Does AirCover cover pet damage, smoke, or unauthorized parties?
AirCover for Hosts generally covers pet damage, smoke remediation, and damage from unauthorized parties — but each category has conditions. Pet damage is covered whether or not the guest disclosed the pet; smoke remediation is covered when your listing is non-smoking, with a professional invoice; and unauthorized parties are covered for the damage caused, typically with the strongest claims when you can show the guest violated your house rules. In every case the claim still requires pre-stay documentation, an itemized cost estimate, and filing inside the 14-day window.
Quick verdicts on the most-asked categories
Pet damage
Scratches, stains, chewed items, accidents. Coverage applies even for undisclosed pets when damage is documented.
Smoke remediation
For non-smoking listings. Requires professional remediation invoice, not host's labor.
Unauthorized parties
Damage caused during a party that violated house rules. Airbnb's anti-party tools help flag these.
Theft of host property
Stolen items that belonged to the property, with pre-stay photos and reasonable replacement cost.
Broken appliances & furniture
Misuse or accidental breakage during the stay, with before-and-after proof.
Excessive cleaning
Covered beyond your standard cleaning fee. Requires professional cleaner invoice, not self-cleaning.
Water damage
Covered when caused by guest action (overflowed tub, left tap running). Not covered for plumbing failures.
Bedbugs & pests
Treated as an infestation issue, not damage. Pest control costs fall outside AirCover in most cases.
Lost income & blocked nights
AirCover for Hosts does not reimburse lost bookings while repairs are completed. Third-party STR insurance covers this.
Pet damage
Pet damage
Generally coveredAirCover reimburses damage caused by pets during a stay — whether or not the guest disclosed the pet when booking. An undisclosed pet may actually strengthen your claim because it documents a house rules violation in addition to the damage itself.
Commonly covered
- Scratched floors, door frames, furniture
- Stains or accidents on carpet, rugs, bedding, upholstery
- Chewed items (baseboards, cables, furniture legs)
- Odor remediation requiring professional treatment
- Replacement of soiled linens or small furnishings
Weaker claims
- Pet damage on pet-friendly listings where "reasonable wear" applies to pet-typical scratches
- Odor claims without a professional remediation invoice (host noticed a smell doesn't qualify)
- Damage you can't match to this specific stay — if pet-friendly listings have multiple pet guests, pre-stay photos are essential
Evidence that wins
Before-and-after photos of the affected surfaces, pet-hair or soiling close-ups with scale reference, and any house rule or booking message where the guest claimed no pet or agreed to a pet policy.
Smoke damage and remediation
Smoke damage (cigarettes, cigars, cannabis, vape)
Covered for non-smoking listingsIf your house rules prohibit smoking and a guest smokes inside the unit, AirCover reimburses professional remediation costs — often one of the higher-dollar claim categories. The key is a non-smoking rule clearly stated in your listing and house rules, plus a professional invoice for the cleaning or remediation work.
Commonly covered
- Ozone treatment or professional smoke odor remediation
- Deep cleaning specifically for smoke residue (nicotine yellowing, tar on surfaces)
- Replacement of linens, pillows, or curtains that absorbed smoke
- Repainting in severe cases with contractor invoice
Weaker claims
- "The place smells like smoke" without a professional assessment or invoice
- Claims without a non-smoking rule in your listing terms
- Outdoor smoking on patios or balconies where the house rules allow it or are silent
Evidence that wins
A dated video walk-through with narration noting the smell, photos of visible residue (yellowing on walls, ashes, cigarette burns), a professional remediation invoice with scope of work, and a screenshot of your non-smoking house rule from the listing.
Unauthorized parties
Unauthorized parties
Covered for resulting damageAirbnb has a global party ban on most listings and anti-party technology that flags high-risk bookings. When a party happens and causes damage, AirCover covers the damage itself. The party violation strengthens the case because it documents that the guest breached the reservation terms.
