Does Vrbo Offer Travel Insurance?

Key Takeaways

• Vrbo offers a Travel Protection plan that’s backed by Generali 
• The plan covers your rental fees if you’re forced to cancel your trip or end your trip early
• Vrbo Travel Protection does not provide medical coverage or protection for your personal items
• The cost of Vrbo Travel Protection is similar to the price of comprehensive travel insurance
• Standard travel insurance also covers vacation rentals. Use a comparison site like Squaremouth to easily compare travel insurance quotes from multiple providers. 

Short-term rentals (STRs) are becoming more and more popular for travelers, and there are good reasons why. In cities around the world, platforms like Vrbo and Airbnb offer affordable, unique stays for guests. Amenities like a full kitchen and outdoor space provide a personal touch while traveling, especially when you’re with family or a larger group. 

But what happens when something unexpected occurs? Are you protected?

Follow along as we take a look at Vrbo, one of the world’s leading vacation rental companies, and the travel protection they offer guests who make bookings on their platform. 

Is Travel Insurance Available through Vrbo?

Yes, travel insurance is available through Vrbo. To add coverage to your trip, you will need to begin a booking on the platform and add trip protection during the checkout process. 

Generali U.S. Branch, the American arm of the Italian insurance company Generali Group, underwrites Vrbo’s Travel Protection. The plan protects your travel expenses if you’re forced to cancel or interrupt your trip for a covered reason. 

Vrbo also offers Damage Protection. Purchasing this type of plan provides you with coverage for accidental damage to a rental property during your stay. 

How Does Vrbo Travel Protection Work?

Vrbo’s insurance is very similar to travel insurance you would get through any other provider. If you suffer financial loss as a result of a covered event, you can file a claim through your Vrbo Travel Protection plan and receive reimbursement up to your policy’s specific coverage limit. 

You must purchase Vrbo Travel Protection when booking your rental. In most cases, you will not be able to add Travel Protection once your booking is already made. However, you can still buy travel insurance from a third-party provider up until the day you travel. 

What Does Vrbo Travel Insurance Cover?

Vrbo’s Travel Protection plan is designed to spare you from losses if you need to cancel your trip before departing, or unexpected costs during your trip that result from things like delays and interruptions.

Vrbo’s Travel Protection provides reimbursements in the following scenarios, as long as the reason for the change is covered.:

• Trip Cancellation: Covers prepaid, non-refundable booking expenses if you can’t make the trip due to unexpected illness, inclement weather, natural disaster, or another covered reason. 
• Trip Interruption: Covers unused, non-refundable, prepaid trip costs if your trip is interrupted due to a covered reason. 
• Travel Delay: Covers reasonable expenses (such as meals, accommodations, and local transportation) if you’re delayed more than 12 hours.

Along with reimbursements, Vrbo’s Travel Protection also provides the following travel insurance benefits:

• 24-Hour Emergency Assistance: Call center dedicated to helping fix unexpected problems immediately.
• ID Theft Resolution: Expert assistance in the case of stolen identity related to U.S. bank accounts. Extends for 180 days from your departure date.
• Telemedicine Service: Instant access to physicians for information, advice, and treatment, including prescription drugs.
• Concierge Services: Pre-trip assistance and help booking reservations (restaurant, airline, car rental, spa treatments, etc.) and getting tickets (concerts, sports, etc.).

What Doesn’t Vrbo Travel Insurance Cover?

While this provides you with important financial protection, this protection omits many benefits commonly found in most travel insurance policies. 

Here are a few key benefits not included in Vrbo Travel Protection:

• Emergency Medical: Expenses related to unexpected injury or illness while on your trip.
• Medical Evacuation: Emergency transportation if you are critically ill or injured on your trip, including to a medical facility and/or home.
• Cancel For Any Reason: Non-refundable prepaid trip costs if you can’t make the trip and cancel for an uncovered reason (virtually anything). Usually, reimbursement extends to only 50-75% of your costs.
• Baggage & Personal Items Loss: Reimbursement for lost, stolen, or damaged personal belongings. 
• Missed Connection: Reimbursement for new travel arrangements if a covered delay causes you to miss a connecting flight or cruise departure. 

Vrbo Travel Protection is also subject to exclusions, which are found in the plan’s Certificate of Insurance. 

Vrbo Travel Insurance vs. Third-Party Travel Insurance

Vrbo Travel Protection offers a convenient solution to cover your booking fees if your travel plans are impacted by unforeseen events. However, this coverage is limited, especially when compared to plans offered by reputable travel insurance companies. 

The table below highlights the key differences between Vrbo Travel Protection and third-party travel insurance.  

How Much Does Vrbo Travel Insurance Cost?

When creating a sample booking on Vrbo’s website, we found Vrbo Travel Protection to cost roughly 7% of our overall rental cost (including taxes and fees). This is equivalent to the cost of a comprehensive travel insurance policy. 

For example, if you book a one-week Vrbo property for $2,000, expect to pay roughly $140 for Vrbo Travel Protection. 

For the same price, you can find a travel insurance policy that covers your accommodation expenses and provides medical coverage while you’re away from home. This is especially valuable if you’re traveling internationally in a country that does not accept U.S. health insurance. 

Get a quote today to see pricing for top-rated plans. 

Does Standard Travel Insurance Cover Vrbo Bookings?

Yes, standard travel insurance covers your prepaid, non-refundable trip costs, such as a vacation rental booking, if you’re forced to cancel or interrupt your trip due to a covered reason. 

To be eligible for coverage, you must purchase a comprehensive plan that includes Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption benefits. Next, you will need to include your rental booking expenses within your insured trip costs when confirming coverage. 

Travel insurance typically does not cover damage to vacation rental properties. If this coverage is important to you, we recommend opting for Vrbo’s Damage Protection coverage. 

Read our ‘Vacation Rental Insurance: What It Is and Why You Need It’ article to learn more about how travel insurance coverage applies to vacation rental platforms like Vrbo. 

Is Vrbo Travel Protection Worth It?

Vrbo travel insurance is definitely worth considering if you’re making a reservation on the platform and want to protect your booking investment. The policy offered through Vrbo is backed by a reputable provider and offers important benefits like Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, and Travel Delay. 

This coverage is a good option if you already have a travel medical policy in place. 

However, in most cases, we recommend opting for third-party travel insurance. For the same price of a Vrbo Travel Protection plan, you can purchase a comprehensive travel insurance policy from a top-rated provider that includes medical coverage, baggage protection, and reimbursement for missed connections. 

A third-party travel insurance policy will also cover other trip costs you made ahead of your departure date, such as your airfare, cruise bookings, tours, and excursions. To find the best coverage, we recommend comparing plans from at least 2-3 different providers. The best way to accomplish this is to create a quote on a travel insurance comparison site like Squarmeouth.