Vacation rental insurance: the complete guide

Renting your property short-term means welcoming dozens of different guests each year. The vast majority of stays go wonderfully — but a single incident (water damage, fire, guest injury) can cost thousands of euros.

Good insurance is peace of mind. It protects you against the unexpected, lets you rent with confidence, and often costs less than €15 per month — far less than what platforms take in commissions.

This guide helps you understand the different protections available, what they actually cover, and how to choose the right combination for your situation.

Airbnb presents AirCover as "the most comprehensive protection in vacation rentals" with a stated limit of $3 million. It's effective marketing — but the reality is quite different.

AirCover is not insurance. Airbnb says so themselves in their terms: it's a "guarantee," a private contractual commitment. No regulator oversees it (unlike insurance, regulated by the ACPR in France). Airbnb is the sole judge of your claims and has no legal obligation to pay you.

Payouts are often disappointing. In 2023, Washington State (US) fined Airbnb for acting as an unauthorized insurer. The data revealed an average payout of about $645 per accepted claim — far from the promised $3 million. In France, host testimonials on Airbnb forums report payouts of 10-30% of claimed amounts, with processing times of 45-120 days.

The exclusions are extensive:

• Theft and mysterious disappearances
• Natural disasters (floods, storms, earthquakes)
• Normal wear and tear (scratches, discoloration)
• Mold and contamination
• Energy overconsumption by guests
• Damage to common areas (condos)

Most importantly: AirCover only covers Airbnb bookings. If you also rent via Booking.com, Abritel, or directly (which Superguest enables!), you have no protection on those bookings. Booking.com offers no damage protection for hosts in France at all.

AirCover's "free" cost is actually built into Airbnb's commission (up to 15.5% since 2026). For a property generating €20,000 in annual revenue, that's over €3,000 — far more than real PNO insurance at €150-400 per year.

To be well protected for vacation rentals, you need two levels of coverage:

On the owner's side: PNO insurance (Propriétaire Non-Occupant / Non-Occupying Owner). This is your foundation. It covers your civil liability, building damage (fire, water, storms), and vacancy periods between rentals. It's the essential base.

On the tenant's side: the villégiature guarantee. Your guests probably already have this coverage in their home insurance, often without knowing it. It covers their liability as temporary occupants. You can ask them for a certificate — it's free and quick for them.

The combination of both is the best protection. But if you don't want to verify each guest's insurance (understandable for short-term rentals), choose a PNO with the "pour le compte de qui il appartiendra" clause: it automatically covers all successive occupants, with no action required from them.

Propriétaire Non-Occupant (PNO) insurance is the contract designed for owners who don't live in their property — exactly your situation if you do vacation rentals.

Is it mandatory?

• In a condo (copropriété): yes. The ALUR law (2014) requires every co-owner to have minimum civil liability insurance.
• For standalone houses: no, but strongly recommended. Without it, you bear all financial risk personally.

What PNO covers:

• Your owner's civil liability (a roof tile falls, water damage to neighbors)
• Building damage: fire, explosion, water damage, storms
• Natural disasters (mandatory Cat Nat regime)
• Vacancy periods between rentals
• Optional: loss of rental income if the property becomes uninhabitable
• Optional: legal protection (tenant disputes)

The key clause: "pour le compte de qui il appartiendra." With this clause, your insurance automatically covers all successive occupants for damage they may cause. It's the most practical solution for vacation rentals, as it avoids verifying each guest's insurance.

How much does it cost? From €4.50 to €18 per month for basic coverage, or €54 to €216 per year. A fraction of what platform commissions cost you. And it's tax-deductible if you're on the régime réel (LMNP).

The villégiature guarantee is an extension of your tenants' home insurance (MRH). It covers them during a temporary stay in a property other than their primary residence — exactly your vacation rental.

The good news: it's included free in virtually all home insurance contracts in France (MAIF, Macif, Groupama, Crédit Agricole, La Banque Postale, Crédit Mutuel…). Your French guests probably already have it, without knowing.

What it covers:

• Fire, explosion, water damage caused to the rental property
• Civil liability toward the owner and neighbors
• Duration: up to 90 consecutive days typically
• Scope: the tenant, their spouse, children, and pets

What it doesn't cover:

• Theft, burglary, vandalism (paid option in some contracts)
• Furniture and equipment breakage
• Intentional damage
• Normal wear and tear
• Professional stays
• Valuables (jewelry, artwork)

How to ask your guests for a certificate?

Your tenants can get a villégiature certificate for free in minutes:

• From their online insurance portal (fastest)
• By email to their insurer
• By phone

They need to provide their insurer with: the rental property address, stay dates, and property characteristics.

Model clause for your rental contract:

"The tenant declares they have multi-risk home insurance including villégiature civil liability coverage for rental risks (fire, water damage, explosion) for the duration of the stay. The tenant commits to providing the owner, no later than key handover day, a valid villégiature insurance certificate mentioning the rental property address and stay dates. If this certificate is not provided, the owner reserves the right to refuse key handover."

What to check on the certificate:

• Name matches the rental contract signatory
• Dates cover the entire stay
• Property address is correct
• Villégiature civil liability is mentioned
• The policy is currently valid

What if the tenant has no villégiature coverage? They remain personally liable for all damage during their stay (articles 1732 and 1733 of the French Civil Code). Your PNO insurer can take direct recourse against them. This is why the "pour le compte de qui il appartiendra" clause is so valuable: it protects you even if the tenant is uninsured.

