What is VRBO Liability Insurance?
What is VRBO Liability Insurance?
VRBO’s Liability Insurance Program provides $1 million per occurrence for third-party bodily injury and property damage claims arising from stays booked through VRBO’s online checkout, plus $5,000 in medical payments coverage. It covers liability only: there is no property damage protection for the host’s own home, unlike Airbnb’s AirCover program.
What does the coverage include?
The program is underwritten by Generali U.S. Branch (NAIC# 11231) and administered by Customized Services Administrators, doing business as Generali Global Assistance (GGA). Coverage applies when a third party (a guest or a visitor) suffers bodily injury or property damage at the vacation rental property during a stay that was booked and paid through VRBO’s online checkout.
The $5,000 medical payments sublimit covers reasonable medical expenses for an injured guest or visitor regardless of fault, up to the sublimit.
What are the key exclusions?
- Injury or damage that was expected or intended by the host
- Claims arising from properties operating in violation of local ordinances that prohibit short-term rentals
- Liquor liability claims
The local ordinance exclusion is relevant to Georgia jurisdictions that restrict or prohibit STR activity, including certain municipalities in metro Atlanta and resort communities. A claim arising from a stay at a property not permitted to operate as an STR under local law may be denied on this basis. See what Georgia STR policies cover for more on how local permits affect coverage.
For example, if a host in a Fulton County municipality that bans short-term rentals accepts a VRBO booking and a guest is injured during the stay, the liability claim could be denied because the property was operating in violation of local ordinance.
What does VRBO Liability Insurance not cover?
Unlike AirCover for Hosts, VRBO’s program has no property damage component. There is no equivalent to Host Damage Protection for VRBO hosts. If a guest damages the home, furnishings, or appliances during a VRBO stay, the host’s own insurance policy is the applicable coverage.
Off-platform bookings are not covered. A stay arranged directly with a guest, even for a property also listed on VRBO, falls outside the program. Coverage is generated only by stays completed through VRBO’s checkout. Hosts who also take direct bookings should review how guest insurance works across booking channels to understand where coverage gaps can appear.
For example, a host who arranges a two-week stay via text message with a returning guest, bypassing VRBO’s checkout entirely, has no coverage under the program if that guest is injured during the stay.
How does it compare to AirCover for Hosts?
Both programs provide $1 million in liability coverage and both are underwritten by Generali U.S. Branch. The structural difference is scope. AirCover for Hosts adds Host Damage Protection, covering guest-caused damage to the host’s home up to $3 million per stay. VRBO’s program is liability only.
Hosts listing on both platforms have liability protection through each platform’s program for stays booked on that platform. Neither program covers bookings on the other platform, and neither covers direct bookings. Understanding the difference between STR and landlord insurance in Georgia helps hosts decide whether a standalone policy fills those gaps.
For a full comparison of platform programs and standalone STR insurance in Georgia, see Airbnb AirCover vs. Insurance in Georgia.
A coverage review can identify what a purpose-built STR policy adds for hosts listing on VRBO or multiple platforms.