How to Claim Airbnb Damage as a Host: AirCover Step by Step

You walk in to clean after checkout and find a scratched door, a stain that will not come out or a TV remote that has disappeared. The guest is gone and the question is always the same: who pays for this? On Airbnb, the route is to ask the guest for the amount first through the Resolution Center and, if they do not respond or refuse to pay, claim under Host Damage Protection, the part of AirCover that covers damage. The order of the steps matters, and the deadlines matter more.

What AirCover covers (and its limits)

AirCover for Hosts includes Host Damage Protection, which reimburses up to USD 3 million per booking when a guest causes damage to your property or belongings and does not pay. It also covers extra cleaning in certain cases: stubborn stains, pet accidents or smoke odour removal, among others. It is not insurance: it is an Airbnb programme with its own terms and conditions, and it is worth reading them before you have a problem.

The key is telling damage apart from wear and tear. A suitcase scuff is normal use; a blow that splits a door is not. Document both anyway: if there is doubt, the burden of proof falls on your side.

Deposit vs AirCover: which comes first

If you charge a security deposit (common with direct bookings, Booking.com or other platforms that allow it), use it first. It is faster, it does not depend on an external review and it does not consume your AirCover case. The Host Damage Protection terms require you to have made every effort to recover the amount from the responsible guest before escalating, so a correctly applied deposit also strengthens your claim.

On Airbnb, most bookings no longer carry a held deposit. The equivalent is a money request in the Resolution Center. Practical order:

1. Deposit or direct charge, if your channel allows it.
2. Money request to the guest in the Resolution Center.
3. If they do not pay, do not respond or refuse, escalate to Host Damage Protection.

The routes are not mutually exclusive: if you recover part of the amount yourself, the rest can be claimed through AirCover.

Step by step: Resolution Center → escalate to AirCover

1. Document the damage on checkout day. Photos and video with good light, from several angles, plus a wide shot of the room for context. Note the date and time.
2. Get the real cost. A repair quote, the professional's invoice or the replacement price of the item. A quote is enough to open the request; Airbnb may ask for the final invoice later.
3. Open the request in the Resolution Center. Select the booking, describe the incident with dates, amount and attached evidence. This starts the formal request to the guest.
4. Wait for the guest's response. Airbnb's guidance gives them 24 hours to pay, refuse or not reply.
5. Escalate to Host Damage Protection. If they do not pay or refuse, submit the reimbursement request through AirCover. Airbnb's Customer Support team reviews the case.
6. Respond to follow-up requests. Terms updated in 2026 apply stricter evidence standards. Provide what they ask for on time and keep every message.

Deadline: 14 days from the damage or before the next check-in

The reference deadline is 14 days from the checkout of the guest who made the booking to file the request in the Resolution Center. For Customer Support to step in with supporting documentation, the reference is again 14 days from the damage or loss. A new guest arriving does not extend the deadline: in practice it leaves you less room, because the calendar keeps running.

• Checkout: inspect the property the same day, before deep cleaning.
• Day 1-2: photos, quote and request in the Resolution Center.
• +24 h: if the guest does not pay, escalate to AirCover.
• Day 14: final date to report and document the damage.

Do not wait for the review to appear or for the season to end. Filing a complete case on time carries the most weight in the review.

Evidence: inventory, before/after photos, invoices and guest registration

A case that gets approved usually contains these pieces:

• An up-to-date inventory with dated photos of the property and its contents.
• Before/after photos or video of every stay, even a quick two-minute check.
• Quotes and invoices in your name. Price screenshots from a website carry little weight as evidence.
• Conversation inside the platform. Messages sent through external channels are not always accepted.
• Guest registration with verified identity. Knowing who was staying there, with ID and signature, reinforces the booking holder's responsibility and helps prove over-occupancy.

That record is not only evidence: in Spain it is an obligation. RD 933/2021 requires registering and reporting the data of every guest in accommodation activities, holiday rentals included. A digital check-in that captures verified identity gives you the traceability that later supports the claim. If you want to understand how document scanning fits in without storing the image, see how BnCheck's ID and passport reader works.

If your claim is refused: review and appeal

A refusal is not always final. If the reason is documentation, complete what is missing. If it is the amount, consider partial coverage or negotiate the scope. Ask for the review in writing, with the case number, and add new evidence: a technical report, the final invoice, statements from witnesses or cleaning staff. For high amounts or complex damage, the consumer or court route requires professional advice; AirCover is a private programme with its own terms and does not replace insurance.

Damage from unauthorised parties

Parties are banned on Airbnb and the consequences show in the property: more people, more noise and more damage. When there has been an unauthorised party, gather evidence of the over-occupancy (messages, neighbour complaints, the state of the property) and cross-check the number of booked guests against those registered at check-in. That mismatch is useful evidence both for the claim and for the platform, which may cancel the stay without refunding the guest. The extra cleaning afterwards can also be part of the claim.

Prevention: deposit, house rules, verified guest registration

• Clear house rules, with maximum capacity and consequences for breaking them, visible before booking.
• A deposit where the platform allows it, and always in writing for direct bookings.
• A photo inventory reviewed every season.
• A between-guests check list for whoever cleans.
• Registration of every occupant with verified identity and a signed entry form.

Each piece reduces the argument later. And when damage happens, half the case is already built. We cover related incidents in the guide to undeclared extra guests and in the bed bug protocol for holiday rentals.

This article summarises the process and conditions published by Airbnb in 2026. It is not legal advice and does not replace the platform's official terms or your insurance policy.