Airbnb's 'extenuating circumstances' policy specifically excludes hurricanes in Florida — making refunds during Hurricane Ian harder to come by

The historic storm was not covered by the app's weather-related refunds policy, which may have surprised guests and hosts.

The "extenuating circumstance policy" of the vacation rental platform excludes Florida hurricanes.

It's one of dozens of weather events, natural conditions, and diseases that Airbnb considers "common enough to be foreseeable in that location." Competition Vrbo also enforces similar guidelines.

One of the most popular destinations is Florida. There are over 4,000 short term rentals on Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island, two of the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Ian.

If guests canceled their stay because of the storm, they wouldn't be able to get their money back. Individual hosts must decide whether or not to issue full refunds according to their listing's cancellation policy.

A host who rented out his home in the city during the storm told the outlet that he only had to give his guest a partial refund. He told the guest that he would give them a full refund if they initiated the cancellation.

If a host cancels a booking on their end, they can be charged a fee of up to $1,000. The company allowed hosts in Florida to cancel without penalty during Hurricane Ian.

Guests who are looking for more flexibility in their cancellation policies can use the search filters on the website.

AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee

One host who lost power during the storm asked if they should give their guests a full refunds.

"Our guests are understandably upset about the situation and we are leaning towards giving refunds for their stays," the user wrote. If we don't refunds them, one bad review could really sink our ship. The wait is one hour and we are waiting for a call.

Some hosts have been more willing to give refunds than others. The guest who booked on Sanibel Island said their host wouldn't cancel the booking or give them a refunds.

My host will not be canceling the trip. The guest wrote that they do not cover hurricanes during Florida'shurricane season. There is anything that can be done. I would love to get my money back.

Several of the responses were from guests in the same situation.

AirCover, the free travel protection included in everyAirbnb stay, does and does not cover the situation. The program is advertised as the most comprehensive protection in travel, but it isn't, according to the company.

Travel insurance is not covered by AirCover. The company says that you can always buy travel insurance from a third party.