Airbnb is adding rain insurance to its bookings, giving guests from ten European countries the option to receive money if the weather during their stay meets specific conditions.
The new Weather Protection, announced on 8 October, is provided by Chubb and offers payouts ranging from €50 to €1,000 per eligible day. The exact amount and conditions are set out in each guest’s insurance policy.
Its distinctive feature is that payment is linked to measured rainfall. Guests do not need to prove that an activity was cancelled or that they suffered a financial loss.
Does it also apply to stays in Greece?
Airbnb’s rain insurance is available to eligible residents of Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden.
Greece is not included among the eligible countries of residence. However, this does not mean that stays at Greek properties are excluded altogether.
The product is available for eligible domestic and international trips. Therefore, a resident of an eligible country may also see the option when booking a stay in Greece, provided the conditions are met. Trips to the US and certain restricted regions are excluded.
A few drops are not enough
Coverage is not triggered simply because it rains at some point during the day.
Rainfall of at least 1.5 millimetres per hour is required between 08:00 and 20:00 local time, for the minimum number of hours specified in the insurance certificate.
Measurements relate to the location of the property. If a guest encounters rain on a day trip elsewhere, this alone does not qualify them for a payout.
The product also applies specifically to rain and does not cover other weather events, such as wind, snow or hail.
How payments are made
Rainfall is monitored using weather data. When the conditions are met, guests are notified by email or through Airbnb, without having to submit a traditional insurance claim.
For the first payment, guests are asked to enter their bank details in Chubb’s portal and may need to verify their identity. Subsequent payments are then processed automatically.
The purchase option appears during checkout for an eligible booking or after booking, provided there are at least seven days remaining before check-in.
What changes for hosts
For hosts, the key distinction is that this is insurance coverage for the guest. It does not protect the property’s revenue or, in itself, change the cancellation terms.
A refund request for a booking and a payout for rain are assessed under different rules.
Hosts welcoming guests from the ten eligible countries would benefit from understanding the difference, so they can answer related questions correctly. For coverage or payment matters, guests are directed to Chubb using the contact details in their insurance documentation.
The new option adds a form of financial protection for travellers. Whether it will also help bookings outside the peak summer season remains to be seen.
