AirBNB Refusing to pay for guest damage

[Jessica4231]

Dear Community,

Does anyone have tips or experience here? Some guests destroyed a ~$4,000 table. I filed a claim, and Airbnb found a different very poor quality table for 1/10 the value, depreciated it according to their own imaginary schedule, and and refuses to offer me any more than that. I have appealed twice and they refuse to pay any more.

This is not in keeping with their own published policies which say they will cover damage based on "similar type and quality".  I also notice that the real policy is effectively hidden on their site. All a normal customer can find by searching or clicking around is policy overviews that state there is a $3,000,000 insurance policy that covers damage. Even so the "real" policy states they should reimburse me.

Has anyone had success getting these guys to pay up???

Thank you. -J

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Jessica4231 Aircover for damage is not a proper insurance product so Airbnb can do what it wants with no redress. Your experience is not uncommon and shows why hosts really need their own insurance for damage.

[Jessica4231]

I don't agree with this. AirBNB clearly misleads hosts into believing that there is insurance. I actually called because it was somewhat vague and they told me that YES there was insurance that would cover any damage.

Again, I'd like to know if anyone has had success in getting them to pay up after an initial low ball offer. They are offering me 1/10 of the damage.

Also by the way, they record all calls but don't allow customers to record a call. Shady as heck.

[Christy207]

Unfortunately I’m dealing with something similar. A guest burned cigarettes into my wood floor and ruined at least 10 boards. I had a contractor out and he said he’d have to sand them down and stain them. There’s no way he could get it to match the rest of the floor so he’d have to do the whole floor for $6,000. Airbnb said their estimate showed he could replace 4 boards for$208 and that’s all they’ll give. I had the contractor back out to revise the quote to repair just those boards (even though they wouldn’t match the rest of the floor) and it was $2,000. I submitted that and Airbnb said they won’t be paying anything. I looked through their terms and it actually says “

• Airbnb provides Hosts with Host Damage Protection guarantee described herein solely for the principal purpose of promoting the Aironb Platform by building customer loyalty and strengthening customer confidence as to the use of the Airbno Platform.
• These Host Damage Protection
  Terms are not an offer to insure, do not constitute insurance or an insurance contract, and do not take the place of insurance obtained or obtainable by you.
  Furthermore, these Host Damage Protection Terms are not a tenant's or homeowners

residential insurance contract or an insurance service agreement for another line of business.”

So, they only say they have coverage in order to give the appearance of trust so people will use their platform. I don’t think you’re going to get any money from them.