Airbnb’s AirCover: What It Actually Covers (And What It Doesn’t)
Every Airbnb host has seen the promise: up to $3 million in host damage protection, included free with every booking. It sounds comprehensive. For many hosts, it creates a sense of security that may be doing more harm than good.
After managing more than 50,000 guests across a 225+ property portfolio, my team has filed more AirCover claims than most hosts will see in a decade. Here’s an honest breakdown of what the program actually covers, where it falls short, and how to use it correctly when something goes wrong.
Download the AirCover Claims checklist here.
What AirCover Actually Is
AirCover is not an insurance policy. That’s the most important thing to understand before you ever file a claim. It’s a goodwill program — Airbnb’s way of providing a protection layer for hosts, but without a contractual obligation to pay the way a real insurance carrier would. Up to $3M in damage protection and $1M in liability coverage is included free with every Airbnb booking. But because it’s a goodwill program, the gap between what’s advertised and what gets paid is often wider than hosts expect.
What AirCover Covers Well
When used correctly — with proper documentation and timely filing — AirCover does pay. Guest damage to furniture, appliances, and interior spaces is covered: broken TVs, stained sofas, holes in walls. Theft of your items by guests is covered, provided you have inventory documentation. Extra cleaning costs when a guest leaves the property in an unreasonable state are covered too.
Structural damage from guest accidents is also payable in some cases. When a guest’s friend backed into the HVAC unit at one of our Jefferson Cottages properties, my team filed through the Resolution Center with time-stamped photos, a repair estimate from our HVAC contractor, and the on-platform message thread where the guest admitted responsibility. The full payout — $6,727.23 — came through in seven days.
The Gaps Most Hosts Don’t See Coming
Normal wear and tear is excluded, and so are evidence-light claims. If you can’t tie the damage to a specific guest stay with documentation, the claim will likely be denied.
More critically, AirCover only covers Airbnb bookings. If you’re also listing on VRBO or Booking.com, those platforms have entirely different processes. And the biggest gap most hosts discover too late: AirCover does not pay for lost revenue when your property is blocked for repairs. After my team won the $6,727 HVAC claim, the property was blocked for 14 days while repairs were completed. That lost income had to be pursued through our STR insurance carrier in a completely separate process.
The Claim Process: What They Don’t Tell You
The filing window is 14 days from when damage is identified, or before the next guest checks in — whichever is sooner. Older guidance still says 60 days, but that’s outdated.
You have to ask the guest for funds first. Open the Resolution Center, send a reimbursement request to the guest with the exact dollar amount and documentation attached, and wait. If they decline or don’t respond within 24 hours, escalate by tapping “Involve Airbnb.” Skipping this step means AirCover won’t engage.
Documentation wins claims. Time-stamped photos and videos, repair estimates or receipts, cleaner inspection reports, and the on-platform message thread are the foundation of every successful payout. Off-platform conversations don’t count.
Why You Still Need Real STR Insurance
AirCover is a useful first layer. It is not a complete strategy.
A dedicated STR insurance policy — from carriers like Proper, Steadily, Slice, or Progressive — covers what AirCover doesn’t: loss of income, liability beyond $1M, damage on non-Airbnb platforms, and claims AirCover won’t touch. Every property my team manages at Corzly runs a real policy underneath AirCover, not instead of it.
Think of AirCover as a backup. Build your protection strategy around a real policy that won’t leave you exposed when the $3M promise meets its limits.
Want help setting up your STR for long-term performance? The team at Corzly manages properties across multiple markets and helps operators build the systems that drive results. Reach out here.
This article was inspired by THIS EPISODE of the Short-Term Rental Richest podcast.
