Airbnb insurance in Greece:
the compulsory liability cover, fines and checklist.

Updated 26 October 2026Reading time 10 minBy Leadinsure, registered insurance agent (no. ΧΑΝ/395) · How we are paid

Yes: liability insurance is compulsory for Airbnb and every other short-term rental in Greece. Since 1 October 2025, every property let short-term must have civil-liability insurance for damage or accidents (Law 5170/2025, art. 3(1)(b), in Greek «ν. 5170/2025, άρθρο 3»). Ministry of Tourism circular 19567/25.09.2025 adds that the policy must be taken out by the owner, be in force and be with a legally licensed insurance company. Neither the law nor the circular sets a minimum sum insured. Inspectors can fine the property manager €5,000. The fine doubles if a new inspection within a year of the fine finds a breach, and each further identical breach costs four times the original. The rule applies whatever your nationality and wherever you live, and whether you let through Airbnb, Booking.com or directly. Whether Airbnb’s own AirCover counts is not settled, so we recommend a policy in your own name. This guide explains the law, the fines, a full compliance checklist and what else is worth insuring.

Is liability insurance mandatory for Airbnb in Greece?

Yes. Law 5170/2025 (ΦΕΚ Α' 6/20.01.2025) sets minimum standards for every property let short-term under article 111 of Law 4446/2016, and insurance is one of them. Article 3(1)(b) requires the property to have insurance against civil liability for damage or accidents that may be caused. Article 34(2) brought article 3 into force on 1 October 2025.

Under article 111(1) of Law 4446/2016, a short-term rental is the letting or subletting of a property for less than 60 days, with no services other than accommodation and bed linen, whether or not it is listed or booked on a digital platform. Each property must be registered in AADE’s Short-Term Residence Property Register («Μητρώο Ακινήτων Βραχυχρόνιας Διαμονής») before it is let.

Circular 19567/25.09.2025 is a corrected re-issue of circular 19231/19.09.2025, so you may see either number quoted. Its key words are that the policy must have been concluded by the owner («συναφθεί από τον ιδιοκτήτη») with a legally licensed insurance company.

Licensed tourist accommodation that holds a special operating licence from the Ministry of Tourism (ΕΣΛ, «Ειδικό Σήμα Λειτουργίας»), such as a hotel, does not register in this list and follows its own rules (Law 4446/2016, art. 111). This guide is about short-term rentals in the AADE register.

Airbnb fines in Greece: €5,000 and how inspections work

Ministry of Tourism inspectors check properties at the address declared on the AADE platform, sometimes in joint teams with AADE staff. You get at least 10 days’ notice. Inspectors carry identification and a written inspection order, and you must cooperate and show certificates and other proof that the property meets the standards (Law 5170/2025, art. 3(2) to (4)).

The fine is imposed on the property manager («διαχειριστής») and is collected as public revenue (art. 3(5) and (6)). Under article 111 of Law 4446/2016, the manager is the person or company that lists the property and runs the letting: you, or a management company you have declared to AADE. If no manager has been declared, the owner is treated as the manager.

Does Airbnb AirCover count as the compulsory insurance?

It is not settled, so we recommend a liability policy in your own name. Airbnb’s AirCover for Hosts includes host liability insurance of up to USD 1 million. For hosts in the European Economic Area, Greece included, Airbnb’s Help Center says this insurance is underwritten by a European insurance company and arranged and concluded by Airbnb’s own insurance intermediary in Spain. It is included at no extra cost and applies automatically whenever you host a stay booked on Airbnb, unless you have opted out. Damage that a guest causes to your own home or belongings is not part of the liability insurance: it falls under a separate part of AirCover, host damage protection.

So the liability part is real insurance. Whether it meets the Greek rule is a different question, and as of 8 October 2026 we have found no Ministry of Tourism statement that answers it. Our reading, which is an interpretation and not an official ruling:

• The owner condition. The circular asks for a policy concluded by the owner. AirCover is concluded by Airbnb’s intermediary for the benefit of hosts, so it is doubtful that it meets that wording.
• Airbnb bookings only. AirCover does not apply to stays booked through Booking.com, other platforms or directly, while the Greek duty applies to the property, whatever the channel.
• The insurer is probably not the issue. That the insurer is based elsewhere in Europe is unlikely to be the weak point; the owner condition and the Airbnb-only scope are.

