Aircover is smoke & mirrors

[Angela1163]

So, it seems Airbnb customer support is really going downhill. And Airbnb Cover is a joke. Guest put a half-moon crease in a stainless steel sink, and they are calling it normal wear and tear. When is the last time you remember creasing a metal sinkduring normal usage??? How much force would that actually take?

In addition, the claim was open for a month and was transferred to three different reps. They ignored requests for updates or someone else finally emailed to tell me the rep handling the case was out of the office for a few days.

[Mary5479]

@Angela1163 

don’t get angry, get a 3rd party invoice /estimate. i know it’s very annoying and air cover’s threshold of wear and tear beyond normal is very very high. Best way is to get a licensed 3rd party to estimate the costs. 

Remember, Air Cover is an airbnb program, so indeed, besides providing estimate, you barely have any remedy. ….

don’t lose your temper with the claim specialist in any situation…. i’m here to warn you.

[Angela1163]

I gave them estimates from two reputable providers. 

[Angela1163]

They asked me to go back to providers to get written statements that the crease was not repairable. Which I did for both estimates. 

[Mary5479]

how much percentage did air cover pay out of your request? 1/2 or 1/3rd? 

[Robin4]

@Angela1163 

Angela, I think you have got the best outcome you could have realistically expected. 

@Elaine701 has summed it up well, Aircover is not insurance it is just a re-branded Host Protection Scheme that has been around and criticized for years. About the kindest way to describe it is.....it's a bit of company goodwill!

But you must also appreciate Support have a difficult time in assessing how to handle claims. Not all hosts are totally honest.

I have mentioned this on threads before but I once had to deal with a claim for a damaged outdoor setting. The guest had damaged 2 of the 5 seat covers with cigarette burns, and the covers were no longer replaceable. The host did all the right things, supplied ample evidence of the damage with stamped dates indicating when the damage occurred. He submitted invoice estimates for a replacement outdoor setting.

He did supply a purchase receipt for the original outdoor setting but closer investigation with the receipt supplier revealed the receipt was not for this purchase, was a copy and had been 'photo-shop' altered! He had in fact paid $270 at a local charity op-shop for that setting he was now claiming $2,500 in compensation for!

Where does support draw the line?

I think your case is relatively simple Angela......it's a sink, it's easily replaceable. Where it would have been a lot more difficult, if the countertop had been damaged. A sink is one thing, a $7,000 + countertop is another thing entirely and I think you would have struck a far higher hurdle for settlement with that than a sink. 

Best to take out adequate STR insurance that will cover you for major damage and build just a bit more into your nightly listing amount to cover minor costs, and just treat Aircover for what it is.......a possible bit of company goodwill!

Cheers.........Rob

[Elaine701]

@Angela1163 

"air cover" is not a guarantee nor an insurance (read the fine print). It's fundamentally just a marketing tool to attract hosts. 

Although we do screen guests prior to booking as much as possible, there's often some minor damage, whether it's a broken glass or a bowl or a scratch in something, and quite possibly, a damaged sink. 

To rely on a non-guaranteed non-insurance policy to cover you in these circumstances is like relying on a gambling addict to manage your bank account. 

Aside from paying for a full coverage private insurance policy specifically designed for STRs, we do keep our prices a bit higher to help offset these common costs of doing business. 

Besides, once you make a claim against a guest, you will most likely be subjected to a damaging retaliatory review, and won't likely receive any or fractional compensation anyway, which only adds insult to injury, so we generally don't fuss about anything under a few hundred bucks. And frankly, AirCover wouldn't be my first stop. If ever. The penalties for this approach too often outweigh any potential rewards. 

[Angela1163]

Thank you for your thoughts on this. I agree with you, it is a marketing tool mostly.

I am an experienced host. I have four listings, and on year five as a superhost. I do not submit reimbursement requests and understand wear vs. damage. This is damage to the house, not a broken bowl. 

The one time I submitted a damage request, for ink on wood floor in 2020, Airbnb covered the refinishing of the floor. I would argue that is closer to wear and tear than this issue.

I am a very engaged host offering a high-level experience. My frustration is about customer service and being passed from rep to rep. And a decision that seems arbitrary after supplying all of the extra documentation each rep requested. Also, each time a rep contacted me they were unfamiliar with the case, and had not reviewed the provided documentation.  I've always had a great experience with Airbnb customer service, so this is disconcerting for me. 

[Vanessa-and-Nicole0]

Gah,

I'm so sorry that this happened to you. We have also found that Air Cover can be hit or miss. Sometimes they pay out quickly, and sometimes you really have to work in order to get it handled. 

One thing you might try is having one of the professionals mention specifically that this is "beyond normal wear and tear" and that "unnatural force" or something of that nature caused the damage.

We have had to go back and forth with them on the same issues many times, and most (not all) of the time we can at least get back a good chunk of what we are asking for.

Cheers,

Stay Local Vacation Rentals

[Angela1163 · Accepted solution]

Hey, thanks for replying. They actually asked me to go back to the providers and have them state that it was not repairable. Which I did. 

Update on this issue: I asked the supervisor to call me because I disagreed with the decision. They never called, but they did give me a partial reimbursement today. They said the partial refund was based on market research in the area, however I provided two estimates that showed repair costs from in the area. 

Better than the first decision and makes much more sense. Positive outcome!