Does Home Insurance Cover Airbnbs?

Standard homeowners insurance doesn't cover Airbnb rentals because short-term hosting counts as business activity, but endorsements and landlord policies can fill coverage gaps.

Find out if you're overpaying for home insurance below.

Written by Mark Fitzpatrick

Updated: April 22, 2026

Advertising & Editorial Disclosure

Key Takeaways

Standard homeowners insurance doesn't cover short-term rentals through Airbnb because insurers classify hosting as business activity, which is excluded under most policies.

Airbnb's AirCover for Hosts provides up to $3 million in host damage protection and $1 million in host liability insurance at no cost, but it isn't a substitute for personal insurance and excludes losses like wear and tear and cash theft.

A home-sharing endorsement added to your homeowners policy can extend dwelling, personal property and liability coverage to short-term rental activity on your primary residence.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Your Airbnb Rental?

Renting through Airbnb voids your homeowners coverage. Insurers treat paying guests as a business activity, so a standard policy won't pay claims that happen during a stay. Host without telling your insurer and it can cancel your policy outright. Review what homeowners insurance covers before listing your property.

How often you host determines what you need. Occasional rentals may qualify for a home-sharing endorsement added to your existing policy. Regular or full-time hosting requires a landlord policy or a dedicated short-term rental policy covering property damage and liability.

Coverage Options for Airbnbs & Short-Term Rentals

Three types of coverage apply to Airbnb hosts, each with different scope. Homeowners insurance covers none of these categories during rental periods. Landlord insurance and Airbnb's AirCover for Hosts fill different parts of the gap left by a standard homeowners policy.

Insurance Type	Dwelling Coverage	Personal Property Coverage	Personal Liability Coverage	Loss of Rental Income / Loss of Use
Homeowners insurance	✗	✗	✗	✗
Landlord insurance	✓	✓	✓	✓
Airbnb AirCover for Hosts	✓ (up to $3M host damage protection; not a traditional insurance policy)	✓ (up to $3M for guest-caused damage to belongings)	✓ (up to $1M host liability insurance for bodily injury or property damage to guests)	✓ (covers lost Airbnb bookings cancelled due to guest-caused damage only)

What Happens if You Don't Tell Your Insurer About Airbnb

Listing your home on Airbnb without notifying your insurer can put your entire homeowners policy at risk due to business activity exclusions. If the insurer discovers undisclosed hosting, it may deny claims or even void your policy, leaving you without coverage.

Claim Denial for Rental-Related Damage

Insurers may deny any claims tied to short-term rental activity, including fire, water damage or guest injuries. This applies once payment is accepted from a guest.

Policy Void for Misrepresentation

Some insurers treat undisclosed hosting as material misrepresentation, which can void your policy retroactively. This means you lose coverage for both rental-related and unrelated claims, and you may also have difficulty obtaining new homeowners insurance if a previous insurer cancelled or non-renewed your policy for misrepresentation. Reviewing the best homeowners insurance companies can help you find an insurer that accommodates short-term rentals.

Loss of Future Coverage Options

A canceled or non-renewed policy due to misrepresentation can make it harder to secure new homeowners insurance. Insurers may view you as higher risk after a policy issue.

Contact your insurer before your first booking. Ask whether your policy allows short-term rentals, whether a home-sharing endorsement is available and what it costs. If your insurer doesn't offer an endorsement, you'll need a landlord or commercial short-term rental policy. Shopping for cheap homeowners insurance shouldn't come at the expense of adequate coverage for your rental activity.

Home Insurance and Airbnb: Bottom Line

Your homeowners policy won't protect your home, belongings or guests once you start hosting through Airbnb. Occasional hosts who rent their primary residence can add a home-sharing endorsement to their existing policy.

Full-time hosts need a landlord policy or a commercial short-term rental policy. Call your insurer before you list, disclose your plans and ask what coverage it offers.

Airbnb & Home Insurance: FAQ

These FAQs address common questions about Airbnb hosting and how it affects homeowners insurance coverage.

Does Airbnb's AirCover for Hosts cover everything a homeowners policy would?

AirCover for Hosts doesn't replace homeowners insurance and has narrower scope. The host damage protection program covers guest-caused damage to your home and belongings up to $3 million, but it isn't an insurance policy and excludes wear and tear, cash theft, natural disasters and losses unrelated to a guest's stay. Host liability insurance covers up to $1 million if you're found legally responsible for a guest's injury or property damage, but it excludes intentional acts, mold and assault. Airbnb recommends that hosts maintain their own personal insurance alongside AirCover.

Can my insurer cancel my policy for listing on Airbnb?

Your insurer can cancel, non-renew or void your homeowners policy if it discovers undisclosed short-term rental activity. Contact your insurer before your first booking to avoid a denied claim or loss of coverage.

What does a home-sharing endorsement typically cover?

A home-sharing endorsement extends your homeowners policy's dwelling, personal property, liability and loss-of-use coverage to short-term rental activity at your primary residence. Coverage limits for guest-caused damage and theft are often lower than your standard policy limits, and most endorsements cap the number of rental days per year.

Does renting on Airbnb affect my homeowners insurance rates?

Disclosing short-term rental activity to your insurer will likely increase your premium because hosting introduces additional property and liability risk. The cost of adding a home-sharing endorsement varies by insurer but often costs less than purchasing a separate landlord or commercial policy.

Do I need landlord insurance if I only rent my home a few times a year?

Occasional hosts who rent their primary residence a few times per year can usually add a home-sharing endorsement to their existing homeowners policy instead of buying a full landlord policy. Landlord insurance is designed for properties used primarily or exclusively as rentals.

Home Insurance for AirBnbs: Related Articles

About Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer in Connecticut, is MoneyGeek's resident insurance expert. He has spent nearly a decade analyzing the market, first at LendingTree and now at MoneyGeek, where he has produced original research on hundreds of carriers and millions of rates across auto, home, renters, health and life insurance.

He writes about economics and insurance on MoneyGeek so people can make coverage decisions with confidence. His insurance insights have been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR, among other media outlets.

Like all MoneyGeek analysts, he draws on independent cost and consumer experience data, and no insurance company partnership influences his recommendations.

Fitzpatrick earned his degrees from Johns Hopkins University (M.A. Economics and International Relations) and Boston College (B.A.). He began his career in financial risk management at State Street. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!

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Sources

Airbnb. "Getting Protected Through AirCover for Hosts." Accessed May 26, 2026.