@Lisa6148 "they told me guest would be covered under extenuating circumstances policy. At no point did the specialist I spoke to tell me if this happened I would not receive my payout. "
What did you think the extenuating circumstances policy meant? Why would a guest cancel under that policy if it didn't give them a refund? I don't quite understand why you thought you'd still get paid.
It's never a good idea to "count on" a payout. Back in March 2020 all hosts had all their bookings cancelled when Covid reared its ugly head. Those who were counting on their reservations to pay their mortgage, etc, were left in dire straits.
That's a difference between having a 9-5 job where your employer issues you a salary and being self-employed. And when you add to that that Airbnb handles the money and can decide to refund guests as they choose, it's best not to count your chickens before they're hatched.