Scenario: Guest causes major damage and how that might affect superhost status, future bookings, and AirCover request

[Preston35]

I am asking this as a hypothetical to understand the risks.

Scenario:

* Guest cause major damage

* Major damage requires general contract work (i.e. plumber, flooring, etc)

* general contract work makes listing uninhabitable for 7 - 14 days

* Being uninhabitable requires future bookings to be cancelled during the 7 - 14 days

How does this effect a host's superhost status?

* Having to cancel the future bookings

How does this effect the AirCover reimbursement request?

* Due to loss of income from the cancelled bookings.

Are there any other specifics that a host should think about in this type of scenario?

[Lorina14]

@Preston35 

If you keep all communication on the Airbnb platform, and let Airbnb customer support know of the issue when it happens (with pictures and documentation), they can cancel your bookings without penalty to you. 

You will need to submit all documentation for Aircover in time (14 days of booking I think) and have it addressed within 30 days or they can deny the claim. There was a great post about this recently in what to do for an Aircover claim and the host had it resolved in 12 days which is a record!

I don’t believe Aircover covers loss of income but I could be wrong. @Joan2709 is there anything else he should be aware of?

[Joan2709]

Thanks for the tag @Lorina14...think you covered the important points. 

You'll need to have Airbnb for sure cancel the bookings for you due to the damage as @Lorina14 said and the cancellations should not affect your Superhost status. It will reduce the number of stays/nights that is calculated for Superhost, so not sure how Airbnb handles that.

Aircover is supposed to cover the loss from the cancelled stays.  Be prepared for the reimbursement for repairs to be lengthy and protracted with receipts from your contractors scrutinized and possibly multiple requests from Airbnb for additional documentation. I would read through the terms, conditions and exclusions:

Aircover Host Damage Protection - Terms

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2869

“...Booking Income Loss” is the loss of booking income from the booked portion of an Eligible Accommodation (according to bona fide Airbnb confirmed bookings on the Airbnb Platform in force prior to the established time of loss) by you, as a Host, resulting from an Eligible Loss. Booking Income Loss does not include non-continuing charges and expenses or any loss of booking income during any period in which the Eligible Accommodation would not have been tenantable for any reason other than an Eligible Loss. Booking Income Loss will be measured starting from the time of occurrence of the Eligible Loss and ending when the Eligible Accommodation can be made ready for habitation under the same or equivalent physical and operating conditions that existed prior to the damage..."

[Lorina14]

@Joan2709Thanks for the clarity in the booking income loss aspect. I don’t recall other threads mentioning they got reimbursed for booking income loss? Do you remember if any other hosts recovered loss bookings? It’s always nice if people update the boards with what actually happened in their case so we can learn from everyone.

I know sometimes there are policies and it can be very difficult to gain the benefits of it because of a tiny loophole or fine print many may not be aware of (like the fact that you mentioned Aircover needs all documentation to the right team within 30 days or is ineligible for a claim even if the claim was opened in the right window of time).

[Joan2709]

@Lorina14 

Can't remember another Host who was reimbursed for cancelled bookings that I have read about here?

I know of a Host who had a tree fall on her house and unfortunately, Aircover won't reimburse for cancelled bookings in that event. She had to take the loss. She would have needed her own STR policy that would cover loss of income in that situation.