How Airbnb protects Hosts

Learn about Airbnb’s built-in protections.
By Airbnb on Feb 4, 2020
4 min read
Updated Mar 26, 2024

Highlights

Whether you’re a new Host or just exploring the idea of hosting, you might have questions about protecting your space and belongings when travelers stay in your home. Damage and safety incidents are extremely rare, but Airbnb has many protections in place for both Hosts and guests.

Profiles and reviews

Airbnb helps you get to know guests. If you use Instant Book, you can customize your settings to add additional guest requirements beyond our booking requirements for all guests. And if you prefer manual booking requests, you can check out guests’ profiles and read reviews from past Hosts before accepting a reservation.

Since Hosts and guests can only review each other after a reservation is complete, you can be confident that the feedback you’re reading is based on actual experiences. You can also use Airbnb’s secure messaging tool to ask questions and set expectations at any point before a guest’s stay.

AirCover for Hosts

AirCover for Hosts is top-to-bottom protection for every Host on Airbnb. This provides pre-trip safeguards to help ensure booking guests are who they say they are with guest identity verification, and helps reduce the chance of disruptive parties and property damage with reservation screening technology.

AirCover for Hosts includes $1 million USD in Host liability insurance and $3 million USD in Host damage protection, with coverage for art, valuables, parked cars, boats, and other vehicles, and more.

Learn more about AirCover for Hosts

Ground rules

Ground rules for guests are a set of enforceable standards that all guests must follow. Ground rules require guests to treat your space with respect, follow your house rules, communicate promptly if issues arise, and leave your home in a state that doesn’t require excessive cleaning. Every guest who books will agree to these rules before making a reservation.

Account security

Airbnb takes a number of measures to protect your account, like requiring extra authentication when a login is attempted from a new phone or computer, and sending you account alerts when changes are made. As long as you use Airbnb throughout the entire process—for communication, booking, and payment—you’re protected by Airbnb’s policies and protections.

Round-the-clock support

Airbnb’s global customer support is standing by in 62 languages to help with:

  • Rebooking assistance
  • Refunds
  • Mediation

Get more info about our policies and protections

With these protections in place, you can host with confidence. For more details about the important ways Airbnb keeps Hosts safe, check out AirCover for Hosts.

AirCover for Hosts’ Host damage protection, Host liability insurance, and Experiences liability insurance don’t cover Hosts who offer stays or Experiences in Japan, where Japan Host Insurance and Japan Experience Protection Insurance apply, or Hosts who offer stays through Airbnb Travel LLC. For Hosts who offered stays or Experiences in mainland China, the China Host Protection Plan applies. Keep in mind that all coverage limits are shown in USD.

Host liability insurance and Experiences liability insurance are underwritten by third-party insurers. If you’re hosting in the UK, the Host liability insurance and Experiences liability insurance policies are underwritten by Zurich Insurance Company Ltd., and arranged and concluded at no additional cost for UK Hosts by Airbnb UK Services Limited, an appointed representative of Aon UK Limited, which is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Aon’s FCA register number is 310451. You can check this by visiting the Financial Services Register or contacting the FCA at 0800 111 6768. The Host liability and Experiences liability policies within AirCover for Hosts are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The remaining products and services are not regulated products arranged by Airbnb UK Services Limited. FPAFF405LC

Host damage protection isn’t insurance and isn’t related to Host liability insurance. Under Host damage protection, you’re reimbursed for certain damages caused by guests to your home and belongings if the guest does not pay for those damages. For listings in Washington State, Airbnb’s contractual obligations under Host damage protection are covered by an insurance policy purchased by Airbnb. For Hosts whose country of residence or establishment is outside of Australia, these Host Damage Protection Terms apply. For Hosts whose country of residence or establishment is within Australia, Host damage protection is subject to the Host Damage Protection Terms for Australian Users.

Information contained in this article may have changed since publication.

Highlights

Airbnb
Feb 4, 2020
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