AirCover for Hosts: a guide to damage, reimbursement and evidence
Understand how AirCover for Hosts works, how to document damage caused during a stay, what information can matter in a reimbursement request, and how to prepare before a problem happens.
This page is informational content produced by Listio. We are not an official Airbnb channel and we have no relationship with AirCover. The rules, requirements, limits and deadlines for any request are set by Airbnb, can change at any time, and should be checked on the platform's official channels. No record, photo or document guarantees that a request will be approved.
What do you need to know about AirCover?
When a guest damages a piece of furniture, breaks an appliance, or an item is not found after checkout, a lot of questions come up.
In this hub we have gathered guides to help hosts understand the process, organize information, and better document the condition of the property between stays.
What is AirCover for Hosts?
AirCover for Hosts is a protection offered by Airbnb related to certain situations that can occur during a stay. The rules, requirements, limits and conditions are set by Airbnb itself and can change over time. Before starting a request, always check the current conditions directly on Airbnb's official channels.
Understand how AirCover works →Did something happen at your property?
Pick the situation closest to your case.
A broken TV, damaged furniture, a faulty appliance or another problem found after the stay. See how to document the item's condition and organize the information related to what happened.
A guest damaged an item: what to do →Cannot find a remote control, an appliance, a decorative object or another item after checkout? See how to check earlier records and document when the item stopped being found.
What to do when an item goes missing from your Airbnb →Understand which steps can be part of a damage-related request and what information is worth organizing before you start the process.
How to request reimbursement for damage on Airbnb →A request can raise further questions when the reimbursement is not approved. See what information to review and which records may be relevant to understanding the case.
AirCover denied my reimbursement: what to do →How do you request reimbursement for damage on Airbnb?
When damage is found after a stay, the first step is organizing the information related to what happened. Depending on the case, that can involve records of the item's earlier condition, photos of the damage, booking information, receipts and other documents. The process and the applicable requirements are set by Airbnb. We put together a dedicated guide explaining each step in more detail.
See how to request reimbursement on Airbnb →What evidence can matter?
One of the main difficulties shows up when you need to demonstrate how a given item looked before the stay. Depending on the case, different records can help document what happened:
The documentation you need depends on the circumstances and on the rules that apply to the case.
What evidence should you gather for AirCover? →Are photos enough?
Photos help document damage visually, but a single image may not tell the whole story. It can also matter whether you can answer:
That is why keeping a recurring history can be more useful than starting to gather photos only after a problem happens.
How to photograph and document damage →The guest says the damage was already there. Now what?
This situation shows why earlier records can matter. Imagine finding damage after checkout. You have a current photo showing the problem, but the guest says the item was already like that when they arrived. The question stops being "do I have a photo of the damage?" and becomes "do I have any record of how this item looked before the stay?". Move-in and move-out inspections and recurring photo records help build that history.
How to show an item's earlier condition →I do not have a receipt. Can I still request reimbursement?
This is a common question when an item has been at the property for a while. Depending on the case, there may be other ways to document information about the item and its value, but the requirements that apply to a request are determined by Airbnb. See our dedicated guide on the subject.
AirCover without a receipt: what to do →How long do I have to report damage?
Deadlines matter a great deal in stay-related requests. Because the rules can change and different situations can carry their own requirements, always check Airbnb's current deadlines before starting any request. It is also good practice to inspect the property as close to checkout as possible. The sooner a change is identified, the smaller the chance that other stays happen before the problem is noticed.
See the deadlines for reporting damage on Airbnb →Did AirCover deny your reimbursement?
A denial does not necessarily mean every case has the same reason behind it. The decision can depend on the circumstances of the request and on the information submitted. If your request was not approved, it can help to review:
Before and after: why keep a history of the property?
Once the problem has happened, you cannot go back in time to create an earlier record. That is why a documentation routine can start before the next booking.
Guides on damage and reimbursement
See which records can help reconstruct the timeline of an incident.
Read guide →Learn what to record as soon as you find damage.
Read guide →See how to check earlier records and document what happened.
Read guide →Learn to gather the information related to an incident instead of hunting for everything at the moment you file a request.
Read guide →See what information to review when a request does not go the way you expected.
Read guide →Understand why checking the property between stays helps pin down when a change was found.
Read guide →Get ready before damage happens
Much of the documentation used after a problem has to exist before it. A preventive routine can include:
Know which furniture, appliances and other items are part of the property.
Vacation rental inventory →AirCover and inspections: how are they related?
An inspection does not guarantee that AirCover will approve a request. The decision on any request is Airbnb's responsibility and depends on the rules and information that apply to the case. An inspection does something different: it creates records of the property's condition across stays. When a problem happens, you stop depending purely on memory to work out how a given item looked weeks earlier.
About Listio
Listio is an independent tool with no affiliation with Airbnb or AirCover. It helps vacation rental hosts and property managers organize inventories, run move-in and move-out inspections, record photos and keep a history of their properties between stays. If you want to start documenting your property before the next booking:
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