When you purchase tickets on Ticketmaster, you have the option to “protect” your ticket. This is a feature that Ticketmaster offers to give customers some peace of mind and security regarding their ticket purchase. Here’s a quick overview of what protecting your ticket does:
Protects Against Lost, Stolen, or Forgotten Tickets
If you lose, forget, or have your ticket stolen before the event, having it protected through Ticketmaster means you can still get into the event. You can reprint the ticket from your Ticketmaster account or pick up a replacement ticket at will call. This ensures you don’t miss out due to misplacing your ticket.
Covers You if You Can’t Attend
Protecting your ticket also allows you to get a refund if you can’t make it to the event for a covered reason. This includes things like:
- Illness or injury: If you get sick or hurt and can’t go
- Schedule conflict: If something else comes up that prevents you from attending
- Transportation issue: Like your flight getting cancelled or your car breaking down
- Family emergency: Such as a death in the family or serious illness
As long as you fall under one of the refund categories, you can get your money back even if the tickets are non-refundable.
Access to Ticket Exchanges
Protecting a ticket also gives you access to Ticketmaster’s ticket exchanges. This allows you to swap out your ticket for another event if needed. The exchange policies and fees vary based on the event. Still, it’s another option if you can’t make it or would rather go to something else.
Added Security at Events
At some venues, protecting your Ticketmaster ticket includes extra security screening when you arrive. This may involve checking IDs or running ticketholder names against authorized pickup lists. It provides added peace of mind and ensures only ticket buyers can use the tickets.
Pre-Sale Access for Future Events
By protecting tickets, you may get pre-sale code access when buying tickets for other future events. This allows you early access to tickets before the general public sale. It’s a nice perk that can give you a better chance at getting good seats for hot shows if you protect tickets regularly.
Covers Multiple Tickets
When you protect a Ticketmaster ticket purchase, all the tickets on the order get protected. You don’t have to protect tickets individually. So if you buy 4 tickets to an event, protecting that order covers all 4 under the protection policy.
Pro-Rated Refunds
If you need to get a refund on a protected ticket, the refund amount is pro-rated based on when you initiate it. The closer you are to the event date, the smaller the refund amount. There is a cutoff date after which refunds are no longer issued. This prevents people from claiming a refund after attending an event.
Length of Coverage
Ticket protection starts as soon as you purchase your tickets and covers you up until the event starts. Generally, you have until 24 hours after the event start time to request a refund if you need to cancel for a covered reason.
Third-Party Insurance
Ticketmaster works with a third-party insurance company to administer ticket protection and process claims. Allianz Global Assistance underwrites the policies and handles the approvals. So your refund request goes through them rather than Ticketmaster if you need to cancel a protected ticket.
Not Available for All Events
While ticket protection is available for most events, some may not offer it. Usually larger festivals, conventions, and free events don’t have this option. There are also some venue-specific exemptions. So the ability to protect a ticket depends on the specific event policies.
Added Cost to Protect Tickets
Protecting tickets comes at an additional cost on top of the ticket prices. The fees vary based on the ticket cost but are typically around 10-15% of the total ticket price. For expensive tickets, protection can add a significant amount to your total checkout cost.
Time Limit to Protect Tickets
You usually have a limited time after purchase to decide if you want to protect your tickets. In most cases, this needs to be done within a few days or weeks after buying. Otherwise, the option goes away. So you can’t wait until right before the event to add protection.
Not Available for Resale Tickets
If you purchase ticket resales through Ticketmaster’s fan exchanges, those tickets are generally not eligible for protection. Only original ticket purchasers can take advantage of the protection policies. So if you buy a resale ticket, it won’t come with protection.
Conclusion
In summary, protecting your Ticketmaster tickets is like an insurance policy for event tickets. For an added fee, you get peace of mind knowing you can get a refund if plans change. It also provides some security benefits at the venue. And you may get access to special pre-sales for booking future tickets. Just be aware it’s not available for all tickets and does come at an additional cost.
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At the end of the day, protecting your Ticketmaster tickets provides a lot of valuable perks to give you peace of mind about your purchase. While there are some limitations, for big events you really want to attend, it can be worth the extra cost. As long as you understand what’s covered and what’s not, protection can be a smart idea to minimize the risk of lost tickets or missed events.
For many ticket buyers, knowing they can get a refund if something unexpected comes up makes pulling the trigger and spending the money feel safer. Events don’t always work out perfectly according to plan. Plans change, accidents happen, and emergencies pop up. That’s life. If ticket protection gives you the confidence to commit to an event you really want to experience, it’s probably worth it.
At the same time, protection certainly won’t be necessary or practical for cheaper events or things you’re less invested in attending. For example, grabbing last-minute tickets to a regular season ballgame probably doesn’t warrant paying extra for protection. Similarly, if you’re buying tickets for a group outing that’s more for social reasons than seeing the actual event, protection would be less valuable.
