How Does VRBO Trip Insurance Work?
VRBO trip insurance is very much like travel insurance you might buy from any other provider. It provides financial protection in the event your trip is disrupted by delays, cancellations, interruptions, or medical emergencies.
Travelers can either buy VRBO’s coverage when they book a vacation rental on the company’s website or add it to their trip later on.
What Coverage Is Available Through VRBO Trip Insurance?
VRBO offers two main types of coverage: Travel Protection and Damage Protection. You can buy one or the other or both, depending on your situation.
Travel Protection covers:
- Cancellations: VRBO’s trip insurance covers up to 100% of your insured travel costs if you need to cancel your vacation because of a covered event.
- Interruptions: If your trip is interrupted by an unforeseen event, like a serious illness, VRBO’s policy also covers up to 100% of your insured costs.
- Delays: VRBO’s Trip Protection covers $150 per day for reasonable expenses if your travel is delayed by a covered reason.
Their Travel Protection plan also provides services that can help you during your vacation if you experience a medical emergency, need to speak to a doctor via telemedicine, or have your identity stolen.
VRBO’s Damage Protection Plan, on the other hand, covers up to $1,500 in repair costs if you damage either the real property (i.e., the land and anything permanently attached to it) or the personal property (i.e., pretty much anything else) associated with the vacation rental you booked.
What Doesn’t VRBO Cover?
LIke any insurance policy, VRBO’s Travel Protection and Damage Protection plans have coverage limits and exclusions.
VRBO’s Travel Protection plan won’t cover:
- Cancellations that happen for an uncovered reason
- Delays less than 12 hours
- Any damaged, stolen, or lost luggage
Damage Protection won’t pay cover damage that is caused by:
- Bad weather or a natural disaster
- Intentional or negligent acts
- Normal wear and tear
- Any action that is a violation of the lease agreement
- Someone other than you or your traveling companions
Does VRBO Offer Trip Cancellation Insurance?
Yes, VRBO’s Travel Protection plan includes Trip Cancellation coverage as part of its coverage. This coverage allows you to be reimbursed for prepaid, nonrefundable travel costs if you have to cancel your vacation for a covered event.
Some examples of covered events for VRBO cancellation insurance may include:
- An illness for you or a travel companion
- A natural disaster causes a mandatory evacuation.
- A strike causes your transportation to be canceled.
- You, your spouse, your travel companion, or your travel companion’s spouse is called up to active military duty.
Events usually have to occur before your trip and while the policy is in effect before they trigger coverage.
Is VRBO Rental Insurance Worth It?
VRBO insurance has much to recommend it. For one, it’s provided by CNA and underwritten by Generali, both of which are well-known and financially stable insurance companies.The coverage is also easy to get when you’re booking your rental.
But the best way to know if VRBO trip insurance is right for you is to compare it to other options. That way you can look at the policy details and decide if the coverage provides your vacation with the appropriate amount of protection.
By Virginia Hamill