Airbnb Travel Insurance: Cover Your Next Vacation Rental Booking

Does Airbnb provide travel insurance?

The long and short answer is: no, Airbnb does not provide travel insurance.

Hosts, however, are protected under the Host Guarantee and Host Protection Insurance Program. Perhaps as Airbnb develops and expands the company will develop an insurance program, but for now, travelers must look outside of Airbnb to get travel insurance for their accommodation.

Airbnb’s website covers pointers to look for when booking travel insurance through an outside insurance company, including aggregators (third parties) or buying direct. Factors to consider when thinking about buying travel insurance include:

• Is your trip subject to change for any reason?

• Might you need medical coverage when traveling?

• Or might your trip be interrupted?

All of these concerns are valid.

Can Airbnbs be covered by third-party travel insurance?

So, the next question is, is it possible to have your Airbnb vacation rental covered by third-party travel insurance? Yes, indeed, options for travel insurance through a third party do exist. Multiple third-party travel insurance companies can be used when booking your Airbnb accommodation. Here’s a running list of important policy coverage to look for:

• Trip cancellation

• Trip interruption

• Medical expenses

• Emergency assistant services such as an ambulance ride

• Lost and damaged baggage

• Cancel for any reason (CFAR) option

During your research, please read all the fine print carefully. Being well informed about what the policy covers before you reach a crisis point can be helpful if you actually need to use the insurance benefits. Additionally, it’s worth checking on your existing credit cards to see if any travel insurance benefits exist such as emergency travel assistance. Also, be sure to check in with your employer to see if you have any travel-related benefits through your work.

Travel insurance varies from country to country, so there is no one clear answer to what a third-party travel insurance plan will look like for your Airbnb. However, such online aggregators like InsureMyTrip.com and SquareMouth.com are two companies that can help tailor the right travel insurance plan to suit your needs.

What should I look out for when booking a third-party travel insurance?

If you’ve decided that you are going to buy third-party travel insurance, it’s important to know what to look for when buying. Important coverage should include:

• Last-minute cancellations by your host (also check host reviews to look out for any red flags of past cancellations)

• Theft, or robbery while you are staying in your Airbnb

• Injuries while in your Airbnb, as well as any damage to the host’s property.

If you are staying in a shared Airbnb (such as renting out a private room), be sure to lock your belongings up so as to ensure insurance coverage.

Be mindful that coverage related to COVID-19 is limited. In the event that you must cancel your trip out of fear of the virus, most insurance companies will not cover this. If you actually contract the virus before or during your trip, it is possible that insurance companies will consider this claim.

As coverage protocol surrounding COVID-19 is still being developed, it is not yet clear if insurance will cover the cost if a traveler contracts COVID-19 while staying at an Airbnb. Most likely, travelers will see an increase in the prominence of waivers and disclaimers for Airbnb guests.

What’s not covered under third-party travel insurance?

Reading your policy very carefully is advised. Make sure you know what is not covered under your third-party insurance. Nearly all third-party travel insurance companies do not cover travel to a country that is currently on a travel ban due to COVID-19 or is declared unsafe for another reason. Additional reasons may include civil unrest or war, or a natural disaster such as a tsunami or earthquake. For areas that experience a high frequency of natural disasters (such as cities on fault lines), make sure that this is covered in your policy.

Additionally, a misleading description in an Airbnb listing is not warranted enough to file a claim. For example, perhaps the gorgeous patio in the photo where you envisioned having breakfast cannot be used or is smaller than dreamed. If the description doesn’t live up to the reality, you should certainly write a review on Airbnb reflecting your experience and you may potentially be able to get a partial or full refund through Airbnb. You cannot, however, use your travel insurance against your host because of it.

Lastly, “acts of God” such as floods or fires, aren’t always covered under insurance policies. This is an area of fine print to double-check. In the case of fire, for example, the onus depends on who is responsible. Surely, if you were the one who started the kitchen fire, your claim may not be covered.

Are there any tips while booking a third-party insurance for Airbnbs?

Be sure to be well acquainted with your policy before departing on your trip. Calling the third-party travel insurance company beforehand to resolve any questions is advisable.

Additionally, knowing the nuances of insurance terms can help you understand the differences in plans. For example, trip cancellation is when the whole trip is canceled. Trip interruption, on the other hand, is when a trip is ended early.

As the world responds to COVID, the cleaning standards in short-term rentals are still being defined. Most rentals will do their best to go above and beyond their normal cleanliness, however, a gray area still exists as to what happens if a visitor gets sick while staying in a short-term rental. Insurance policies are really made for worst-case scenarios, which are not fun to envision. However, mitigating risk with an insurance policy, having a back-up plan, and being prepared for unknown circumstances such as a pandemic or natural disasters, is the best any traveler can do in this day and age.

Lastly, as stated previously, check with your credit card company to see if you have any preexisting travel benefits. Most credit cards do not cover accommodations, but knowing about the perks you may already have is a smart step to take.

Any recommended third-party insurance companies that cover Airbnb?

A number of third-party insurance companies that already have relationships with Airbnb exist. Generali Global Assistance is a familiar name in third-party insurance for frequent travelers. Their basic plan includes coverage for trip cancellation, trip interruption, baggage delay, as well as medical and dental coverage. They have additional levels of insurance that are tailored to specific trip needs such as if you’re going on a ski holiday or a cruise.

World Nomads makes it easy to buy and make claims from anywhere in the world, with 24-hour assistance. World Nomads offers coverage for such incidents as death, dental emergency, baggage, travel accidents, pregnancy, and terrorism. World Nomads is also an excellent choice for the adventurous, as the company covers over 200 adventure activities in addition to your Airbnb.

Receive a 5% discount on your travel insurance when you use our promo code “TRIP101”:

World Nomads Travel Insurance

Website:

Get a quote

Promo code: TRIP101

Lastly, Allianz Travel Insurance is another great choice for travel insurance coverage. Allianz has two plans; one for the frequent traveler called the Annual Multi-Trip Plan covering more than one trip, and the Single Trip Plan, which is just as it sounds - covering a single journey.

Three levels of coverage, Bronze, Silver, and Gold, allow you to decide which level of insurance you feel comfortable with. Like the other listed insurance companies, an online portal makes navigating insurance claims wherever you are, easily.

Use the promo code “TRIP101” when requesting a quote from Allianz Travel insurance to take 40% off on your premium:

Allianz Travel Annual Multi-Trip

Allianz Travel Annual Multi-Trip

Allianz Travel Single Trip

Allianz Travel Single Trip

Insure yourself for a peace of mind while on vacation

Traveling again feels a little more comfortable with an insurance policy at hand to ease your financial worries. When the unforeseen strikes, being prepared makes a difficult situation a little easier. In addition to purchasing a travel insurance plan, make sure you have emergency contacts in place, know the local police number and embassy number if traveling abroad, and have transportation options.

A little bit of pre-planning goes a long way to ensure your journey is as stress-free as possible. With a third-party insurance travel plan purchased, you can sit back and relax in your Airbnb. Book now to get your travel life back in motion!