Airbnb Host Insurance

No, we cannot cover accidental damage, malicious damage, or vandalism caused by a paying guest.

However, we do cover accidental damage you cause yourself, or malicious damage if someone else, such as an intruder, causes damage to your property.

No, we cannot cover theft that has been committed by one of your paying guests. However, if you are burgled and violent and forcible means has been used to enter the property, then you will be covered.

Yes, we can offer Airbnb host insurance for full or partial rentals and house shares.

Yes. You don’t have to be a live-in Airbnb host. If you use Airbnb to run short-term lets as part of a rental portfolio, this policy will work for you.

Yes. Up to £2m for third-party claims, and up to £10m for domestic employees. Therefore if someone gets hurt in and around your Airbnb property, you’ll be covered. Please note that you and your relatives however, are not covered.

We can cover as many guests as you wish in your Airbnb.

Probably not. Most home insurance policies won’t cover paying guests in your home.

Not always. Your policy might not cover short term lets or anything that isn’t a standard assured shorthold tenancy (AST) agreement.

As Airbnb state, you need to carefully consider whether the host protection insurance offered covers everything you need. It won’t cover your building and contents, for instance. Read the terms, check the small print – and decide what level of risk you can afford.

No. Our Airbnb host insurance policy does include loss of income but only in the case of an insured peril such as leaks or a fire. If a guest stays with you but refuses to pay, we aren’t able to pay out the money you’ve lost.

Yes, you can add cover for home emergencies to your property insurance policy.

We have three levels of home emergency cover, starting with emergency repairs to the primary heating system at your property. It can be extended to include emergency repairs to your drainage and water services, securing broken windows and doors - and dealing with pest infestations.

It also offers you access to a 24-hour helpline and network of reliable UK tradespeople. Please talk to your Towergate adviser for details.

Airbnb is probably not the correct venture for you unless you have another property.

Airbnb does let you vet potential guests by communicating with them over the messaging service, so you can make sure your guests understand any guidelines or rules you have set out for them during their stay.

Even the most basic Airbnb hosting takes a significant amount of time and money on a host’s part. Every Airbnb host should expect the following responsibilities:

• Frequent, clear and constant communication with guests
• Smooth check-ins and check-outs
• Extensive cleaning of the hosted rooms

However, the amount of time spent on your property will differ greatly between hosts who let out their primary residence and hosts who let out dedicated units. If you are letting a property or room which is not your residence or local to you, you will also have to factor in commute time and costs to your overall schedule and budget. This can quickly add up, especially if you are managing lots of short lets and need to regularly travel back and forth to the property. If you are hiring professional cleaners or management services to check your guests in and out, you will also have to consider this cost.

Marketing your Airbnb property will also take a considerable amount of time, even if you are only advertising via the website. It’s important to make sure your listing is as accurate and up-to-date as possible – which may be time-consuming - and if you are marketing the property anywhere else, this will only add more time onto the process of setting up your adverts.

It’s very important to consider the location of your property when deciding to let, as this can greatly influence the popularity of your listing as well as the amount you can expect to charge guests per stay. If your property is located in a big city with great transport links nearby, or a popular holiday destination in the country or by the coast, then you can expect to have a steady stream of interested potential guests, and can afford to charge higher prices for their stay.

However, if your property is situated in a more isolated area with little tourism or facilities, you may struggle to find guests at all, and should adjust your expectations accordingly - in this case, is it worth the time and effort of setting up an Airbnb in the first place?

We have provided a summary of the key features of the policy, above. For details of the terms and conditions applicable, please refer to the insurance product information document and policy wording, which are available during the quotation process.

You can pay by credit card, debit card or monthly direct debit.