Pet damage is one of the most common non-party damage categories in short-term rentals, and it is also the single most frequently reduced category in AirCover payouts. When a host files a €800 carpet replacement claim after a dog incident, the typical outcome is not approval or denial — it is a €320 partial payout, with a message saying AirCover accepted the claim but applied depreciation and “partial responsibility.” Roughly 70% of pet damage claims end up this way, according to aggregate data from host communities in 2025-2026.
The reduction is not arbitrary. AirCover applies specific, predictable policies to pet claims — and once you know the rules, you can structure your claim to protect the full value. This guide walks through the depreciation math, the authorised-vs-unauthorised split that makes or breaks the claim, and the documentation that protects the payout.
Why pet claims get reduced: the depreciation math
AirCover treats pet damage as a special category because the damage profile is different from a single incident. Urine stains on carpet often indicate multiple occurrences. Scratches on a hardwood floor may have pre-existed as light wear. Hair and odor are debatable. Because of this, AirCover applies two layers of reduction that do not appear on non-pet claims:
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Depreciation based on item age. A five-year-old carpet that gets ruined does not get valued at replacement cost — it gets valued at replacement cost minus the depreciation schedule AirCover uses internally (typically 10-15% per year for soft goods, 5-8% per year for hardwood finish).
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“Pre-existing wear” discount. If the specialist cannot clearly tell whether the damage was 100% the guest’s pet or partially pre-existing, they split the claim. Typical split is 60/40 in the guest’s favour on ambiguous cases.
A €800 carpet claim on a five-year-old carpet with ambiguous pre-existing wear might therefore reduce to: €800 × (100% - 5 × 12% depreciation) × (1 - 40% pre-existing) = €192. This is how hosts feel the “full approval at 24% payout” that dominates pet-claim stories.
The hidden depreciation schedule
AirCover does not publish its depreciation tables, but analysis of paid claims in 2025-2026 suggests the following usable approximation: soft goods (carpet, rugs, upholstery) depreciate ~12% per year. Hard goods (wood floors, appliances) depreciate ~7% per year. Bedding and linens depreciate ~25% per year. Use these to set realistic expectations before filing.
Authorised vs unauthorised pets: the claim-making difference
This single distinction determines more claim outcomes than any other factor:
- Authorised pet (listing allows pets and guest disclosed the pet). AirCover covers the damage subject to normal depreciation. Expect 50-75% of the claim to be paid.
- Unauthorised pet (listing is no-pets or guest did not disclose the pet). The situation flips — AirCover covers the damage without the depreciation discount, and the host can additionally pursue a policy-violation claim. Expect 80-95% of the claim to be paid if documented.
The logic: if a guest brought an unauthorised pet, they also violated the terms of the booking, which makes AirCover’s exposure legally clearer. Specialists apply a different claim template to unauthorised-pet cases.
Authorised ≠ unlimited
Allowing pets on your listing does not mean "all damage covered." Even authorised pets trigger depreciation and ambiguity splits. The upside of authorised-pet bookings is the fee you charge, not the AirCover payout — which is why the pet fee itself should cover ~€50-150 per stay depending on property value.
What AirCover reimburses for by damage type
Pet damage is not one category. AirCover splits it internally into:
Hair and basic cleaning
Not reimbursed. Considered normal pet-stay cleanup covered by the pet fee.
Urine stains
Reimbursed, with heavy documentation burden. You must show:
- The specific affected area (photo with angle reference).
- A professional cleaner’s assessment or ozone treatment bill.
- Before/after photos with a time gap showing the stain persisted through cleaning.
Typical payout: 50-70% of cleaning or replacement cost.
Scratches on floors/furniture
Reimbursed if you can show pre-existing condition. Without a clean before-photo, the claim defaults to “pre-existing wear” denial or heavy reduction. Typical payout with good evidence: 60-80%.
Chewed items
Highest payout rate. Chewing is unambiguous — nobody mistakes a chewed chair leg for wear and tear. Typical payout: 80-95% of replacement minus depreciation.
Carpet replacement
Lowest payout rate. Carpet has heavy depreciation (replaced every ~8 years in rentals), and the pre-existing wear argument always applies. Typical payout: 30-50% of replacement cost.
The documentation that protects the full claim
The pet-claim evidence stack
To protect the full claim value, file the claim with all of these:
✓ Pre-check-in photos of all soft surfaces (carpets, rugs, upholstery), dated
✓ Post-checkout photos from matching angles
✓ Purchase receipt or a dated inventory entry showing item age
✓ Professional cleaning bill or ozone treatment invoice
✓ Cleaner's written statement describing the damage as discovered
✓ Guest's booking record showing pet status (authorised or not)
✓ If unauthorised: guest message or security footage confirming the pet was present
The unauthorised-pet filing procedure
If the pet was not declared on the booking, do not just file a damage claim. File two things:
- Damage claim via AirCover for the physical damage.
- Policy violation report via Airbnb’s Trust & Safety for the unauthorised pet itself.
The second report is the leverage. Even without AirCover damages, unauthorised pets trigger a guest account review that often results in the guest being held responsible for a larger share of your claim. It also means the host can charge an additional “unauthorised pet fee” that many hosts include in their house rules (typically €100-300).
Carpet and upholstery specifics
These two categories get the worst treatment from AirCover, so they deserve extra strategy:
- Carpet. Never claim the full replacement cost of a single damaged room’s carpet without attaching a professional flooring quote. AirCover defaults to “cleaning only” unless you prove cleaning failed.
- Upholstery. Photograph before/after with a ruler or reference object in frame. Upholstery damage is often judged by the visible size of the stain, so scale matters.
- Area rugs. Much better payout than wall-to-wall — easier to replace, smaller dollar amount, less depreciation pressure.
If a property has a big investment in hardwood, carpet, or upholstery and takes pet bookings, an inventory entry with purchase dates and warranty documents saves thousands over the lifetime of the listing.
Bottom line
Pet damage claims are not denied as often as other categories — they are reduced. Understanding why (depreciation + ambiguity splits) and documenting against it (before-photos + age records + professional invoices) is what separates a 25% payout from an 85% payout on the same damage. For hosts who take pets seriously, the documentation infrastructure matters more than the pet fee.
HostProof lets you document every pet-friendly room with before-photos and inventory age at every inspection, so when the first pet claim comes in, you are not scrambling for receipts. See also how to write a winning AirCover claim for the claim-writing approach that stacks on top of this evidence, and why 43% of AirCover claims get denied for the general framework.
Sources & further reading
- AirCover for Hosts — Airbnb official
- AirCover for Hosts · Terms & coverage details
- Host community discussion on r/AirBnBHosts, r/AirBnB, and the BiggerPockets STR forum
Last updated: 2026-04-21. Percentages and patterns in this article reflect Airbnb’s publicly documented policies plus aggregated host-community reports. Where figures are not directly attributable to an official Airbnb statistic, they should be read as community-observed patterns rather than official data.