The gust of wind blew without warning in the middle of a hot, un-air-conditioned Parisian night, blasting through an open window and toppling a free-standing mirror in my Airbnb with a terrifying crash.
Gingerly cleaning up the shards, I dreaded having to break the news to our hosts. Was the mirror a flea market purchase or a family treasure? First thing in the morning, I messaged them via the Airbnb app, apologizing and offering to pay for the damage. The reply: It was secondhand and not expensive. They generously let it go, and I could relax.
Major damage is rare in Airbnbs. Globally, only about 0.03 percent of the company’s reservations led to a property damage reimbursement of $1,000 or more in 2024, said Javier Hernandez, an Airbnb spokesman. Still, accidents happen: Guests occasionally spill red wine on white carpets or knock vases off tables. If it happens to you, what do you do? Here are some tips to navigate the process and protect yourself.
Take lots of pictures, and keep every receipt.
Make it a habit to take photos as soon as you arrive. Not only will this give you a nice way to remember your stay, it will also equip you with evidence of pre-existing conditions. Use a free app like Timestamp Camera to put a time and date on some of the pictures.
“Focus on areas that get a lot of heavy use, like the living room and the kitchen,” wrote Christopher Elliott, the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a consumer education organization, in an email. And, he suggested, immediately report any pre-existing damage via Airbnb’s in-app messaging service.
Mr. Elliott also suggested taking “after” photos as you leave, and be sure to keep those photos for at least a year in case the host files a claim later.
If something does break, photograph not just the damage but also the surrounding area, in case the host claims the problem is more extensive than it was.
If you have to call someone for immediate help, say, a locksmith or a plumber, keep the receipts. You may need them to prove your case or to file an insurance claim, and credit card statements usually aren’t sufficient.
“You want to have photos of the damage. You want to have receipts for any expenses you may have incurred out of pocket, like something you’ve had to repair on your own,” said Mark Friedlander, senior director of media relations for the Insurance Information Institute, an industry research and education organization. “Documentation is really important.”
Be honest and give details.
Message your host as soon as possible and relay exactly what happened and, if you’re at fault, offer to pay for the damage or replace what was broken. (Remember, you may be staying in someone else’s home.) Airbnb recommends using its in-app messaging service, so there’s a record of the conversation everyone can see.
You may feel tempted to hide the damage or delay telling the host until after your stay, but you’re better off acting quickly. Why? The host may be able to help you replace the item or tell you, for example, that the cabinet door has broken before and you shouldn’t worry.
“If you’re upfront, honest and detail-oriented about what happened, that’s the best way to make a conversation that involves damage much easier,” said Sarah Karakaian, co-founder and co-host of Thanks for Visiting, a company that educates short-term-rental hosts and produces a podcast. “Airbnb specifically is built on trust. In most cases, both the host and guest will find it to their best advantage if they work together to find a win-win situation.”
Don’t take no for an answer.
What if a host files a claim after the fact? Was that stain on the carpet your fault or normal wear and tear? Short-term-rental services like Airbnb, unfortunately, don’t offer clear public guidelines about which is which.
This is where those time-stamped pictures come in. Appeal the claim to the Airbnb Resolution Center (within 17 days) and share your photos and receipts. No guest is charged, Airbnb says, “without advance notice and the opportunity to pay or appeal.” After being charged, guests have 60 days to appeal.
Airbnb offers a free service called AirCover for Hosts, which provides up to $3 million in reimbursement for certain types of damage caused by guests. “AirCover for Hosts helps when accidents happen in the property and a resolution between the host and guest cannot be met,” Ms. Karakaian explained.
If you’re sure the damage was not your fault, make your case to Airbnb and follow up frequently, with the knowledge that AirCover may ultimately reimburse the host.
You might think it’s a good idea to dispute a damage charge on your credit card, but keep in mind that initiating a chargeback may be risky, as my colleague Seth Kugel, the Tripped Up columnist, frequently reminds readers. The card issuer may not find in your favor, and even if it does, you could still find yourself blacklisted by Airbnb.
Check your insurance coverage.
Homeowners’ and renters’ policies do not typically cover damage to short-term rentals, Mr. Friedlander said, but they may cover damage to or loss of a guest’s personal property in a short-term rental — say a pipe bursts and soaks your laptop.
The short-term-rental service Vrbo offers renters the option at booking to buy accidental damage protection, which covers your host’s property, and some Vrbo hosts may even require it. That insurance starts at $59 for $1,500 coverage. Airbnb does not offer damage protection insurance for guests to purchase.
Mr. Friedlander advised shopping around for a “robust” travel insurance policy that specifically includes coverage for short-term rentals. He recommended visiting a consumer comparison site like Squaremouth and working with an insurance agent “who can walk you through the intricacies and explain to you what’s covered and what may be an exclusion.”
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Danial Adkison is an editor for the Travel section at The Times.
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