Travel is back like never before. After nearly two years of being cooped up, people are ready to hit the road. Demand for accommodations is rising, and Airbnb needs more hosts. This is why they announced the launch of their new host coverage program called AirCover. 

Hosts asked for changes to Airbnb’s former service, Host Protection, and Airbnb listened. AirCover replaces Host Protection and is instantly available to all hosts for free. Keep reading to learn about how these great changes are going to affect you!

Host Tools provides an automated, unified calendar for short-term rental hosts, allowing you to seamlessly list on all major channels. Start your free trial today! 

What is Airbnb AirCover?

Airbnb AirCover provides hosts with up to $3 million damage protection and up to $1 million liability protection. Previously, Host Protection only covered up to $1 million in both damage and liability protection. Airbnb AirCover is free and included in your host profile. You can utilize its benefits for every night your property is booked. 

With the rise of remote workers and digital nomads, Airbnb realized that more and more guests were not just traveling with Airbnb but living in them. Between July and September 2021, 1 in every 5 nights booked was a reservation for at least one month. When the United States announced the removal of the travel ban on November 8, Airbnb saw a 44% increase in bookings from foreigners. 

Due to the change in consumer behavior, Airbnb needed to attract more hosts. This is why they have reimagined their host protection service with AirCover.

How Does Airbnb AirCover Protect Hosts?

Airbnb AirCover not only increased the dollar amount available to cover hosts but also what is protected by AirCover. Let’s break that down:

Airbnb AirCover Damage Protection

Airbnb AirCover protects you from damage to your home’s structure and/or your belongings from guests. Previously, Host Protection only covered the structure of your home, with a grey area for personal belongings. AirCover protects most belongings in your home. There are some exceptions including fine art, jewelry, currency, and weapons. You can view the full list of excluded items here.

The increase of pet adoptions during the pandemic has caused more guests to look for Airbnbs that allow pets. Previously, Host Protection did not offer coverage for pet damages and hosts often didn’t allow guests to bring their furry friends. To encourage hosts to allow pets, Airbnb now covers property damage from pet incidents like a chewed-up couch, stained carpet, etc. 

Additionally, AirCover now covers deep cleaning expenses and income loss due to guests damages. If a guest was found to be smoking in the unit and stunk up the property, hosts are covered for their cleaning expenses to remove the smell. If a guest destroyed furniture and you had to cancel other bookings to fix the unit, AirCover will cover the income lost from those bookings.

Airbnb AirCover Liability Coverage

AirCover protects you from liability if a guest is injured, or their belongings are damaged on your property. Additionally, it will protect you from responsibility if a guest damages a common area such as a condo lobby or your neighbor’s fence. While AirCover is very good, you’ll still want to invest in short-term rental insurance to ensure your property damage and liability protection at all times.

Filing a Claim with Airbnb AirCover

Previously, Airbnb hosts complained that filing for Host Protection wasn’t easy and was difficult to do in the allowed time frame if you had back to back bookings. 

With their new streamlined approach to filing claims, hosts will receive payment in 9-11 days. Superhosts will have their reimbursement fast-tracked. 

When filing a damage claim, hosts should visit the Resolution Center. From there, guests will have 72 hours to fulfill the payment. If the guest does not complete the task, you’ll be able to utilize AirCover with a support team member. For liability insurance claims, hosts will fill out this intake form. 

We’re excited to welcome more hosts to the industry and ultimately join us here at Host Tools. If you’ve had hesitations about becoming a host, Airbnb’s AirCover program will give you the peace of mind you crave.

Remember that you and your property are protected by the following:

• $ 3 million in damage protection

• $1 million in liability protection 

• Income loss coverage

• Deep cleaning coverage

• Pet damage coverage

With AirCover’s streamlined reimbursement process you’ll have any issues resolved quickly and effectively. Once you’ve set up your account with Airbnb, link it with Host Tools to start automating your hosting tasks today!

Host Tools provides an automated, unified calendar for short-term rental hosts, allowing you to seamlessly list on all major channels. Start your free trial today!