Accommodation rental service Airbnb, together with insurance company Chubb, has introduced a new product called Weather Protection, which allows travelers to receive financial compensation for rainy weather during their vacation. The service is already active in ten European countries; however, as follows from the company's official announcement, not all tourists have access to it: the right to purchase the policy is determined by the user's country of residence rather than the upcoming destination. Ukraine is currently not included in the list of countries whose residents can use the service.
Mechanics: How to Purchase and When the Policy Applies
Weather Protection can be added to a booking in two ways — directly during the accommodation selection process on the Airbnb platform or after reservation confirmation. The only time restriction is that the insurance must be purchased no later than seven days before the check-in date. The policy covers both domestic and international trips, with the exception of the USA and certain specific territories. Additionally, insurance does not apply to bookings lasting 30 days or more, nor to canceled trips.
Compensation Conditions: From 50 to 1,000 Euros per Rainy Day
The payout amount varies from 50 to 1,000 euros for a single rainy day and depends on the specific terms of the chosen insurance tier. For compensation to be issued, rainfall must reach at least 1.5 mm per hour between 08:00 and 20:00 local time. In addition to intensity, the rain must last for a specified number of hours recorded in the individual policy. Importantly, coverage is strictly limited to the booked accommodation location: if a traveler goes on an excursion to another city and gets caught in a downpour there, this will not qualify for a payout. Furthermore, the insurance does not cover snow, hail, or strong winds — only precipitation in the form of rain.
Automatic Tracking: No Claims or Photos Needed
The key difference between Weather Protection and traditional insurance products is the complete absence of any need for the client to record bad weather, photograph precipitation, or contact the insurer with a claim. A specialized system automatically tracks weather conditions using satellite data, meteorological radars, and information from international weather services, particularly NASA. If the recorded rain meets the established criteria, the traveler receives a notification about the accrued compensation via the Airbnb app or email. For the first payout, banking details must be provided once through a secure Chubb portal; after that, funds are deposited automatically.
Geography and Limitations for Travelers
To date, the service is available to adult residents of ten European countries. The specific list of countries is not fully disclosed in the published Airbnb announcement, but it is emphasized that the user's country of residency determines the right to purchase the insurance. This means, for example, that a citizen of a country not on the list will not be able to purchase Weather Protection even when traveling to one of the ten supported countries. The insurance is issued for a specific booking and cannot be transferred to other trips.
Company Stance: Rain Shouldn't Ruin a Vacation
Justin Broussard, Airbnb's Director of Strategic Partnerships and Insurance, stated that rain should not completely dictate the impression of a long-awaited trip, emphasizing that cooperation with Chubb is designed to help travelers receive financial compensation for adverse weather conditions without wasting time solving problems. Chubb, in turn, noted that the new product operates almost entirely without client involvement: instead of the traditional insurance claim process, the system independently determines whether weather conditions meet compensation criteria. According to both companies, even if rainy weather alters vacation plans, tourists will be able to receive partial financial reimbursement without canceling the trip itself.
