Waivo Review: A Damage Waiver, Not Insurance

What Waivo is

Waivo is a damage waiver, not an insurance policy you buy for yourself. The company describes its plans as "Protection Backed by Insurance," which means an insurer stands behind the program, but the product a host adds to a booking is a waiver that reimburses guest-caused damage in place of collecting a security deposit. That difference is the one to hold onto. A damage waiver shifts the cost of covered guest damage off the host and onto the program. A liability policy protects against third-party injury and the lawsuits that follow. Waivo's core plan handles the damage side and leaves liability to a separate policy.

Waivo's own FAQ draws the line: the damage program "provides protection for guest-caused damage to property only and does not provide liability insurance." In plain terms, if a guest is hurt on your property and sues, the core Waivo plan won't be the product that responds.

Set against a traditional security deposit, the waiver changes the host's cash flow. Instead of holding a guest's deposit and negotiating deductions after checkout, the host files a damage notice and Waivo reimburses covered damage. Guests aren't out of pocket up front, and hosts aren't chasing disputed deposit charges.

What it covers

Waivo's damage waiver reimburses guest-caused damage to the property and its contents, and the scope runs wider than broken furniture. Waivo says the program "also includes pet damage, and theft by a guest during their stay with a valid police report." Both accidental and intentional guest damage fall inside the waiver.

Separately, Waivo now sells a liability product called Waivo+. Per Waivo's FAQ, "For liability insurance, the limit is $1,000,000." Waivo+ is a separate insurance policy that sits apart from the damage waiver. Waivo's property-managers page states "The Waivo+ liability insurance product can't be marked up in price, nor sold to the guest," which shows it's handled and priced apart from the waiver a manager passes along. Detail beyond the limit is thin. Waivo's own announcement page for Waivo+ returned a redirect when checked on 2026-07-19, so the named insured and any per-night billing terms aren't confirmed here. Treat the $1,000,000 figure as verified and the mechanics as open until you confirm them with Waivo.

Stated limits and costs

• Guest-caused damage limits range from $500 to $20,000. Waivo says "the most commonly selected limits are $1,500 and $5,000."
• Every protection plan carries a $0 deductible. Waivo states "you and your homeowners get reimbursed from the first dollar."
• The separate Waivo+ liability insurance limit is $1,000,000.

Pricing isn't published as a flat rate. Waivo's enterprise model is volume-based: "the more bookings you have, the better pricing you get." Waivo doesn't publish the per-stay billing mechanics for the waiver. Geographic availability, meaning which states or countries Waivo serves, isn't publicly stated.

How you buy it

Waivo is sold on a per-stay basis and is aimed at property managers and hosts rather than guests buying at retail. A manager enrolls properties, and the waiver attaches to bookings in place of a security deposit, so guests aren't asked to involve their own insurance. On claims, Waivo commits to a response window: its damage team is "contractually bound to respond to your damage notice within 2 business days, but most damage is responded to within 24 hours." For the Waivo+ liability policy, the resale restriction matters. It can't be marked up or sold to the guest, so it works as a manager-held policy rather than a guest-paid line item.

Who it fits

Waivo fits a host or manager who wants to retire security deposits and cover guest damage from the first dollar without pulling guests' own insurers into the process. The $0 deductible and the typical 24-hour response are the draws for high-turnover operators. It also fits an operator who already carries liability insurance and needs only the damage piece to sit on top.

Waivo isn't built to be a host's only coverage. The company itself points hosts toward standalone liability policies, naming "Proper Insurance or Wister Insurance" for that need. A host with no short-term rental insurance or landlord liability policy who leans on the core Waivo plan alone leaves the largest financial exposure, a guest-injury lawsuit, uncovered.

Caveats and gaps

• The core plan is a waiver, not insurance. It covers guest-caused property damage only and doesn't respond to liability claims.
• Waivo recommends pairing it with liability coverage. Its own pages refer hosts to outside insurers for that layer.
• Waivo+ liability details are limited. The $1,000,000 limit is confirmed on the FAQ, but the product announcement page redirected on 2026-07-19, so billing and named-insured specifics are unverified here.
• Geographic availability isn't publicly stated. Confirm your state or country is served before you enroll.
• Pricing is quote-based and volume-driven rather than a published rate.

Take this as reference, not advice. Confirm current terms straight from Waivo, and where the stakes are high, run them past a licensed insurance agent before you rely on any single product.