How do I file an AirCover damage claim?

What Host damage protection covers

AirCover for Hosts is Airbnb's free protection package for hosts. The part that pays for guest damage is called Host damage protection. Airbnb's help page, as of October 2026, says it can reimburse up to $3 million when a guest damages your home or belongings during an Airbnb stay and doesn't pay for it.

• •Covered: damage to the home, furnishings, valuables and belongings caused by guests or their invitees; damage to cars, boats and other vehicles parked or stored at the home; extra cleaning for stains, pet accidents, smoke odor or unapproved extra guests; and income lost when you cancel confirmed bookings because of guest damage.
• •Not covered: normal wear and tear, lost cash, natural disasters such as earthquakes and hurricanes, routine checkout cleaning (laundry, dishes, trash), and injury or damage to guests or other people, which falls under Host liability insurance instead.

Airbnb states that Host damage protection is not insurance. Different rules apply in some places: in Washington state the insurer reviews requests, and stays in Japan fall under a separate program. Read your own short-term rental insurance policy too, and ask a licensed insurance professional how it works alongside AirCover. We can't give legal or insurance advice.

Document before you touch anything

A damage claim is only as strong as the evidence you collect before anything is cleaned, moved or repaired. Before you or your cleaner touch the damaged area:

1. 1.Photograph and film the damage, wide shots to show the room and close-ups to show the detail.
2. 2.Find your before photos: your cleaner's photos from the turnover before this guest arrived, or your listing photos. They show the damage wasn't already there.
3. 3.Write down when and how it was found, and by whom.
4. 4.Keep the damaged item if it's safe to, until the claim is settled.
5. 5.Get a written repair or cleaning estimate. Use receipts once the work is done, and keep the original purchase receipt for anything you replace.

Your cleaner's turnover photos are your before photos for the next stay. If your cleaner doesn't already send end-of-clean photos, start now; see how to find and keep a reliable cleaner.

Request the money from the guest

File the request, then send the guest a short message in Airbnb messages so it doesn't arrive cold. Keep it factual and free of accusations. On desktop, as of October 2026:

1. 1.Go to the Resolution Center and choose Request money.
2. 2.Select the reservation.
3. 3.Under What is this request for?, pick the reason that fits.
4. 4.Enter the amount.
5. 5.Attach your photos, video, estimates and receipts, and add a short note.
6. 6.Choose Next, then Request.

Itemize the request: one line per item, with the amount and the document behind it. Claim the actual cost of the repair or a like-for-like replacement, not an upgrade.

When the guest doesn't pay

If the guest declines, pays only part, or doesn't respond in the 24-hour window, you can submit the request under Host damage protection and Airbnb Support reviews it. Airbnb's page also says that if you want Airbnb Support involved, you should submit your supporting documents within 14 days of the damage or loss. Some requests are reviewed and decided automatically. If you don't accept the result, you can ask for a human review and add evidence or context.

Answer any request for more information from Airbnb quickly, in the same thread, and keep everything on Airbnb. Don't agree to a cash settlement with the guest on the side once a request is open.

Mistakes that sink claims

• •Missing the 14 days from checkout. Put the deadline in your calendar the day the guest checks out.
• •Repairing before photographing. Once it's fixed, there is nothing left to show.
• •No before photos, so the guest can say the damage was already there.
• •Claiming wear and tear, such as a carpet worn thin or a sofa that sagged over years.
• •Claiming routine cleaning. Laundry, dishes and trash are part of the turnover, not damage.
• •A total with no breakdown. Each amount needs an estimate or receipt behind it.

If the guest answers your claim with a refund demand or a review threat, keep the two questions separate; see what to do when a guest wants a refund after checking out.