A protection program is not the same as a policy you own.
Write down who pays for each risk
From Airbnb’s AirCover for Hosts pages on Nov 5, 2026. Not insurance advice; current terms and your policy decide what is paid.
| Risk | AirCover for Hosts | Your own policy |
|---|---|---|
| Guest damages the home on an Airbnb stay | Damage protection up to $3M, not insurance | Check the policy |
| Guest is injured on an Airbnb stay | Liability insurance, $1M | Check the liability limit |
| A Vrbo, Booking.com or direct booking | Not an Airbnb stay | Needs its own coverage |
| Normal wear and tear | Not covered | Budget it yourself |
What AirCover for Hosts includes
Airbnb’s AirCover for Hosts has two parts. Host damage protection reimburses up to $3 million for damage guests cause to your home and its contents during an Airbnb stay. Host liability insurance provides $1 million in coverage if you are found legally responsible for a guest’s injury or for damage to or theft of a guest’s property.
Airbnb is explicit that host damage protection is not insurance or a financial service, and that it is not related to host liability insurance. Both have exclusions, and the current terms for your country decide what is paid.
| Part | Limit | What Airbnb says it is | Not covered, for example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Host damage protection | Up to $3 million | A protection program, not insurance | Normal wear and tear, loss of currency, acts of nature, routine check-out cleaning |
| Host liability insurance | $1 million | Liability insurance | Intentional acts; damage a guest does to your place (that is damage protection) |
Policy / product reference: Airbnb Resource Center: how AirCover for Hosts works · Airbnb Help Center: host damage protection · Airbnb Help Center: host liability insurance. Numeric examples and worksheets are HostMetrio illustrations.
Where a policy of your own fits
AirCover applies to stays booked on Airbnb. A booking on Vrbo, Booking.com or your own website is not an Airbnb stay, and the excluded losses stay with you whichever platform you use.
Ask your current insurer, in writing, whether your policy covers paid stays of fewer than 30 nights. If the answer is no or unclear, a landlord policy written for short-term rentals is the usual fix. Steadily, for example, sells short-term rental insurance in all 50 states, including damage and liability coverage, with an online quote.
Policy / product reference: Steadily: short-term rental insurance in all 50 states. Numeric examples and worksheets are HostMetrio illustrations.
Questions to ask before you buy a policy
Get these answers before the first guest arrives, and keep them with your listing records. Then add the premium to your monthly costs so the cash-flow model reflects it.
- Does the policy cover paid stays shorter than 30 nights?
- Does it cover bookings from every platform you use, not only Airbnb?
- What liability limit is included, and is it per occurrence?
- Is lost rental income covered after a covered loss?
- What deductible applies to guest damage?
- Are pools, hot tubs, pets or events excluded?
If AirCover is not enough
- Steadily
Short-term rental insurance in all 50 states, with damage and liability coverage and a quote online in minutes.
Sources & evidence limits
Substantive editorial revision and primary-source review. Original examples use the tested financial model; vendor-account, device and independent expert testing have not been performed. Reconfirm fee, plan and compatibility details before acting.
Original hypothetical examples are educational scenarios. HostMetrio does not provide individual financial, tax, legal or safety advice.
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