Airbnb Excludes Hurricanes from its Refund Policy

• Hurricane Ian decimated Florida’s parts last week. Damage costs up to $47 Billion.
• Airbnb’s cancellation policy for Florida hurricanes does not apply because they are “common sufficient to be predicted.”
• Therefore, cancellations by the storm do not guarantee refunds for guests who have stayed.

Airbnb hosts and guests who cancelled their bookings due to Hurricane Ian last week may be surprised to find that they are still available. Historical stormThe app’s refund policy for weather-related issues did not cover it. 

That’s because the vacation rental platform’s “extenuating circumstance policy” — which automatically refunds guests and waives cancellation fees for hosts during unforeseeable events — specifically excludes Florida hurricanes. 

It is one of many. Weather events, natural conditions and diseasesAirbnb defines common enough to be predictable in a given location. This includes tropical storms. cyclones. hurricanes. winter storms. Competitors also follow similar guidelines. Vrbo.

Florida is a consistent winner RangsIt is one of the most requested destinations on Airbnb. AirDNA estimates that there are around 4,230 short-term rentals available on Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island and other areas hardest hit by Hurricane Ian. 

Airbnb does not automatically refund cancellations of guests who cancel their Airbnb stay due to the storm. Airbnb hosts have to decide whether to refund full or partial refunds, according to the listing’s normal procedures. cancellation policy, BloombergReport last week. 

According to one host, who rented his Tampa home via Airbnb during the storm, the guest was entitled to a partial reimbursement. He told the guest that if the cancellation was initiated by them, he would give them a full reimbursement.  

According to Airbnb host cancellation policyIf hosts cancel bookings, they may be charged between $50-1000. Insider spoke with an Airbnb spokesperson who confirmed that Airbnb made an exception for hurricane Ian and that hosts could cancel in Florida without being penalized.

The spokesperson said that guests who want to cancel their reservation sooner can use Airbnb’s search filter. 

Airbnb hosts are new to Reddit. One host lost power during the storm and asked for advice on whether they should issue their guests a full reimbursement. 

“Our guests are understandably upset and we are leaning toward offering refunds to their stays.” The user Write. We are concerned that one negative review or high cancellation rate could cause us to lose our boat if we don’t refund them. We called Airbnb, but they were slow to return our calls.

However, not all hosts are willing to give full refunds. One guest booked Airbnb on Sanibel Island two weeks ago and was told by their host that they would not cancel the booking or issue refunds. 

My host will not cancel the trip, and they won’t be issuing refunds. Airbnb’s extenuating conditions policy explicitly states that they will not cover hurricanes in Florida during hurricane season,” said the guest WriteReddit. “Is there something that can be done?” I would like to have my money back.

This post has received more than 200 responses. Many of these are from guests in similar situations. 

This predicament highlights AirCover, the travel protection that is included with every Airbnb stay. What does it and what does it not cover?. Airbnb claims that the program offers the best travel insurance, but it’s not. 

AirCover does not provide travel insurance. According to the company, you can always buy travel insurance from a third-party carrier to provide additional coverage for your trip.”