
If you're planning a trip and booking a vacation rental through Vrbo, you're likely wondering about the cancellation options and benefits that come with it. Vrbo offers a Guest Refund Policy that allows you to cancel or change your booking under certain circumstances.
The Guest Refund Policy provides a full refund if you cancel your booking at least 45 days before your arrival date. This policy applies to all bookings made through Vrbo, regardless of the length of stay or the location of the rental property.
Vrbo also offers a Travel Insurance option that can provide additional protection in case of unexpected events such as trip cancellations or interruptions. This insurance can be purchased at the time of booking or up to 48 hours before your arrival date.
If you do need to cancel your booking, it's essential to understand the cancellation fees and penalties associated with your specific rental property. These fees can vary depending on the property owner's policies and the time of cancellation.
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VRBO Coverage Options
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, interruptions, and delays.
If you need to cancel your vacation due to a covered event, VRBO's trip insurance covers up to 100% of your insured travel costs. Covered events include illnesses, natural disasters, and military duty.
Travel Protection also provides services that can help you during your vacation, such as medical emergencies and identity theft protection.
The Damage Protection Plan covers up to $1,500 in repair costs if you damage the vacation rental or its personal property.
Here are some examples of covered events for VRBO cancellation insurance:
- 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.
Cancellation and Trip Insurance
VRBO offers a Travel Protection plan that includes trip cancellation coverage, which 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 include illness for you or a travel companion, natural disasters that cause a mandatory evacuation, and strikes that cancel your transportation.
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If you have to cancel your trip due to a covered event, VRBO's Travel Protection plan covers up to 100% of your insured travel costs.
You can also get reimbursed for reasonable expenses if your travel is delayed by a covered reason, with $150 per day covered.
To be eligible for coverage, events usually have to occur before your trip and while the policy is in effect.
You can purchase VRBO's Travel Protection plan when booking your rental, which is provided by CNA and underwritten by Generali, both well-known and financially stable insurance companies.
Here are some examples of covered events:
- 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.
Understanding Coverage
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, interruptions, and delays due to unforeseen events like serious illnesses or natural disasters. If your trip is interrupted by an unforeseen event, VRBO’s policy covers up to 100% of your insured costs.
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Travel Protection also provides services that can help you during your vacation, such as medical emergencies, telemedicine, and identity theft protection.
Damage Protection covers up to $1,500 in repair costs if you damage the real property or personal property associated with the vacation rental you booked.
Here are some examples of what's covered under Travel Protection:
- Natural Disasters & abnormal weather events, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and wildfires
- Declared Health Emergencies, including epidemics and public health emergencies
- Wars, terrorist attacks, and other hostilities that make it impossible or illegal to travel
- Government travel restrictions, including national or local government restrictions
- Infrastructure travel restrictions, such as prolonged outages of essential public utilities
- Changes to passport or visa requirements that make it illegal to travel
Purchasing and Comparing
To purchase Vrbo insurance coverage for cancellation, you'll want to evaluate the financial risks you face when traveling and consider what coverage you already have. This might include credit card travel insurance, renters or homeowners insurance, and health plan coverage.
Get quotes for trip insurance online and choose a package of the benefits you need. Compare prices for similar coverage among carriers, and don't be afraid to narrow your choices and read the policy fine print to understand what's covered, what's excluded, and the limits on coverage.
The good news is that Vrbo offers basic Trip Protection policies that cover the renter as well, working with Generali Global Assistance to offer Prime, Enhanced, and Elite levels of coverage. These plans include limited trip delay, interruption, and cancellation coverage, as well as conditional coverage for pre-existing medical issues and 24-hour emergency assistance services.
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Here's a quick rundown of the benefits included in each plan:
Is Rental Insurance Worth It
Rental insurance is provided by reputable companies like CNA and Generali, both of which are well-known and financially stable.
The coverage is easy to get when booking a rental, making it a convenient option for travelers.
You should compare VRBO trip insurance to other options to determine if the coverage provides the right amount of protection for your vacation.
A lot can change between booking and arrival, and rental insurance can help cover unexpected emergencies or cancellations.
Buying rental insurance can help cover your vacation investment in case you need to cancel your reservation.
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When to Avoid Travel
Traveling during peak season can be overwhelming, especially when popular destinations like Hawaii and Europe are packed with tourists.
Avoid traveling during peak hurricane season, which typically lasts from mid-August to late October, as shown in the article's section on "Understanding Travel Insurance".

Traveling during major holidays like Christmas and New Year's can be chaotic, as seen in the article's section on "Researching Travel Options".
If you're planning a beach vacation, consider avoiding areas prone to hurricanes, such as the Gulf Coast and the Southeastern United States, as mentioned in the article's section on "Understanding Travel Insurance".
Traveling during major festivals and events, like Coachella and the Olympics, can be expensive and crowded, as highlighted in the article's section on "Researching Travel Options".
Easy Comparisons
To make informed decisions, it's essential to compare policies side-by-side. You can do this by using the 'add to compare' function, which will display the policies in a clear and helpful format.
Selecting multiple policies allows you to see the differences between them. For example, Vrbo offers three levels of coverage: Prime, Enhanced, and Elite, which include various benefits such as limited trip delay, interruption, and cancellation coverage.
The Prime, Enhanced, and Elite plans share some similarities, but they also have distinct differences. For instance, the Enhanced and Elite plans offer additional benefits like reimbursement for purchasing necessities if your baggage is delayed over 24 hours.
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To summarize the key differences between the three plans, here's a quick rundown:
Keep in mind that while these plans offer some great benefits, they may not provide the same level of protection as a more comprehensive travel insurance policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best cancellation policy for Vrbo?
The best cancellation policy for Vrbo is Relaxed, which allows guests to cancel up to 14 days before check-in for a full refund. This policy is ideal for attracting more bookings due to its guest-friendly terms.
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