When booking a reservation through Airbnb, you may notice an option to add travel insurance and assistance services for an additional cost.
While it comes as an added expense for your trip, travel insurance is a valuable safeguard that can help protect you in unforeseen situations, such as having to cancel your trip or having a medical emergency away from home.
But is Airbnb travel insurance a good investment, and what exactly does it cover? Let’s dive deeper into Airbnb travel insurance and whether you should consider it as an add-on to your booking.
What Is Airbnb Travel Insurance?
Airbnb travel insurance is a form of travel protection for your Airbnb booking. It is designed to protect against emergencies and unexpected trip occurrences which could otherwise cause you to lose out on nonrefundable costs or medical expenses.
Essentially, Airbnb travel insurance will cover the nonrefundable portion of your prepaid Airbnb reservation expenses if a covered cancellation or trip interruption were to occur, as well as some other added benefits like medical coverage and lost luggage reimbursement.
Airbnb travel insurance is offered by Airbnb Insurance Agency LLC but is underwritten by Generali US Branch.
What Does Airbnb Travel Insurance Cover?
Airbnb travel insurance offers coverage for the following:
- Up to 100% reimbursement for your nonrefundable Airbnb reservation cost for trip cancellation (for covered reasons)
- Up to $750 per person travel delay coverage, including meals or accommodations (for covered reasons)
- Emergency medical expenses up to $50,000 per person
- Coverage for lost, stolen, or damaged luggage up to $1,000 (excludes laptops and cell phones)
- Baggage delay reimbursement of up to $250 per person for necessary items if baggage is delayed for more than 24 hours
- Reimbursement for lost, stolen, or damaged sporting equipment up to $1,000
- Reimbursement up to $1,000 per person for delayed sporting equipment
- Up to 150% reimbursement of your Airbnb reservation cost if your trip is cut short or delayed (for covered reasons)
- Coverage of $100,000 for emergency medical evacuation
Airbnb travel insurance can also cover COVID-19 as a new illness if contracted during your trip, but requires documentation of testing positive while under the supervision of a health professional.
This plan also covers pre-existing conditions as long as you buy the insurance policy within 15 days of booking your reservation, and if you are medically able to travel.
What’s the Difference Between Airbnb AirCover & Airbnb Travel Insurance?
AirCover is courtesy protection for all Airbnb guests which is included when you book your reservation. AirCover can cover you for unexpected issues when you arrive at your Airbnb like the accommodation is nothing like the listing or if you are having issues checking into your Airbnb. It can offer help to find you a new accommodation if necessary or a partial or full refund for your booking in specific situations.
Airbnb travel insurance, however, is an add-on service that costs an additional fee and provides protection for other types of travel mishaps like if your trip is canceled or delayed for a covered reason or if you get ill during your trip.
How Much Is Airbnb Travel Insurance?
The cost of Airbnb travel insurance will depend upon the cost of your Airbnb reservation cost and your destination.
On average, you can expect to pay an additional 6-7% of your total Airbnb reservation cost.
Is Airbnb Travel Insurance Worth the Cost?
There’s no doubt that adding on another cost to your trip expenses is a big decision, especially if you are traveling on a budget.
However, travel insurance can come in handy in a variety of situations, and protect you from financial loss much greater than the cost of your insurance if an unexpected event were to occur.
It is highly recommended to travel with insurance, especially if you are venturing internationally where your home country health insurance likely won’t cover you. While travel insurance definitely is worth the expense for an added layer of protection on your journey, you may want to consider other avenues rather than the Airbnb travel insurance add-on option.
What Are the Alternatives to Airbnb Travel Insurance?
Before you decide to select ‘yes’ on adding travel insurance protection to your Airbnb reservation, it is important to understand your other options.
While Airbnb travel insurance can be convenient as it is embedded in the checkout process, getting your own travel insurance is likely the better option.
When you venture out and purchase a travel insurance plan on your own, you can choose and customize your coverage and have broader protection overall.
Why Purchasing Your Own Travel Insurance is the Better Option
There are several reasons why getting your own travel insurance policy outside of Airbnb is a better option for travelers.
- Travel insurance policies purchased independently can offer broader, more comprehensive coverage than the Airbnb travel insurance policy.
- You have the option to compare plans and pricing to find coverage that is suitable for you and your budget.
- Airbnb travel insurance only covers the cost of your Airbnb reservation is the event of a trip cancellation or interruption, while independent travel insurance will cover the nonrefundable expenses of all aspects of your trip such as flight, transportation, and tours in addition to your accommodations.
- Travel insurance purchased through a marketplace like VisitorsCoverage provide much higher limits for emergency medical expenses and evacuation, and include other key benefits such as rental car damage coverage, accidental death and dismemberment, and repatriation of remains.
- If you are traveling internationally and you don’t have many nonrefundable trip costs and are mainly worried about emergency medical coverage, you can opt for a travel medical insurance plan rather than a trip-protection based plan.
Below, we have compared the Airbnb travel insurance benefits to that of one of our top selling trip insurance plans, Safe Travels Voyager.
Opt for Comprehensive Travel Insurance
By purchasing a travel insurance plan through VisitorsCoverage, you can ensure that you have the best coverage for your money, and enjoy a much broader and more comprehensive range of benefits than Airbnb travel insurance.
Compare our available top-rated travel insurance plans or reach out to our Customer Success Team with any questions.
