Airbnb has launched an optional earnings protection insurance product for U.S. hosts via a partnership with global insurer MIC Global. The plan, announced on Wednesday, is designed to provide financial assistance when hosts face interruptions that prevent them from receiving guests - including payouts tied to specific natural catastrophe events.
Under the program, payouts are parametric in nature and calculated using a listing's historical average earnings, according to Airbnb. That approach means compensation is determined by predefined triggers and the past revenue profile of a listing rather than by a traditional claims adjustment based on itemized losses.
Not every host will qualify. Airbnb set eligibility boundaries for the product: participating hosts may operate no more than five listings; they must have recorded more than 50 nights reserved over the prior year; and they must have hosted their first reservation at least one year ago. Those criteria establish a baseline of hosting history and activity required to access the policy.
The coverage is not uniformly available across the country. Airbnb said the policy will be offered in 45 U.S. states, explicitly excluding Indiana, Maine, Missouri, New Jersey, and New York from the program at this time.
Airbnb positioned the product as a response to host concerns about abrupt income loss when circumstances outside their control prevent hosting duties. In a statement, Sui Lin Cheong, vice president of AirCover and Insurance Operations, said: "Some of our very best hosts have shared how stressful it can be when something completely out of their control - such as extreme weather conditions - makes it impossible for them to host, and their income is immediately impacted. We partnered with MIC to design this first-of-its-kind product to give our hosts extra peace of mind so they can focus on rebuilding their business and doing what they love: hosting again."
From the insurer's perspective, Jamie Crystal, CEO of MIC Global, described the arrangement as combining embedded distribution, global reinsurance capacity, and parametric innovation. He framed the policy as shifting insurance toward a real-time financial safety net for people who rely on it most, emphasizing the program's distribution and reinsurance elements.
Airbnb said the earnings protection policy is intended to complement its existing AirCover for Hosts program. AirCover for Hosts is provided at no cost and automatically with every listing; it covers property damage and liability risks. The new optional policy sits alongside that free protection to address lost income from covered interruptions.
Availability note: The policy is optional and limited to qualifying hosts and participating states only. Hosts and interested parties should consult Airbnb and MIC Global for application and enrollment details.