Understanding travel insurance for Airbnb guests

Emergencies and unexpected trip interruptions happen. That’s why Airbnb offers travel insurance for guests. 

Guests who live in the UK and 8 EU countries can insure their reservations against certain risks when booking a trip for an additional cost. When guests who buy a policy cancel for a covered reason, they’ll be able to submit an insurance claim to seek reimbursement for their unrefunded Airbnb booking cost.

This may reduce the possibility of guests asking hosts for a refund outside the terms of their hosts’ cancellation policies.

Travel insurance is available to guests who live in the UK, Ireland, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. 

Guests in these and other eligible countries have the option to buy insurance on Airbnb before confirming and paying for a reservation. The guest’s insurance premium is a percentage of their total booking cost. Before purchasing, guests can review their policy’s details and its terms and conditions.

Guests who buy insurance receive an email confirmation with their policy’s details and information about how to submit a claim. Depending on the guest’s location, policies are issued by Europ Assistance’s UK or Irish branches. Europ Assistance is a subsidiary of the Generali Group, a leading multinational insurer.

Travel insurance helps to offer protection for guests, including payment for up to 100% of their non-refundable booking costs if their trip is affected by certain covered events, like severe weather or serious illness.

For example, if a host refunds 50% of a guest’s booking cost under the host’s cancellation policy, travel insurance can refund up to the remaining 50% when the guest cancels for a covered reason. The insurance provider will not seek to recover any money from the host to pay the guest’s claim.

Coverage and terms vary by location. You can find more details on the Help Centre.

Travel insurance is different from AirCover for guests, which is provided with every booking. AirCover offers guests protection for unexpected issues like listing inaccuracies or being unable to check in.

For UK residents: Travel insurance is underwritten by Europ Assistance S.A. UK Branch. Europ Assistance S.A. is supervised by the French Supervisory authority (ACPR), 4 place de Budapest, CS92459 – 75436 Paris Cedex 09, France. Europ Assistance S.A. UK Branch is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Subject to regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and limited regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Details about the extent of our regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority are available on request. Europ Assistance S.A. UK Branch FCA register number is 203084. Travel insurance is arranged by Airbnb UK Services Limited. Airbnb UK Services Limited is an appointed representative of Aon UK Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Aon UK Limited’s FCA register number is 310451. You can check this by visiting the Financial Services Register or calling 0800 111 6768. Travel Insurance is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority; the remaining products and services are not regulated products arranged by Airbnb UK Services Limited. Full terms and conditions apply. FPAIR20243LC

For EU residents: Travel insurance is underwritten by Europ Assistance S.A. (EASA), acting through its Irish Branch, Europ Assistance S.A. Irish Branch (EAIB), whose principal place of business is Ground Floor, Block B, Riverside IV, SJRQ, Dublin 2, Ireland, DO2 RR77, and is registered with the Irish Companies Registration Office under number 907089. EASA is authorised by the French Supervisory authority L’Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution, 4 place de Budapest, CS92459 – 75436 Paris Cedex 09, France, and EAIB is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland for conduct of business rules. Travel insurance is offered by Airbnb Spain Insurance Agency, S.L.U., (ASIASL), a non-tied insurance agency registered in Spain with number AJ0364 in the Administrative Registry of Insurance Distributors of the Directorate General for Insurance and Pension Funds. ASIASL’s registered office is Calle Casanova, número 2–4, P.9, 08011, Barcelona, Spain. The insurance policy benefits and services are described on a general basis and are subject to certain conditions and exclusions.

Information contained in this article may have changed since publication.