Does home insurance cover Airbnb hosting?
Most standard home insurance policies do not automatically cover Airbnb hosting. They are usually written for homes that people live in, and letting a room or a whole property to paying guests can count as business use. Some insurers may allow limited letting, but this varies, so the policy wording is the place to check.
This can affect more than one part of a policy. Buildings cover, contents cover and liability cover may each carry conditions about who stays and how often. If an insurer is not told about hosting, a claim may be reduced or declined, so it may be worth raising before your first guest arrives.
Hosting a spare room while you live in the property can be treated differently from letting out an entire home, so it may help to tell your insurer which applies to you.
What does Airbnb AirCover for Hosts include?
Airbnb includes two protections for hosts at no extra cost. They do different jobs, and each has limits and exclusions.
Host liability insurance | Host damage protection | |
|---|---|---|
What it is | An insurance policy for UK hosts, underwritten by Zurich Insurance Company Ltd and arranged by Airbnb UK Services Limited. | A reimbursement programme. Airbnb states it is not an insurance policy. |
Headline limit shown by Airbnb | $1 million USD | $3 million USD |
What it may cover | Your legal responsibility for injury to a guest or others, damage to or theft of a guest's property, and damage a guest causes to shared areas such as building foyers. | Damage guests cause to your home, furnishings and belongings, damage to parked vehicles, extra cleaning in some cases, and income lost if you cancel bookings because of damage. |
What it does not cover | Intentional damage or injury, and damage to your own property caused by a guest. Other exclusions apply. | Normal wear and tear, loss of currency, loss due to natural events, and injury or damage to guests or others. Other limitations apply. |
Airbnb states that hosts in the UK cannot opt out of host liability insurance. Limits are shown in US dollars, and terms, conditions and exclusions apply, so you may want to read the current wording for host liability insurance and host damage protection on Airbnb's Help Centre before relying on either.
Both protections relate to stays booked through Airbnb. They may not respond to everything a home insurance policy would, such as damage to your property from causes other than a guest.
Do I need separate insurance for Airbnb?
Many hosts find that a standard policy and Airbnb's own protections together still leave gaps, so some arrange extra cover. Whether you need it may depend on how often you host, whether you let a room or a whole property, and what your current insurer allows. There are three common routes:
Ask your current insurer whether your policy can be extended for hosting, and whether an extra premium applies.
Look at a specialist short-let or host policy, which is designed for letting to paying guests.
Check your mortgage and lease terms first, because a lender or landlord may restrict short lets.
What could specialist short-let cover include?
Specialist short-let cover varies by insurer, so the details are worth checking in each policy. Features that may be included are:
Buildings and contents cover that recognises letting to guests.
Liability cover if a guest or visitor is injured.
Cover for damage caused by guests, which some policies treat as an optional extra.
Loss of booking income after an insured event such as a fire.
Limits on the number of nights you can host or the number of guests, which may apply.
How much does insurance for Airbnb hosting cost?
The cost of cover for Airbnb hosting may depend on whether you let a room or a whole property, how many nights a year you host, the rebuild and contents values, and the liability limit you choose.
How is Airbnb insurance different from holiday home and landlord insurance?
Airbnb hosting cover relates to letting a home or room to short-stay guests. Holiday home insurance is usually for a second property, and landlord insurance is usually written for longer tenancies, so each may treat Airbnb lettings differently.
This guide focuses on hosting guests in a property you own or live in. If your question is about a second property, see our holiday home insurance guide or our page on short term home insurance. If you let a property to tenants on longer agreements, see landlord insurance.
What should you check before you start hosting?
Read your policy wording and tell your insurer if you plan to host.
Check your mortgage or lease terms to see whether short lets are allowed.
Check whether your local authority has rules for short-term lets in your area.
Look at any limits on nights hosted, guest numbers or the type of guest.
Keep photos and a contents list so any claim can be supported.
Next steps
Read your current policy and speak to your insurer about hosting.
Review Airbnb's current AirCover terms for the stays you host.
Decide whether you may want extra cover alongside your home insurance.