After three years hosting in Long Beach and welcoming hundreds of guests, I have filed a handful of damage claims. Most hosts dread the process. I understand why. The claim system feels opaque, the deadlines are strict, and there is nothing more frustrating than discovering real damage and then getting denied because of a paperwork error.
Here is what I have learned about how to do this right, from someone who has been through it.
TLDR
- AirCover for Hosts covers up to $3 million in guest-caused damage, free for all Airbnb hosts
- You must file within 14 days of the guest’s checkout, or before the next guest checks in, whichever comes first
- You must message the guest through Airbnb before escalating to AirCover
- Claims fail most often because of missing before/after documentation, not missed deadlines
- Set up a consistent photo routine now, before you ever need to file
What AirCover for Hosts Covers (and What It Does Not)
AirCover for Hosts is Airbnb’s built-in protection program. It applies automatically to every host at no extra cost. The coverage includes:
- Damage to your home, furnishings, and belongings caused by guests or anyone they bring
- Damage to parked cars, boats, or other vehicles on your property
- Extra cleaning costs for things like stain removal, pet accidents, or smoke odor
- Income loss if guest-caused damage forces you to cancel future bookings
That $3 million coverage limit sounds huge, and for most hosts it is far more than enough. But there are important exclusions you need to understand.
AirCover does not cover:
- Normal wear and tear (think faded paint, worn carpet edges, a wobbly chair that has seen better days)
- Pre-existing damage that was there before the guest arrived
- Cash, jewelry, collectibles, or rare artwork above $5,000 per item
- Damage caused by pets you approved for the stay (some specific pet damage is covered, but not all, so read the current policy)
- Shared or common areas in buildings with other tenants
The wear and tear exclusion is where many hosts run into trouble. If you want AirCover to pay for something, you need to show it was in good condition before the guest arrived and that the guest caused the damage. That comes down entirely to your documentation.
The Documentation System Every Host Needs
The single most important thing you can do to protect yourself does not happen after the damage. It happens before every single check-in.
Photograph your entire property before each guest arrives. Every room, every piece of furniture, every appliance, every wall, every floor. Do this consistently, every time, and make sure the photos are timestamped. Most phones embed timestamps automatically in the file metadata, but some hosts use apps that add visible timestamps to the image itself.
After every checkout, photograph the space again before your cleaner touches anything. This gives you a clear before/after record that directly connects any damage to a specific guest’s stay.
What to capture in your walkthrough:
- All furniture surfaces (tops, sides, cushions)
- Walls and baseboards
- Floors and rugs
- Appliances and their interiors
- Bathroom fixtures
- Any high-value or breakable items
- Outdoor areas, if applicable
Your post-stay cleaning checklist is the right moment to do this. Build the photo walk-through into that routine so it becomes automatic.
Keep your photos organized by reservation. I store mine in a folder labeled by check-out date and guest name. If I ever need to pull evidence, I can find it in under a minute.
How to File the Claim Step by Step
When you find damage after a guest checks out, here is the process:
Step 1: Document the damage immediately. Take detailed photos and video of every affected area before anything is cleaned or repaired. Capture wide shots for context and close-ups for detail. If an item is broken, photograph it from multiple angles.
Step 2: Contact the guest through Airbnb messaging. This is required before Airbnb will intervene. Send a message to the guest through the Airbnb platform explaining what you found and what it will cost to repair or replace. Keep the tone calm and factual. The guest has 24 hours to respond or accept the charge. Do this as soon as you discover the damage, not days later.
Step 3: File in the Resolution Center. If the guest declines to pay or does not respond within 24 hours, go to Airbnb’s Resolution Center. You can find it under your account menu. Start a reimbursement request and select the relevant reservation.
Step 4: Submit your evidence. Upload your before and after photos, any receipts for repairs already completed, written repair quotes from contractors, and a written description of the damage and how it occurred.
Step 5: Submit before the deadline. You have 14 days from the guest’s checkout date or until your next guest checks in, whichever is earlier. That second condition catches a lot of hosts off guard. If you have a same-day or next-day turnaround, you may have only hours, not days, to file.
Airbnb reviews the claim and may ask for additional information. Response times vary, but you can expect a decision within a few business days for straightforward claims.
The Most Common Reasons Claims Get Denied
The platform denies claims for predictable reasons. Knowing them in advance means you can avoid them entirely.
No before/after photos. This is the most common reason. If you cannot prove the item was undamaged before the guest arrived, Airbnb cannot attribute the damage to that guest. No documentation, no reimbursement.
Missing the deadline. The 14-day window runs from checkout, and the “before next guest checks in” clause can cut that window down to hours. Build your claim process into your checkout-day routine.
Not messaging the guest first. Airbnb requires you to give the guest a chance to respond before escalating. Skipping this step is a fast track to denial.
Blurry or incomplete photos. Airbnb reviewers need to see clear evidence. Out-of-focus images, photos without context, or images that only show part of the damage often result in partial payouts or full denials.
Claiming normal wear and tear. A faded sofa cushion, a scuffed baseboard, or a chipped plate that looks years old will likely be classified as wear and tear. Only submit claims for clear, sudden damage that a guest caused.
Overpricing the repair. If you submit a repair quote that is significantly above market rate, Airbnb may reduce the payout or deny it entirely. Get at least one official quote from a licensed contractor or show a receipt.
What to Do If Your Claim Gets Denied
A denial is not always final. If your claim gets denied and you believe the decision was wrong, you can appeal through Airbnb’s support team.
When you appeal:
- Reference the specific policy clause that supports your claim
- Submit any additional evidence you have, including photos you did not include the first time
- Keep your communication factual and specific, not emotional
- Escalate to Airbnb’s Community Support if the Resolution Center team does not resolve it
Document every communication. Keep screenshots of your messages with both the guest and Airbnb support.
Build Your Protection System Before You Need It
The best time to set up your documentation routine is not after you find a broken headboard. It is today, before your next guest checks in.
A few practical tools that help:
- Your phone’s native camera app with location and timestamp metadata enabled
- A numbered inventory list of every item in your space, with its current condition noted
- A cloud folder organized by reservation
If you use a guest guidebook, your house manual is also a good place to note your house rules around damage and your expectation that guests communicate about accidents promptly. A clear, professional guidebook sets the tone for responsible guests from the moment they arrive. I use the Complete Airbnb Guidebook template for both of my units, and having house rules documented in a polished format genuinely changes how guests treat the space.
Most guests are respectful. In three years, I have had only a small number of incidents serious enough to escalate to AirCover. But having the documentation system in place means that when something does happen, I am not scrambling. I have the evidence, I know the steps, and I can file with confidence.
That preparation is the real protection.