Does Your Airbnb Cleaner Need Insurance? What Hosts Should Ask
Your Airbnb cleaner should ideally carry their own general liability insurance, and a cleaning company should be able to show you a certificate of insurance before the first turnover. Airbnb's Host liability insurance does include people who help you host, like cleaners, but it is built around claims from guests and others, so it does not replace your cleaner's own coverage or your own short term rental policy.
Insurance is the least fun part of hiring a cleaner, and it is the easiest part to skip. In nine years of cleaning and hospitality operations, the setups I trust most are the ones where everyone knows ahead of time who pays when something goes wrong. Here is how I think about it as a host.
Why cleaner insurance matters to you
Three things can go wrong during a turnover:
- Your cleaner damages something. A dropped TV, a scratched counter, a bleach spot on a rug.
- Your cleaner gets hurt. A slip on a wet floor, a fall on icy steps, a back injury hauling linens.
- Something goes missing. It is rare, but it happens, and it is awful for everyone.
Each of these lands on a different policy, and if none of them clearly applies, it can land on you. I wrote about the first one in detail in what to do when your Airbnb cleaner broke something.
What Airbnb's coverage does and does not do
Airbnb's Host liability insurance page says it covers hosts for up to $1 million if they are found legally responsible for bodily injury to a guest or others, or for damage to or theft of a guest's property. It also says people who help you host, like co hosts and cleaners, are included.
That is useful, but read it closely:
- It is about your legal responsibility to guests and others, such as a guest who is injured.
- Damage a guest causes to your place goes through host damage protection, which is a separate program.
- Airbnb says other exclusions apply, and the program summary has the full terms.
Airbnb does not describe this coverage as a replacement for a cleaner's own business insurance or for workers' compensation. If your cleaner breaks your dishwasher or hurts themselves on your stairs, do not assume Airbnb's programs will step in. Ask your own insurance agent how your policy handles both situations. I go through host policies more broadly in Airbnb insurance for hosts.
The kinds of coverage to ask about
Here are the terms you will hear and what they mean in plain language.
| Coverage | What it is for | Who usually carries it |
|---|---|---|
| General liability | Injuries to others and damage to other people's property caused by the business | The cleaner or cleaning company |
| Bonding | Protection for the client if an employee of the cleaner steals | Cleaning companies, sometimes independents |
| Workers' compensation | Medical costs and lost wages when a worker is hurt on the job | Businesses with employees |
| Short term rental host policy | Your property, your liability and often your lost income | You, the host |
The U.S. Small Business Administration's guide to business insurance explains that general liability protects a business against losses from bodily injury and property damage, and that businesses with employees are required to carry workers' compensation. It also notes that insurance laws vary by state, so check what applies where your property is.
Independent cleaner vs cleaning company
The answer changes a bit depending on who you hire.
Independent cleaners
Many independent cleaners are small businesses of one. Some carry general liability, many do not. If yours does not, you have a few options:
- Ask if they would be willing to get a policy, and talk about whether to adjust their rate to help cover it.
- Talk to your insurance agent about how your own policy handles damage or injury caused by a contractor.
- Put in writing what happens if something gets broken, so there are no surprises.
How you classify your cleaner also affects who is responsible for what. If you are not sure whether your cleaner is a contractor or an employee, read my guide on 1099 vs employee for Airbnb cleaners and talk to a tax professional.
Cleaning companies
A cleaning company with employees should carry general liability and workers' compensation, and many also carry bonding. Ask for a certificate of insurance before they start. It is a normal request and a professional company will send it without fuss.
I compare the two hiring paths more fully in cleaning company vs independent cleaner.
What to ask before the first turnover
I keep this list in my notes and send it to every new cleaner:
- Do you carry general liability insurance? Can you send a certificate of insurance?
- Do you have employees? If so, do you carry workers' compensation?
- Are you bonded?
- What is your process if something breaks during a clean?
- Who do you want me to contact if there is a problem with a turnover?
Write the answers into your cleaner agreement along with your expectations for reporting damage. A short written agreement saves a lot of awkward conversations later.
Make damage easy to report
Most damage disputes are really about timing and evidence. Was the lamp already cracked when the cleaner arrived? Did the guest do it, or did it happen during the clean?
The fix is a habit: photos at every turnover. In Clyn, your cleaner takes photos in the app at the end of each clean, and you keep a dated photo record for every stay. If something is broken, you can see whether it was fine after the last turnover, which tells you whether to talk to the guest, the cleaner or your insurer. That record also helps when you file a claim of any kind.
A note on keeping good cleaners
Asking about insurance can feel like you do not trust your cleaner. I frame it the other way. Clear coverage protects them too. If they slip on your steps, they want to know their medical bills are handled. If they break something, they want a fair, agreed process instead of an argument. Good cleaners appreciate a host who has thought this through.
FAQ
Does Airbnb insurance cover my cleaner?
Airbnb's Host liability insurance page says people who help you host, like cleaners and co hosts, are included. That coverage is about legal responsibility for injuries to guests or others and damage to their property. It is not described as covering your cleaner's own injuries or damage your cleaner causes to your home.
Should I require my cleaner to be insured?
For cleaning companies, yes, a certificate of insurance is a standard request. For independent cleaners it is a judgment call. If they are not insured, talk to your insurance agent about how you are covered and put a damage process in writing.
What if my cleaner gets hurt at my Airbnb?
Call your insurance agent and document what happened right away. Workers' compensation applies to employees, and requirements vary by state, so your agent and the cleaner's own coverage are the places to start.
If you want every turnover checked before check in, you can try Clyn free on one property at clyn.com.