Airbnb hosting glossary

Airbnb's built-in host protection program. Up to $3M per stay, but only if your evidence meets an unwritten standard.

The composite 0-to-100 score that predicts whether your damage claim will be approved. Built from evidence depth, timeline, evidence quality, and presentation.

The deadline that catches more host damage claims than any other AirCover rule. Why the clock starts at checkout, not discovery, and how same-day turnovers compress the window to hours.

The structured, timestamped walkthrough that establishes a clean baseline before the guest arrives. The single most important workflow for damage recovery.

Why Airbnb no longer holds traditional cash deposits, and what replaces them in the AirCover era.

The documented, unbroken record that proves evidence has not been tampered with. The difference between a photo that proves something and a photo that proves nothing.

The in-platform tool that handles every damage charge. Where claims are won or lost in the first 24 hours.

The estimated total dollar amount a host absorbs each year from damage that goes unrecovered. The main output of the Airbnb Risk Calculator.

The estimated likelihood that an AirCover claim will be denied, based on a host's documentation habits and inspection workflow.

An inspection document where every photo is tagged with GPS coordinates and a timestamp at capture, meeting the independent verification standard AirCover requires.

A permanent, publicly accessible URL tied to a specific inspection report that proves the document has not been altered since it was generated.

Any mark or breakage present before the current guest arrived. Without a dated baseline you cannot charge for it, which is why this is the argument that wins most guest disputes.

Documentation built so any change after capture becomes detectable. The reason a reviewer can trust a report has not been edited since it was created.

Minor harm from ordinary use, distinct from accidental and negligent damage. The category decides who pays, and the evidence decides the category.

The hidden date and location a camera writes into an image. Easily stripped by messaging apps and easily faked, which is why it cannot prove a damage photo on its own.

A per-night charge above a guest threshold. Its underused job is evidentiary: it records the agreed headcount, turning an over-occupied stay into a clear breach.

The cost of abnormal cleaning a guest leaves behind, such as smoke or pet mess. Recoverable only when the condition is documented before it is cleaned away.

A structured, dated record of damage found at a rental: what broke, the likely cost, the evidence on hand, and the days left to file. The document a co-host hands the owner so a claim can be filed in time.