Ultimately it comes down to personal preference, budget, and how much peace of mind is worth to you. Big concert tours, plays, conferences, and sports playoffs or championships are examples of events people tend to protect more often. For something you’ve been dying to see or a date you’ve had circled on the calendar for months, protection can make sense. For a casual everyday event, maybe not so much.
Some other things to keep in mind when deciding if you should protect Ticketmaster tickets:
- How flexible are your plans leading up to the event?
- How reliable is your transportation?
- Do you have kids or family members that might disrupt your plans?
- How’s your health been lately?
- Do you have back-up friends or family to use the tickets if needed?
The more uncertainty that exists, and the less flexibility you have, the more reason to protect important tickets. Just run through some scenarios in your head before checkout and determine if the peace of mind is worth the extra dollars. But in general, for special one-off events, protection is a smart pro-consumer policy that can give you confidence as a Ticketmaster customer.
At the end of the day, ticket protection is purely optional. Don’t feel pressured into paying extra for it if money is tight or you’re less concerned about getting a refund. Many people forego protection and turn out just fine. But for big events you’re emotionally or financially invested in, protection can be a wise choice to minimize the sting if your plans unravel.
For less costly tickets, protection may not make sense financially. Say you spent $40 total on two tickets. Is it really worth paying an extra $10-$15 to protect $40 worth of tickets? Probably not. In this case you’d be spending almost an extra 50% simply for protection. But on a pair of $400 tickets, spending an extra $60 for protection starts to be more reasonable percentage-wise.
Ultimately it’s a personal judgment call. There’s no right or wrong answer across the board. Consider the event importance, ticket cost, and your own tolerance for risk. If you have anxiety about wasting money on tickets you can’t use, protection brings peace of mind. But if you’re fine just eating the cost, saving the protection fees could be better. Weigh both options carefully based on your own priorities and budget.
At the end of the day, here are some final tips for deciding if protecting your Ticketmaster tickets is worth it:
- Protect expensive tickets over cheap seats.
- Protect tickets to can’t miss unique events over repeat/regular events.
- Protect tickets for dates far in advance over last minute purchases.
- Protect tickets if you have uncertain or rigid plans leading up to the event.
- Consider protection if you lack transportation backups or live far away.
- Use protection for gifts for others if they may have to back out.
- Read the fine print to understand exactly what is and isn’t covered.
- Compare the cost versus peace of mind factor and decide what makes sense for your budget.
Follow these tips when evaluating whether or not to protect your next Ticketmaster ticket purchase. Knowing what’s covered by protection and what scenarios it helps with allows you to make an informed decision before checkout. Use the pros and cons to weigh your risk tolerance. Protection costs extra but provides a lot of valuable perks for certain customers buying certain types of tickets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does protecting tickets on Ticketmaster guarantee I can get a refund?
No, there is no 100% guarantee. Protecting tickets provides eligibility for a refund for covered reasons, but each claim is reviewed before approval. There is still some chance even a protected refund could be denied if Ticketmaster deems the circumstances don’t qualify.
Can I protect tickets for free on Ticketmaster?
No, protecting tickets requires paying an additional fee at checkout. There is no way to get Ticketmaster ticket protection for free.
How much does it cost to protect tickets on Ticketmaster?
Costs vary, but expect to pay 10-15% of the base ticket price. For a $100 ticket, protection would add about $10-$15. The exact fees depend on the event, ticket prices, and other factors.
When should you protect tickets on Ticketmaster?
It’s smart to protect tickets for high cost events you are emotionally invested in attending, like a bucket list concert or championship game. Also if plans leading up to the event are inflexible or uncertain. Optional for casual everyday events.
Can you remove Ticketmaster ticket protection?
In most cases no – ticket protection is non-removable after purchase. Some events may allow you to remove protection for a short window right after checkout.
Who provides the insurance for Ticketmaster’s protected tickets?
Protected tickets are underwritten by Allianz Global Assistance insurance company. They handle approving and processing refunds for protected Ticketmaster tickets.
How long after an event can I claim a refund on protected Ticketmaster tickets?
You typically have up to 24 hours after the event start time to initiate a claim. The exact policy can vary by event.
Can I protect tickets I bought resale on Ticketmaster?
No, generally only original ticket purchasers can protect tickets. Resale tickets bought on Ticketmaster exchanges do not include protection.
What if I change my mind about protecting my Ticketmaster tickets?
In most cases, protection fees are non-refundable once added at checkout. Some events may allow removing protection for a short window right after purchase.
Is ticket protection worth it?
It depends on the event, ticket cost, and personal factors. For expensive must-see events with inflexible plans, protection can be worth it for the peace of mind. For casual inexpensive events, probably not worth the extra cost.