AirCover
Key Takeaways
- AirCover is free and automatic — every Airbnb listing is enrolled with no action required
- Covers up to $3 million in property damage and $1 million per-incident liability
- Includes income loss protection, pet damage, deep cleaning, art, valuables, and parked vehicles
- All claims must be filed within 14 days of checkout through Airbnb's Resolution Center
- AirCover is not a replacement for homeowner's insurance or a dedicated STR policy — professional hosts carry all three layers
What AirCover Covers
| Coverage Type | Limit | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Host damage protection | Up to $3M | Guest damage to the property, furnishings, electronics, and personal belongings |
| Liability insurance | Up to $1M | Bodily injury or property damage claims from guests or third parties |
| Income loss protection | Varies | Lost booking revenue when you must cancel future stays due to guest damage |
| Deep cleaning | Varies | Reimbursement for excessive cleaning after pet damage, smoke, or similar issues |
| Art and valuables | Up to $3M | Specialty items including artwork, jewelry, and collectibles |
| Auto and boat | Up to $3M | Parked vehicles and watercraft on the property during a guest's stay |
What AirCover Does Not Cover
| Exclusion | Details |
|---|---|
| Normal wear and tear | Gradual deterioration from routine use — scuffed floors, faded paint |
| Cash and securities | Money, gift cards, and financial instruments |
| Late claims | Damage not reported within 14 days of guest checkout |
| Pre-existing damage | Damage that existed before the guest arrived |
| Shared or common areas | Building hallways, lobbies, or amenities outside the host's unit |
| Non-guest events | Fire, flood, theft, or storm damage between bookings |
| Host negligence | Damage resulting from the host's own deferred maintenance or actions |
Understanding the exclusions matters as much as understanding the coverage. A guest who breaks a coffee table is covered; a leaky roof that damages a guest's suitcase is not. Keeping a pre-stay photo record is the single most effective step to ensure covered claims are approved.
How AirCover Works in Practice
AirCover is triggered through Airbnb's Resolution Center, not through a traditional insurance claims process. This distinction shapes the experience:
- Document immediately — photograph all damage with timestamped images within hours of checkout; video walkthroughs strengthen claims significantly
- Open a Resolution Center case — navigate to the reservation, select "Report damage," and itemize each damaged item with a description and cost
- Attach receipts or estimates — original purchase receipts or professional repair estimates determine the reimbursement amount; guesses are rejected
- Submit within 14 days — the deadline is hard; a single missed day disqualifies the claim regardless of the damage severity
- Respond to Airbnb requests — review teams typically request additional documentation once before making a determination; most cases resolve within 4–8 weeks
- Escalate if needed — if the initial resolution is unsatisfactory, request escalation to Airbnb's mediation process before pursuing external remedies
AirCover is not an insurance policy in the legal sense — it is a host guarantee backed by Airbnb's own funds. That means faster resolution than a traditional insurer in most cases, but also means Airbnb controls the adjudication process. Professional hosts treat it as a first layer, not a complete solution.
Why AirCover Matters — and Where It Falls Short
AirCover shifted the competitive landscape for Airbnb when it launched in 2022, consolidating what had been a patchwork of separate programs (Host Guarantee, Host Protection Insurance) into a single, higher-limit program. The $3 million damage ceiling is genuinely large — well above what most individual guests could cause — and the $1 million liability cap is standard for hospitality operations.
Where it falls short is in the gaps that matter most to professional hosts. Airbnb's own data shows that the most disputed AirCover scenarios involve wear-and-tear definitions, pre-existing damage disputes, and cleaning reimbursements below actual cost. The 14-day claim window is also tight for hosts managing multiple properties who may not do a damage walkthrough immediately after every checkout.
The gap in coverage also has an occupancy dimension: markets with higher guest turnover — Nashville, TN averages just 3.7 nights per stay versus 10.2 for New York — generate more claim events per year at equivalent occupancy rates. A host with 47% occupancy and a 3.7-night average stay in Nashville hosts roughly 46 separate guest parties per year. Each party is an independent claim opportunity.
AirCover vs. Dedicated STR Insurance
| Feature | AirCover (Airbnb) | Dedicated STR Policy (e.g., Proper, CBIZ) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free (included in Airbnb fees) | $1,000–$3,500/year depending on property |
| Damage limit | Up to $3M | Varies; typically $1M–$3M |
| Liability limit | Up to $1M | $1M–$2M standard; higher available |
| Business income protection | Limited; booking-level only | Full rental income replacement |
| Wear and tear | Excluded | Excluded |
| Non-guest events | Not covered | Covered (fire, storm, theft) |
| Adjudication | Airbnb internal review | Licensed insurer |
| Claim deadline | 14 days from checkout | Varies; typically 30–60 days |
The comparison makes the layering strategy clear: AirCover handles guest damage efficiently for most incidents, while a dedicated STR policy covers the catastrophic and non-guest scenarios that can end a hosting business. Hosts relying on AirCover alone are exposed to income loss during major repairs, to non-guest events, and to claim disputes where Airbnb's judgment is final.
Enabling Instant Book Without Sacrificing Protection
Frequently Asked Questions
AirCover for hosts provides up to $3 million in damage protection covering guest damage to your property, furnishings, and valuables — including specialty items, parked vehicles, and watercraft. It also includes $1 million in liability insurance, income loss protection if you must cancel future bookings due to damage, and deep cleaning reimbursement for issues like pet damage or smoke.
AirCover is a strong baseline, but most professional hosts carry supplemental short-term rental insurance. AirCover excludes normal wear and tear, cash, pre-existing damage, and any claim filed more than 14 days after checkout. A dedicated STR policy from providers like Proper or CBIZ fills these gaps and typically covers business income loss more comprehensively.
To file an AirCover claim, go to the Airbnb Resolution Center within 14 days of guest checkout. Document all damage with timestamped photos, videos, and written descriptions, then itemize each damaged item with original receipts or replacement cost estimates. Airbnb reviews claims and may request additional documentation; most cases are resolved within 4–8 weeks.
No. AirCover is not a substitute for a homeowner's or landlord policy. Standard homeowner's insurance typically excludes or severely limits coverage for short-term rental activity, and AirCover does not cover the structure itself against non-guest events like fire, storm, or theft between bookings. You need all three layers: homeowner's, AirCover, and ideally a dedicated STR policy.