Guides for hosts

AirCover alternatives: insurance, deposits and proof

Which routes besides AirCover can get guest damage paid for, and what they all need.

BildProof RedaktionUpdated 9/28/20261 min read
In short

AirCover is not insurance and only applies to Airbnb bookings. Check whether your policy includes short-term letting, and record the condition before every stay, because every route asks whether the damage is new.

Which routes are there?

Which route fits depends on where you let. Every one of them asks for proof.

  1. 1

    AirCover

    A payout programme run by Airbnb, not insurance, and only for Airbnb bookings.

  2. 2

    Your own insurance

    A policy for short-term letting also covers bookings AirCover does not.

  3. 3

    Deposit

    Possible depending on the platform; on Airbnb most hosts may not charge a deposit.

  4. 4

    Other platforms

    Booking.com and Vrbo have their own damage rules, each with a 14-day deadline after checkout.

  5. 5

    Exclusions

    AirCover does not pay for normal wear, cash or consumables left freely available.

  6. 6

    The proof

    Every route asks whether the damage was already there before the stay.

Which rules apply

Under Airbnb's Host Damage Protection Terms, AirCover is not insurance and only applies to Airbnb stays. The request to the guest must be made within 14 days of checkout; for every other booking you need a route of your own.

General information, not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

Is AirCover insurance?

No, AirCover is a payout programme run by Airbnb and is not regulated like insurance. It only applies to Airbnb bookings.

Do I need insurance if I have AirCover?

If you use several platforms or take direct bookings, yes. Your own policy also covers bookings AirCover does not.

Can I charge a deposit on Airbnb?

Usually not. Most hosts may not charge a security deposit, neither through the Resolution Center nor outside Airbnb; the exception is select software-connected hosts.

More on this

GuideAirCover Won't Pay: Why Claims Get Denied and What to DoGuideGuest Damage on Booking.com and Vrbo Without AirCover

Also in this topic: How to File an AirCover Damage Claim: Step by StepReporting damage on Booking.com: deadline, process and maximum

Next guest arriving soon?

Scan your place before check-in and after check-out. Then every claim, whether to Airbnb, your insurer or the guest, rests on a comparison of before and after.

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