for expenses related to clothing, toiletries, and other necessary items.

• Sporting equipment: You can get reimbursed for up to $1,000 per person for lost, stolen, or damaged sporting goods.

• Sporting equipment delay: If there’s a delay of 24 hours or more in receiving your sporting equipment, you can be reimbursed for up to $1,000 per person for rentals.

• Trip interruption: If your trip is altered due to a covered reason, you can be reimbursed for up to 150% of your Airbnb reservation costs for unused nights.

• Emergency transportation: If you need a medical evacuation, you can get reimbursed for up to $100,000 per policy for these costs.

• Assistance services: You can call the assistance service emergency hotline at any time for assistance with travel issues, including trip cancellation or medical issues.

A single policy can protect you and up to nine other people staying with you at the Airbnb. You don’t necessarily need to add these people to the reservation or name them on the policy for coverage.

What it doesn’t cover

Airbnb travel insurance doesn’t cover everything.

Pre-existing medical conditions are only covered if you buy insurance within 15 days of booking and are medically able to travel. New York residents can purchase coverage at any time, as the 15-day window doesn’t apply.

It doesn’t cover medical conditions that first appeared, got worse, or required treatment in the 180-day window of when you purchased the insurance policy.

Additionally, COVID-19 isn’t covered in every situation. To file a Covid-related claim, you must provide documentation of a positive test under the supervision of a medical professional.

Cost of Airbnb insurance

Although the cost of travel insurance varies based on your trip, a policy typically costs between 4% and 10% of a trip’s total price.1

If you want to purchase Airbnb travel insurance, you can view the cost of a policy when finalizing your reservation. For example, a two-night booking in a North Carolina log cabin costs $331. The travel insurance policy costs an additional $26. If you purchase the travel insurance, Airbnb will roll that into your total at checkout.

For eligible reservations, you can also book the trip and get travel insurance later. Simply go through your booking confirmation email to book coverage.

How does AirCover work with travel insurance?

AirCover is included for guests with every Airbnb booking. In contrast to travel, reservation, or stay protection, AirCover is designed to help guests when their host can’t resolve an issue.

For example, if a host cancels your stay within 30 days of check-in, you can’t check in, you feel unsafe in the accommodations, or the listing isn’t as advertised, AirCover can help you fix the situation. Generally, AirCover can help you find a new place to stay. But if you don’t find a suitable replacement or would prefer not to rebook, AirCover may provide a full or partial refund.

Alternative travel insurance options for Airbnb stay

If you want to protect your trip, Airbnb travel insurance isn’t the only option. Below are some alternatives to consider:2

• Purchase travel insurance through a separate company. You can purchase travel insurance through a different insurance company to protect your trip. For some people, working with higher-rated companies is worth the separate transaction.

• Use built-in coverage through premium travel credit cards. Some travel credit cards offer trip interruption and trip cancellation coverage when you purchase the trip entirely with that credit card. If you have access to this built-in coverage, you might choose to skip the extra expense of a separate travel insurance policy.

When you buy travel insurance, read the fine print to protect your trip cost. Understanding the terms and conditions of your available options can help you land the best travel protection for your situation.

Airbnb travel insurance FAQs