Airbnb Adds Rain Guarantee for Bookings in Europe

Airbnb now offers an insurance product for travelers in certain EU countries, providing daily payouts if significant rain impacts their stay.

Airbnb has introduced a weather guarantee option for travelers, joining Vrbo and Marriott in offering protection against substantial rainfall. The company is now selling an insurance product underwritten by Chubb, which can be added to a booking during checkout.

Travelers can receive between €50 and €1,000 per day if at least 1.5mm of rain falls in an hour between 8 AM and 8 PM local time at the specific location of the Airbnb, according to Airbnb's FAQs. Chubb automatically measures rainfall using third-party data from radar, satellites, and forecasts from NOAA, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, and NASA. Payments are then issued without travelers needing to file a claim.

The intent behind this offering is to help travelers recoup some costs if rain leads to altered plans. The product is available to residents of 10 EU countries and covers both domestic and international trips. It specifically measures rainfall and does not include protection for snow, hail, sleet, ice, or wind.

Vrbo, owned by Expedia, uses a different system called WeatherPromise. This is structured as a guarantee rather than an insurance product and can pay up to the full cost of a stay. WeatherPromise's pricing is determined individually for each traveler, destination, and set of dates. Both the Airbnb and WeatherPromise products focus solely on rainfall, not other weather events such as the extreme heat experienced in Europe this past summer.

For jungle stay operators, understanding such protections can inform guest communication and booking policies, particularly in regions where rain is a regular part of the climate.