Does Travel Insurance Cover AirBnb? Everything You Need to Know
Since it launched in 2008, Airbnb has become a household name among avid and casual travelers. By offering unique vacation accommodations and experiences, Airbnb is able to provide a service that many hotel chains simply can’t compete with.
However, these stays often come with a steep price tag, with NerdWallet reporting that Airbnb stays can be more expensive than hotels for many solo travelers and couples. With high costs involved, it’s no surprise that many Airbnb guests are interested in protecting their reservations with trip cancellation and reimbursement coverage.
Does Travel Insurance Cover Airbnbs?
Yes, many travel insurance policies offer cancellation and interruption reimbursement coverage for Airbnbs, hotel stays, and other vacation rentals like VRBO. In the vast majority of cases, travel insurance providers will treat your Airbnb stay as they would a hotel, resort, or other type of lodging arrangement. This means your booking must be prepaid and nonrefundable in order to be covered by insurance.
Some examples of coverage you may receive through a travel insurance policy for your upcoming Airbnb stay include:
- Last-minute cancellations by your Airbnb host
- Airbnb booking cancellations due to you or someone in your group falling ill
- Your personal belongings being stolen from the rental property
- If you need to return home early for a covered reason
- If the Airbnb is or becomes uninhabitable
Having a travel insurance plan heading into an Airbnb stay offers plenty of benefits and protection as a guest. At a fraction of the cost of your stay, a policy can offer financial protection for you and your group.
Does Airbnb Offer Travel Insurance?
Yes, Airbnb states that guests in the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, and other European Union nations can buy travel insurance when booking a trip on Airbnb.
Airbnb’s insurance policy is offered in partnership with Generali Travel Insurance, and guests can add the policy to their booking when making a reservation. The price of the policy will be shown as a line item at checkout.
What Does Airbnb Insurance Cover?
Airbnb’s insurance policy is quite comprehensive and comes at an affordable price. Here is a look at what it covers:
- Trip Cancellation: You can be reimbursed for up to 100% of your Airbnb cost if you need to cancel your trip due to a serious illness, flight cancellation, or a mandatory evacuation related to weather. The cancellation policy also covers your unused Airbnb reservation costs if you have to return home early for a covered reason.
- Flight Delay: You can receive up to $750 per person for covered delays of more than 12 hours.
- Medical Emergencies: You can be reimbursed for up to $50,000 for doctor-ordered medical services, including hospital bills, ambulance rides, and prescription medicine. However, Airbnb’s policy does not cover medical emergencies resulting from a pre-existing medical condition unless stated otherwise.
- Baggage Loss & Delay: You can be reimbursed for up to $1,000 per person for lost, damaged, or stolen baggage and travel documents, as well as unauthorized use of your credit cards. If your baggage is delayed, the policyholder is covered for up to $250 of expenses to purchase necessary items such as toiletries and clothes.
Note: The above insurance coverage was accurate at the time of publishing this article, but policies are known to change. We recommend reviewing the full policy details here.
How Much Does Airbnb Travel Insurance Cost?
Much like most comprehensive single-trip travel insurance policies, AirBnb’s travel insurance premium is charged as a percentage of your total reservation cost. Therefore, the price of Airbnb insurance changes from person to person based on the reservation details.
Generally, the cost of Airbnb travel insurance is similar to the cost of a policy purchased through a third-party travel insurance comparison site like Squaremouth. Your premium will depend on the length of your stay, your trip costs, your age, and other risk factors. To better understand pricing, try getting a quote for third-party coverage via our quote tool.
Should You Get Your Travel Insurance Through AirBnb?
Airbnb’s insurance is a solid option, but it’s always a good idea to compare policies from multiple companies before deciding. Cost and coverage options can vary greatly from one travel insurance company to the next, so we recommend comparing policies to find the best coverage at the lowest price.
Some places to get quotes include directly through Airbnb, comparison sites like Squaremouth, and through your airline when buying a ticket.
Squaremouth’s Travel Insurance Recommendations:
For most trips that involve a vacation rental, we recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes the following benefits:
- Trip Cancellation: Provides reimbursement for your prepaid, non-refundable trip costs if you need to cancel for a covered reason, such as unforeseen injuries, illness, or natural disasters.
- Trip Interruption: Offers reimbursement for any unused, non-refundable trip costs if you need to end your trip early for a covered reason.
- Travel Delay: Covers the cost of food and accommodation if your flight is significantly delayed en route to your destination.
- Emergency Medical: Covers the cost of emergency medical services, including hospital bills and ambulance rides, if you experience an unforeseen illness or injury during your trip. Exclusions apply.
- Medical Evacuation: Will reimburse the cost of emergency medical evacuation transportation services if deemed necessary for adequate treatment.
- Baggage Delay: Provides reimbursement for clothes, toiletries, and other necessities if your baggage is delayed in transit by at least 24 hours.
- 24-Hour Travel Assistance: Every travel insurance provider on Squaremouth offers 24-hour support before and during your trip, as well as insurance claim assistance.
Is It Worth It to Get Travel Insurance For An Airbnb?
Airbnb insurance goes further than just covering your lodgings, so in this sense, it’s a worthwhile expense when planning your trip. Whether or not you buy coverage directly through Airbnb or through another provider is at your discretion. The policy that Airbnb sells is robust, but the cost depends on your specific reservation details. Ultimately, we think it’s best to compare coverage and prices before deciding if getting insurance through Airbnb is worth it or not.
At the end of the day, the potential benefits you can receive from a travel insurance policy are worth the relatively low cost it takes to secure your coverage.