We all want peace of mind when we travel, to feel safe knowing that if something should happen, you won’t be out of pocket. So the big question on our minds when booking our accommodation… Is Airbnb covered by Travel Insurance?
Yes, is the simple answer. Insurance companies deem Airbnb as pre-booked accommodation. This means your Airbnb stay is completely insurable should something happen. But always be wary of the fine print and hidden conditions.
Knowing if travel insurance covers your Airbnb stay is important. I’ve heard many horror stories from around the traps, so that’s why I have put together this article. I don’t want you becoming one of these horror stories!
This guide will cover all the important things you need to know and will hopefully answer any questions you have about guest insurance.
If you’re a host, check out my article on Airbnb host guarantee insurance, it is a real eye opener.
What Insurance do I need for Airbnb?
Any travel insurance company will now have Airbnb under their insurance umbrella. But you need to read the fine print to ensure they cover all aspects that makeAirbnb unique to hotels.
Features to tick off when looking for an insurance policy:
- Medical Expenses – This will cover you if you should fall down the stairs in your Airbnb and break a leg or sprain an ankle.
- Lost or Stolen Property – Be mindful if you are staying in a Private Room or a Shared House that your belongings are always locked up. If they aren’t and something gets stolen in a public area like the kitchen, insurance won’t cover you
- Cancellations – This will cover you if for some reason you or the host should cancel your trip.
- Personal Liability – This will cover you if you should damage something inside the property. Coverage will include If you break an expensive vase or accidentally break a window, etc.
As long as your policy has these features listed, you should be more than covered for your stay.
Pesky Government Regulations
Travelling to a country that has Airbnb banned, or limited, is when you need to be wary of insurance coverage. You will run the risk of having no insurance if your booking is illegal or unregistered. Or even worse, having your booking cancelled all together.
Government regulations are constantly changing the rules so it is hard to keep up. But a quick google of the country you are visiting should give you an idea.
Countries such as Japan and Australia have recently placed very strict Airbnb regulations. It has seen thousands of lost bookings and listings shut down. So make sure you read up before you go.
It will pay to make yourself familiar with these regulations for the next time you ask yourself is Airbnb covered by travel insurance.
Airbnb Not As Advertised
So you drive up to your Airbnb excited to see this luxurious 2 bedroom apartment overlooking the Thames. You walk through the door and it is a pigsty. It’s nothing like the photos and the only view you have is of next doors brick wall.
This scenario happens all to often and has travellers asking is Airbnb covered by travel insurance.
So, is a misrepresented Airbnb covered by travel insurance? Unfortunately not. But, Airbnb may be able to help you out here.
The Airbnb Guest Refund policy covers the following issues
- The listing isn’t clean, is unsafe or has undisclosed animals living inside.
- The number of bedrooms, advertised amenities or location is not listed correctly.
- The host fails to provide reasonable access to the property
Submitting a claim isn’t as easy as just calling Airbnb. You must show that you have tried to work out any issues with the host. You must not have
Failing that, you must contact Airbnb and they will either issue you with a refund (after you have shown proof) or find you a new place to stay.
Does Airbnb Offer Travel Insurance?
Airbnb does offer some Insurance, but it is mainly set up for hosting. The insurance covers the
Therefore, coverage includes if you damage specific items by accident or if you fall over and crack a rib. But I wouldn’t recommend solely relying on Airbnb’s insurance policies.
While Airbnb take every care to look after both guests and hosts, they make it very hard to win claims. Either party will end up out of pocket in some way rather than Airbnb paying out any money directly.
Check out my full article “Airbnb Host Guarantee Insurance – The Things They Don’t Tell You” on why I believe Airbnb’s insurances are a bit of a sham.
What if I Don’tHave Insurance But Need to Cancel?
This will depend on your
If their policy is set to Flexible then you are able to get a full refund 1 day prior to checking in. A Moderate cancellation policy will give you a full refund 5 days does arrival.
And finally, a strict policy will only give you a full refund within 2 days of booking. You’ll receive a refund on half your money if you cancel within 7 days and no refund thereafter.
You may also have to pay a service fee to Airbnb depending on how many times you cancel your trips per year. Cancel more than 3 times over 12 months and you will have to pay the fee.In other words, Airbnb doesn’t want serial cancelers.
Airbnb’s Extenuating Circ*mstances
The Extenuating circ*mstances policy will get you a full refund on a booking even if you cancel a listing with a strict cancellation
These are the Airbnb’s extenuating circ*mstances
- Severe Damage to the Home – You can cancel penalty free if you are the host and your home is not fit for guests. But only when it’s due to damage or if there are no basic amenities like running water.
- Death – If the guest or host passes away or if there is a death in the immediate family, you’ll be eligible for a refund. You will need to provide proof in the way of a death certificate, an obituary notice or a news article naming the deceased.
- Serious Illness – If you or anyone in your travelling party get seriously ill, you will always qualify for a refund. First you’ll need to present a doctors certificate showing that you cant travel. The date stamp must be after the date of your booking.
- Government-Mandated Obligations – You can claim if you get called up for jury duty, military service or a court appearance. You can also apply for a refund in the case of travel restrictions. Again, you will need to show an official notice and the date must be after the date of your booking.
- Airport and Road Closures –
You will be eligible to make a claim if it is impossible to get to your Airbnb due to airport or road closures. You must show a notice of closure or proof of your cancelled flight.
It is a bit of a sore subject with hosts and a guest can cancel their entire booking just days or hours before their trip.
And before you think that Airbnb
This is why it is so important to take out travel insurance which will cover all of the above issues and not leave any party out of pocket.
Know When to Travel
There are so many travel advisory sites out there now that will let you know if it safe to travel to a specific part of the world.
Before making a booking, you should always check the advisory warnings of the country you are visiting. This way you can benefit from the extenuating circ*mstances policy if something should happen on yourtrip.
There are three main advisory websites that I recommend. The first is the Australian SmartTraveller tool. Just enter in the country you are visiting and it will bring up a colour coded cautionary advice.
The US travel advisory gives a little more detail about how to get into a certain country. It will show if you need a visa, what vaccinations you need and has a 4 tier cautionary advice system.
And lastly the UK. This is more of a text-based advisory site which goes into more detail about natural disasters. It shows what part of the year they can occur and the frequency. They also bring up a map showing any affected areas to be wary of.
Unregistered Guests? When Not to Take Shortcuts!
With most Airbnb’s now having
Of course, some people do this without knowing they are breaking house rules. But most know full well that it is sneaky and are just out to save money.
You run the risk of having no insurance by not registering every guest staying at the property with you. Airbnb is quite strict about their liability insurance, something many guests don’t realise.
It’s also important that you do not make third party bookings. I explain the pitfalls of doing this in my article on does Airbnb allow third party bookings?
So if you should fall over and break something, that guest will be on their own to pay for any damage to themselves or the property.
Conclusion
I have answered the question is Airbnb covered by travel insurance with a resounding yes.Your travel insurance provider treats Airbnb’s the same as it would a hotel. So you can travel with peace of mind.
Can you travel without insurance and still have coverage with Airbnb’s insurance? In some cases yes, but their insurance comes with very heavy conditions which are often hard to prove.
So in short, if you travel without insurance you are putting yourself and your Airbnb hosts at risk of losing money should something go wrong. It is really not worth the risk.
You wouldn’t hire a car without insurance, so why risk staying in someone