Commonly covered
- Damage to furniture, fixtures, and walls from crowds
- Stained or destroyed floors, carpets, upholstery
- Broken or missing decor and inventory
- Excessive cleaning beyond normal turnover
- HVAC or plumbing damage from overcrowding
Weaker claims
- Noise complaints or HOA fines — these aren't property damage
- Claims for "wear from many people" without specific broken or damaged items
- Parties that occurred on approved group bookings where the number of guests was disclosed
Evidence that wins
Noise complaint logs, neighbor reports, security camera exterior footage (when allowed and disclosed), Ring or doorbell activity, photos of party debris during the turnover, and any guest messages admitting additional visitors.
Theft of host property
Theft (stolen items)
Covered with documentationAirCover reimburses theft of items that belonged to the property: small appliances, decor, linens, electronics, artwork, kitchen gear. Cash, securities, and jewelry are typically excluded. Theft claims have the highest evidence bar because "missing" is easier to dispute than visible damage.
Evidence that wins
Pre-stay inventory photos showing the item in place, post-stay photos of the empty spot, model numbers or serials from your inventory records, and a retail replacement price. For higher-value items, a police report adds credibility.
Other commonly asked categories
Excessive cleaning
Covered above standard cleaning feeYour listing already charges a cleaning fee. AirCover picks up the portion that exceeds normal turnover — for example, a $120 cleaning fee against a $450 professional deep clean after a guest leaves vomit, food waste, or excessive mess. Submit the professional invoice and your standard cleaning fee as a baseline. Your own labor isn't reimbursable.
Water damage
Covered for guest-caused incidentsCovered when the guest caused it: overflowed tub, flooded bathroom, plant watering on wood floors, kids in sinks. Not covered for pre-existing plumbing failures, roof leaks, or burst pipes outside guest control. Evidence the guest caused the incident (messages, timeline, visible signs) matters as much as the damage photos.
Bedbugs and pest infestations
Generally not coveredPest control and infestations fall outside AirCover in most cases because they're treated as property condition issues, not damage from a specific guest. Exceptions are rare and require clear proof the guest introduced the pest (rare outside of bedbugs from luggage, which is hard to attribute). Budget pest control as property expense, not as reimbursable.
Lost income and blocked nights
Not covered by AirCoverIf damage forces you to block nights for repair, the lost bookings aren't reimbursed by AirCover in most cases. This is the single biggest gap in AirCover coverage and the main reason to layer third-party short-term rental insurance (Proper, Steadily, Safely, etc.) on top — those policies cover loss-of-use alongside the damage itself.
Frequently asked questions
If the guest didn't disclose a pet, does AirCover still cover the damage?
Usually yes. Undisclosed pets don't void coverage for the damage they cause; if anything, the undisclosed pet documents a house rules violation. Submit the damage evidence as you normally would plus any guest messages claiming no pet.
Can I claim smoke damage if my listing doesn't explicitly say "no smoking"?
It's much weaker. AirCover reviewers look for an explicit non-smoking rule in your house rules or listing description. If it's not stated, the guest's position is "I didn't know." Add a non-smoking rule to your listing immediately and it protects every future stay.
Does AirCover cover damage if the guest brought an emotional support animal I didn't approve?
Service animals (trained assistance animals) must be accepted on Airbnb under most platform rules. Emotional support animals (ESAs) are handled differently, and policy varies by region and recent changes. For damage specifically, the category generally falls under pet damage coverage even if the animal's presence wasn't explicitly approved.
Can I claim through AirCover for neighbor complaints or HOA fines from a party?
No. AirCover reimburses damage to your property, not third-party fines, complaints, or loss of standing with a building or HOA. Document everything anyway — it helps support remove the guest or remove a retaliatory review even when the cost isn't recoverable.
What about damage from guests' guests (people who weren't on the reservation)?
AirCover still covers the damage, but the claim is stronger when you can show the guest brought additional people against house rules. Noise logs, Ring camera activity, and cleaner observations all support this.
Can I claim for wear and tear that a guest accelerated?
No. Wear and tear is excluded regardless of cause. The standard is whether the item was functional before and not functional after — not whether the guest was rougher than average. A couch that's more scuffed than usual but still usable isn't a valid claim; a couch with a burn hole through the cushion is.
Every one of these categories wins or loses on pre-stay documentation.
Rental Inspection Report produces a dated, room-by-room PDF before each guest checks in — so when pet stains, smoke residue, party debris, or missing items appear, the reviewer can see the property was fine the day before they arrived.