Event Ticket Insurance: Protect Your Investment

Event ticket insurance is a type of protection that might reimburse your ticket purchase if you can't attend an event for certain covered, unexpected reasons. It is offered by companies such as Allianz Global Assistance, which has an exclusive partnership with Ticketmaster, the world's largest ticket seller. Event ticket insurance can be purchased as an add-on when buying tickets to live events like sports games and concerts. It typically covers unforeseen circumstances such as covered illness, airline delays, traffic accidents, job loss, and more. While it provides peace of mind, it's important to carefully review the terms, conditions, and exclusions of the specific policy before purchasing event ticket insurance.

Event Ticket Protector

The insurance covers a range of unforeseen circumstances that may prevent you from attending an event, including serious illness or injury, traffic accidents, mechanical breakdowns, airline delays, issues with your home or business, and even termination of employment. It also includes access to a 24-hour assistance hotline for medical, legal, or travel-related emergencies.

To file a claim, you will need solid documentation to support your circumstances, such as doctor's notes, police reports, or employer letters. It is important to note that the coverage has specific terms and conditions, and it is recommended to carefully review the certificate of insurance or policy for detailed explanations of what is covered and what is not.

Reimbursement and refunds

Event ticket insurance typically does not protect ticket purchases in the case of "the event being cancelled or delayed by the venue or promoter for any reason". In such cases, your best chance of getting a refund is if the promoter or venue voluntarily issues refunds. However, some insurance providers, such as Allianz, allow you to update your plan to protect a new date if your event has been rescheduled. If you cannot make the rescheduled event date, you can cancel your plan for a full refund of the plan's cost.

To receive reimbursement for a missed event, you will likely need to provide solid documentation of your circumstances. This could include doctor's notes, police reports, or employer letters. If you are unsure whether your situation is covered, you may need to enter a dispute, but attorney's fees can be expensive, and it may not make financial sense to pursue legal action on a rejected ticket insurance claim.

It is important to carefully review the terms and conditions of your event ticket insurance policy, as coverage may vary depending on the provider and your state of residence.

Covered reasons for cancellation

Event ticket insurance is a type of protection that might reimburse your ticket purchase if you can't attend an event for certain covered, unexpected reasons. It is offered by the world's largest ticket seller, Ticketmaster, as an add-on when purchasing tickets to live events like sports games and concerts. The insurance costs about 10% of the ticket price, which can range from a few dollars to over a hundred dollars.

Event Ticket Protector by Allianz Global Assistance includes 18 covered reasons for ticket cancellation. However, these reasons are subject to 20 listed general exclusions. While the specific covered reasons for cancellation may vary, some common examples include:

• Serious unforeseen illness or injury: This includes situations where you or a covered family member experience an unexpected illness or injury that prevents you from attending the event. It is important to note that the definition of "sick" may be narrowly defined in the policy.
• Traffic accidents: If you are involved in a traffic accident that prevents you from attending the event, your ticket insurance will likely cover the cancellation.
• Airline delays or cancellations: Ticket insurance often covers situations where your flight is delayed or cancelled, causing you to miss the event.
• Issues with your home or business: Some policies may include coverage for unforeseen issues with your home or business that require your attention and prevent you from attending the event.
• Termination of employment: In some cases, ticket insurance may even cover cancellations due to unexpected job loss.

It is important to carefully review the specific terms, conditions, and exclusions of your event ticket insurance policy to understand the covered reasons for cancellation. These policies can vary, and certain exclusions may apply. Additionally, it is worth noting that event ticket insurance typically does not cover cancellations or delays initiated by the venue or promoter.

What to do if you can't attend

If you can't attend an event, the first thing to do is to check if you have event ticket insurance. This is a type of protection that might reimburse your ticket purchase if you can't attend for certain covered, unexpected reasons. If you purchased your tickets from Ticketmaster, you may have been offered Event Ticket Protector by Allianz Global Assistance at checkout. This insurance service costs about 10% of the ticket price and covers 18 reasons for ticket cancellation, including unforeseen illness, traffic accidents, issues with your home or business, airline delays, and termination of employment.

If you have event ticket insurance, you should check your certificate of insurance or policy for detailed explanations of coverage. You will need solid documentation of your circumstances to receive coverage for most claims, so have doctor's notes, police reports, or employer letters ready to go. If your claim is rejected, you may need to pursue legal action, but attorney's fees are often expensive, and it may not make financial sense.

If you don't have event ticket insurance, you can try to give your tickets to a friend or resell them. Online services such as StubHub, TicketNetwork, and VividSeats.com are popular marketplaces for ticket sellers and buyers, but there are no guarantees that your tickets will sell. You can also price them aggressively to attract more buyers, but you may not be able to recoup the face value.

If you give your tickets to a friend, be mindful of cultural and social norms. It is generally not considered rude or impolite, as long as your intentions are clear and considerate. However, if you give someone tickets, do not presume or insist that you will be going with them—it is up to them to decide who they will be taking. It is also a nice gesture to check in with them after the event to see how they enjoyed the show.

Ticket protection providers

Ticketmaster, the world's largest ticket seller, offers its customers Event Ticket Protector, an insurance service provided by Allianz Global Assistance. This service costs about 10% of the ticket price and covers 18 reasons for ticket cancellation. Allianz Partners has been Ticketmaster's exclusive event ticket protection provider since developing Event Ticket Protector together in 2006.

Another ticket protection provider is Booking Protect, which offers refund protection for customers who need to cancel their bookings. They provide seamless integration on the front and back ends, making it quick and simple for organisations to offer refund protection to their customers. Booking Protect has been described as offering excellent customer service, going above and beyond to ensure positive experiences for their clients' guests.

Protect Group is another provider in this space, offering Refund Protect, a fully managed service that provides dynamic, real-time pricing and a comprehensive ticket refund solution. Their Protect Plus platform empowers industries, including event ticketing, to improve their customer experiences and increase their bottom line.

Finally, Big Tickets offers ticket protection for attendees with Protecht FanShield, although it is unclear whether this is the name of the product or the provider.

Frequently asked questions