Airbnb Modifies Their Host Protection Guarantee

Recently, Airbnb announced that they would be improving their claims process for Airbnb’s host protection policy. In it, they describe not receiving many claims. Specifically, “Instances of property damage on Airbnb are quite rare. On average, significant claims of damage happen less than .004% of the time.” Quite impressive, to be sure, however, people in the Airbnb community seem to think otherwise.

A couple shakes hand with a woman over a table of papers.

What is Airbnb’s Host Protection Policy?

It may be worth explaining what exactly Airbnb’s host protection policy actually is. Airbnb markets this service as “free liability insurance with coverage of up to $1 million.” While this seems like an adequate amount of coverage, it is important to know what is covered by this plan and what is not. First and foremost, host protection insurance is designed only to respond to incidents that are a result of a stay through Airbnb’s platform. That means that if you also have a website or rent on VRBO, you will not have coverage for stays attributed to these other platforms. This is reasonable, seeing as Airbnb would not want to cover claims not associated with them. This, however, is not a point of contention regarding people’s dissatisfaction with Airbnb’s insurance process.

The Community Responds

Comments from the Airbnb community were largely negative, with complaints about the time allowed to file a claim and the amounts of payouts being the most common. While Airbnb markets the host protection plan as a viable means of insurance, it is important to know that it is anything but. As mentioned before, host protection is a free service offered by Airbnb. There are no contracts that are signed or policies with Hosts as named insureds. Because of this, it is very possible that claims made to Airbnb can be either declined or receive minimal payouts, all at the discretion of Airbnb. This can often leave potential damages unresolved or improperly indemnified. This is the driving force in why short-term rental insurance exists. By having a policy that is paid for and has a named insured, the insured is entitled to the coverages described in their policies should a covered loss occur.

To this end, Proper Insurance provides unparalleled coverage for properties operating as short-term rentals. Whether an insured suffers damage from a tenant or an act of nature, our policy is designed to respond to the perils associated with operating a short-term rental. With liability coverages for things like liquor and communicable diseases, our insureds rest easy knowing that they have the best coverage in the industry.

Peace of Mind Delivered to Your Inbox

In an industry that keeps you busy enough, our monthly newsletter makes staying informed effortless. Get the latest on emerging trends, real short-term rental risks, and regulatory changes.

"*" indicates required fields

About the Author

Proper Insurance

Proper Insurance is the nation's leading short-term vacation rental insurance provider, with the most comprehensive policy on the market. We protect homes in all 50 states with unmatched coverage for your property, revenue, and business liability, customized to include guest-caused theft/damage, liquor liability, amenity liability (bikes, kayaks, hot tub, etc.), bed bugs, fleas, squatters, and more.

More
Resources

A short-term rental house with coins, a calculator,and graphs to depict tax write-offs
March 27th, 2025

Maximizing Airbnb Tax Write-Offs: What You Can Deduct on a Vacation Rental Property

Illustrated interior of cozy Airbnb Cottage with bright colors and natural light
March 20th, 2025

How to Prepare Your Home for the Short-Term Rental Market: A Complete Guide 

a man exhibits signs of legionnaires disease from a short-term rental hot tub, one cost of avoiding to effectively prevent legionnaires' disease in Airbnb hot tubs
February 28th, 2025

6 Ways to Prevent Legionnaires’ Disease in Short-Term Rental Hot Tubs | Safety Guide

Blue and yellow chairs sit outside of a vacation rental home with amenities that come with risks, including a fire pit, kayaks, and a body of water, begging the question "Does Homeowners insurance cover vacation rentals?"
February 12th, 2025

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Vacation Rental Properties?