Greece short-term rental regulations: the compliance checklist

Insurance is one of several standards in article 3(1) of Law 5170/2025, and circular 19567/25.09.2025 gives the technical details. Before each season, check every point:

1. Registration. The property is in AADE’s Short-Term Residence Property Register before you let it, and the registration number, usually called the AMA («Αριθμός Μητρώου Ακινήτου»), appears on every listing and advert (Law 4446/2016, art. 111).
2. Liability insurance. A policy concluded by the owner, in force, with a legally licensed insurer (art. 3(1)(b); circular).
3. The space itself. A main-use space («κύριας χρήσης») with natural light, ventilation and air conditioning (art. 3(1)(a)).
4. Electrical safety. A valid electrician’s declaration («Υπεύθυνη Δήλωση Εγκαταστάτη», ΥΔΕ) confirming that a residual-current device (RCD) is fitted (art. 3(1)(c); circular).
5. Smoke detectors. Stand-alone detectors on the ceiling, covering at least the bedrooms and the kitchen (art. 3(1)(c); circular).
6. Fire extinguishers. One portable dry-powder or water-based extinguisher of at least 6 kg for every 100 m² of gross floor area, rated 21A-113B-C (art. 3(1)(c); circular).
7. Exits. Emergency lighting at every exit and escape-route signs (art. 3(1)(c); circular).
8. Pest control. A valid rodent and insect control certificate («Πιστοποιητικό Μυοκτονίας και Απεντόμωσης») from a licensed company (art. 3(1)(d); circular).
9. First-aid kit. Labelled in Greek and English, «ΠΡΩΤΕΣ ΒΟΗΘΕΙΕΣ / FIRST AID KIT», with the contents listed in the circular (art. 3(1)(d); circular).
10. Emergency numbers. A list of emergency phone numbers in the property. The circular gives a template list, including 112 (art. 3(1)(d); circular).

Tax questions, such as how to declare rental income, are for your accountant. This checklist covers the standards of article 3.

What short-term rental insurance in Greece should cover

The law asks only for liability cover and sets no minimum. A let property faces more risks than that, and some of them cost far more to fix. These are the covers to discuss, and what the law requires:

Liability: check that guests are covered

Ask the insurer to confirm in writing that paying guests count as third parties, and tell them about a pool, balconies, outdoor stairs or anything else guests use. The law sets no minimum amount, so choose a limit that fits the size of the property and the number of guests; we can show you the limits offered by the insurance companies we work with. If you employ a cleaner or a caretaker, ask about employer’s liability as well.

Declare the letting on your home policy

Some home policies exclude property used for professional or profit-making purposes. If your home policy was taken out for your own use, tell the insurer that you let the property short-term and get the change in writing: a use that was not declared can lead to a dispute when you claim.

Natural disasters and the ENFIA discount

Earthquake, fire and flood cover protects the building itself. For a home owned by a natural person, a policy that covers all three together, for the full reconstruction value, can also reduce ENFIA, the annual property tax. The insurer must be in the Bank of Greece register (see our guide to home insurance in Greece). We found no AADE guidance on whether a home in short-term letting keeps that discount, so ask AADE before you rely on it.

Loss of rental income

A fire or a burst pipe in July can close the property for weeks and cancel bookings. Loss-of-rent cover pays proven lost income for an agreed period after an insured loss. It is not part of every package, so ask for it if bookings are an important part of your income.

Foreign owners and holiday homes let part of the year

Many short-term rentals in Greece belong to owners who live abroad or spend only part of the year in the country. A few points matter more for them:

• Nationality and residence do not matter. The duty is tied to the property. An owner who lives abroad has exactly the same duty, and faces the same fine, as an owner who lives in Greece.
• A policy from your home country. The circular asks for a legally licensed insurance company and points to the Bank of Greece register. If you want to use an insurer from your home country, check first that it appears in that register, and that the policy names the Greek property and covers short-term letting.
• Empty months and your own use. Many owners let in summer and use the home themselves, or leave it empty, for the rest of the year. Home policies often have conditions for homes left unoccupied for a long time, so tell the insurer how your year is split.
• The policy stays in the owner’s name. If a company, a relative or a neighbour runs the letting for you, the circular still asks for a policy concluded by the owner.
• Documents in Greek. Policy documents from Greek insurers are often in Greek. We can go through the terms with you before you sign.

How to get Airbnb insurance in Greece

Leadinsure is an insurance agency (registered insurance agent) for individuals and businesses. You can work with us entirely by phone and online, without visiting our office. We ask the insurance companies we work with for liability and property proposals for short-term rentals, explain them side by side and check that the policy is concluded in the owner’s name, as the circular requires. There is no obligation, and we reply within 24 hours on working days. You pay us no separate fee: our commission is already included in the premium. Please send us:

• the address of the property and its AMA registration number;
• whether you let a whole house, an apartment or rooms, and the m² of each;
• whether there is a pool, and how many guests the property sleeps;
• which months you let it, and through which channels (Airbnb, Booking.com, direct);
• the year of construction and the type of structure, if you also want buildings cover;
• any policy you already hold, so we can check it against the law.

Use our quote page, email info@leadinsure.gr or call +30 28210 86065. Our office is open Monday to Friday 09:00–16:00 and 17:30–20:30, and Saturday 09:00–14:00, Greek time.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

The laws, decisions and official pages we checked for this guide. Many of them are in Greek.