Understanding travel insurance for Airbnb guests

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

Guests who live in the UK and eight countries in Europe 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, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. Guests in France can buy reservation insurance.

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 or reservation insurance helps to offer protection for guests, including payment for up to 100% of their non-refundable booking costs if their trip is impacted 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 in the Help Centre:

• United Kingdom
• France
• Other countries in Europe

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 SA UK Branch. Europ Assistance SA is supervised by the French Supervisory Authority (ACPR), 4 Place de Budapest, CS92459 – 75436 Paris Cedex 09, France. Europ Assistance SA 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 SA 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, who 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 French residents: Reservation insurance is offered by Airbnb Ireland Insurance Services Limited and underwritten by Europ Assistance SA (EASA), acting through its Irish Branch. Europ Assistance SA Irish Branch (EAIB) has its principal place of business on the 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 (ACPR), 4 place de Budapest, CS92459 – 75436 Paris Cedex 09, France, and EAIB is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland for the conduct of business rules. Airbnb Ireland Insurance Services Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Terms and conditions apply.

For other EU residents: travel insurance is underwritten by Europ Assistance SA (EASA), acting through its Irish Branch, Europ Assistance SA 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. 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 the conduct of business rules. Travel insurance is offered by the insurance intermediary Aon Iberia Correduria de Seguros y Reaseguros SAU assisted by Airbnb Marketing Services SLU acting as an external collaborator. Aon’s registered office is located at C/ Velázquez, 86D, 28006-Madrid, Spain. Aon is registered at the Commercial Registry of Madrid on Sheet M-19857, Volume 1577, Page 122, tax identification number A-28109247, and it is registered on the Directorate-General of Insurance and Pension Funds’ Register of Insurance and Reinsurance Distributors under number J0107. Aon has the financial capacity and professional insurance, according to Royal Decree-law 3/2020, of 4 February 2020, on urgent measures transposing into Spanish law various European Union directives in the field of public procurement in certain sectors; private insurance; pension plans and funds and taxation and tax litigation. 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.