Here are the insurers we recommend for vacation rentals in France. We don't (yet) have partnerships with them — these recommendations are based on our market analysis.

General insurers with PNO products:

• Luko by Allianz Direct — From €4.50/month. 100% digital, quick signup. No maximum vacancy period (unique in the market). "Short-term rental" option for theft and vandalism. Ideal for urban apartments. → fr.luko.eu
• MAIF — About €10-15/month. Mutual insurer known for quality service and claims handling. PNO covers occasional platform rentals without a separate policy. → maif.fr
• Groupama — From €9.90/month. Excellent for rural gîtes thanks to their local agent network. Strong knowledge of countryside and tourist areas. → groupama.fr
• Macif — About €10/month. Includes rental income loss and a legal information service (5 consultations/year). Airbnb/Booking rentals covered under standard MRH. → macif.fr
• Generali — From €18/month. Premium coverage, offers the "pour le compte de qui il appartiendra" formula. Suited for high-value properties. → generali.fr
• MMA — From €7/month. Entry-level for furnished rentals. Standard risk coverage. → mma.fr

The short-term rental specialist:

• HomeAssur — Insurance dedicated to furnished tourism rentals and concierge services. Complements (does not replace) your PNO during active rental periods. Two tiers: Essential (building up to €2,500/m², contents up to €50,000) and Comfort (€5,000/m², €100,000). Bodily injury liability up to €1M. Income loss up to 12 months. → homeassur.fr

Our recommendation: For most independent hosts, PNO from Luko, MAIF, or Groupama (depending on your profile) with the "pour le compte de qui il appartiendra" clause offers excellent value. If you manage multiple properties or have a high-value property, add HomeAssur as a complement.

With good PNO + vacation rental insurance, here's what's covered:

• Fire, explosion: covered in all contracts.
• Water damage: covered in all contracts.
• Storms, lightning, hail: covered in all contracts.
• Natural disasters: covered (mandatory Cat Nat regime — law of July 13, 1982). Legal deductible: €380 for residential. Requires an official natural disaster decree.
• Glass breakage: covered in most comprehensive policies.
• Electrical damage: generally covered.
• Owner's civil liability: guest injury due to property defect (faulty stairs, pool accident, equipment failure).
• Vacancy periods: property protected between rentals. Luko has no maximum vacancy period.
• Theft and vandalism by tenants: optional (theft and vandalism clause). Luko offers it as an add-on.
• Rental income loss: optional. Covers up to 12 months if property becomes uninhabitable after a covered claim. Typical waiting period: 7 days.
• Legal protection: optional. Covers legal fees for tenant disputes.

Let's be clear about what no insurance covers:

• Normal wear and tear: scratches, discoloration, degradation from normal use. That's the normal risk of renting.
• Furniture breakage: a broken bed, a damaged chair — that's what your security deposit is for, not insurance.
• Intentional damage: never covered (article L113-1 of the Insurance Code).
• Energy overconsumption: a tenant who leaves heating on full blast for a week.
• Theft without evidence of break-in: often excluded. Hence the importance of entry/exit inventories.
• Undeclared valuables: jewelry, artwork — must be specifically declared.
• Pool, spa, hot tub: require a specific rider. Significantly increases the premium.
• Undeclared rental activity: if you haven't told your insurer about vacation rentals, your coverage may be completely voided.

Essential point: always declare your vacation rental activity to your insurer. Even if your current MRH contract seems to cover your property, failing to disclose can result in claim denial.

If your property is in a condo, some additional rules apply:

• RC insurance is mandatory (ALUR law, 2014): every co-owner must have civil liability insurance covering damage to common areas and other units. PNO fulfills this requirement.
• Notify the syndic: since 2025, any co-owner registering as a meublé de tourisme host must inform the building management. They may impose additional insurance requirements.
• Common area damage: note that AirCover does not cover damage to common areas. Your PNO does.
• Building regulations: check that your condo bylaws allow vacation rentals. Some prohibit or limit them.

5 actions to take now:

1. Declare your vacation rental activity to your current insurer. A simple call or email is enough. Ask if your contract covers short-term rentals, and if the "pour le compte de qui il appartiendra" clause is included or available.
2. Get PNO insurance if you don't have one. Compare offers from Luko, MAIF, and Groupama. 15 minutes online, done.
3. Add the villégiature clause to your rental contract. Copy the model from section 5 of this guide.
4. If you have a pool, spa, or hot tub: verify your contract includes a specific rider for outdoor installations.
5. Keep evidence: take dated photos before and after each stay. Visual evidence is essential for any claim.

Claim declaration deadlines to remember:

• Theft: 2 business days
• Fire, water damage: 5 business days
• Natural disaster: 10 days after decree publication

At Superguest, we believe insurance shouldn't be a headache. We're actively working with insurers to offer you, starting fall 2026, a solution integrated directly into your dashboard:

• Simplified enrollment — a few clicks, no paperwork
• Coverage tailored to vacation rentals — not a generic contract repurposed
• Automatic certificate for your guests — integrated into the booking process
• A real insurer behind it — not a platform "guarantee," but a regulated insurance contract with full legal protections

In the meantime, this guide's advice lets you protect yourself effectively right now. And if you have questions, our team is here: [email protected].