Ticket insurance offered by Ticketmaster provides protection against missed events due to unforeseen circumstances. It allows you to get a refund on the purchase price of tickets if you can’t attend an event for covered reasons. Ticket insurance is an optional add-on available when purchasing tickets through Ticketmaster.
What does Ticketmaster ticket insurance cover?
Ticketmaster’s ticket insurance covers you if you can’t go to an event because of the following covered reasons:
- You or a member of your party gets sick or injured
- You have a death in the family
- You get into a traffic accident on the way to the event
- Your vehicle breaks down on the way to the event
- You are called in to work to handle an emergency
- Your home is damaged by fire, flood or natural disaster
- You are called for jury duty or subpoenaed
- A member of the military is reassigned or has their leave revoked
- Severe weather prevents you from getting to the event
- You are quarantined
As long as your reason for missing the event is listed in the covered reasons, you can get a full refund for your tickets if you purchased ticket insurance.
What does Ticketmaster ticket insurance NOT cover?
Some reasons for missing an event are not covered by Ticketmaster’s ticket insurance. You won’t be able to get a refund if you miss an event for the following reasons:
- You simply changed your mind and don’t want to go
- You have a work meeting or other work obligation come up
- You have a scheduling conflict come up for a family event
- You don’t have transportation to the event
- You get lost on the way to the event and miss it
- You are intoxicated and not allowed into the event
- The performers cancel but the event is rescheduled
- You miss the event for any reason not listed as a covered reason
Ticket insurance only covers unforeseen illnesses, emergencies and events – not just changing your mind or having other priorities come up that prevent you from going.
How much does Ticketmaster ticket insurance cost?
The cost of Ticketmaster’s ticket insurance varies depending on the price of the ticket purchased. The rates are:
Ticket Price | Insurance Cost |
---|---|
$0-$74.99 | $3.00 per ticket |
$75-$124.99 | $4.50 per ticket |
$125-$199.99 | $7.50 per ticket |
$200-$999.99 | 5% of the ticket price |
$1,000 or more | 7% of the ticket price |
The insurance rates range from $3 per ticket to 7% of the ticket price, depending on the total cost. The more expensive the tickets, the higher the insurance cost.
When to buy Ticketmaster ticket insurance
Ticket insurance needs to be purchased at the same time you buy your event tickets through Ticketmaster. It cannot be added after completing your ticket purchase. Make sure to select ticket insurance during the checkout process if you want this protection.
Ticketmaster also has different deadlines for when you need to purchase ticket insurance depending on the type of event:
- Concerts or festivals – Insurance must be purchased within 7 days of buying tickets
- Sporting events – Insurance must be purchased within 5 days of buying tickets
- Theater performances – Insurance must be purchased at the same time as buying tickets
These deadlines ensure the insurance is purchased with enough advance notice before the event takes place. So don’t wait too long after buying your tickets to also get ticket insurance.
How to purchase Ticketmaster ticket insurance
Purchasing ticket insurance through Ticketmaster is a straightforward process:
- Select the tickets for the event you want to attend and add them to your cart.
- Proceed through the checkout screens until you reach the page summarizing your order.
- On the order summary page, check the box next to “Protect my tickets with insurance.”
- Select the reason you’re purchasing insurance – usually “In case I can’t go.”
- Agree to the Terms of Use.
- The ticket insurance charge will be added to your total. Complete the checkout process.
The insurance fee will be a separate charge added to your ticket purchase. Make sure it shows up on your final order confirmation before completing your purchase.
How to make an insurance claim with Ticketmaster
If you need to file a claim on your Ticketmaster ticket insurance, you can easily do it online:
- Go to https://support.ticketmaster.com to start a claim.
- Click “Begin a Claim” and enter your order number.
- Select the event and tickets you want to claim.
- Choose the reason you are filing a claim – it must match one of the covered reasons.
- Provide details about why you couldn’t attend the event.
- Upload supporting documentation when prompted.
- Submit the claim and wait for a decision from Ticketmaster Insurance.
The entire claims process is handled through Ticketmaster’s website. After reviewing your claim, they will let you know if it is approved or denied. If approved, you will receive a full refund for the purchased tickets.
How long does it take to get a Ticketmaster insurance refund?
If your claim is approved, Ticketmaster states you should receive your insurance refund within 3 weeks after submitting your claim. However, some customers report getting refunded even sooner than that.
The exact time frame may vary depending on:
- How quickly Ticketmaster reviews and processes your submitted claim.
- How you paid for the tickets. Refunds to credit cards may be quicker than refunded checks.
- Whether there is high claim volume slowing down overall processing times.
While not guaranteed, if you provide all the necessary details and documentation, there is a good chance you could receive your refund within 7-14 days after submitting a claim.
Benefits of Ticketmaster ticket insurance
Here are some of the biggest benefits that come with purchasing Ticketmaster ticket insurance:
- Peace of mind – You don’t have to worry about losing all the money you spent if you can’t attend the event for a covered reason.
- Easy claims process – You can submit a claim entirely online in just a few minutes.
- Fast refunds – Most approved claims get refunded back within 3 weeks.
- Covers many circumstances – The policy covers you for illness, emergencies, weather, military service, and more.
- Optional add-on – You decide if the extra insurance protection is worth it for expensive tickets.
For less than 10% of your ticket cost, ticket insurance can provide a lot of valuable protection and reassurance.
Drawbacks of Ticketmaster ticket insurance
Ticket insurance also comes with the following drawbacks to consider:
- Extra cost – You have to pay extra just for the possibility of needing a refund. It adds to the total ticket cost.
- Limited reasons for refunds – Changing your mind or other unlisted reasons are not covered.
- Strict deadlines – You can only add insurance during a short window from when you buy tickets.
- No refund of fees – The insurance only covers the base price of the tickets, not any extra processing fees.
- Denials are final – There is no appeals process if your claim gets denied.
While the protections can be useful, there are limitations too. The extra cost may not always seem worthwhile if you don’t end up using the insurance.
Top reasons to buy Ticketmaster ticket insurance
Here are the top situations where purchasing ticket insurance can make the most sense:
- You bought expensive tickets worth several hundred dollars or more.
- You purchased tickets well in advance for an event several months away.
- You have health conditions that present a higher risk of illness.
- You live in an area with a frequent risk of severe weather.
- You bought tickets for elderly family members at higher risk of health issues.
- You have a job where you may have to respond to emergencies.
The more expensive the tickets and the more at-risk you may be of missing the event, the more valuable protection the insurance provides.
What if Ticketmaster cancels the event?
If Ticketmaster or the event host cancels the event entirely and it is not rescheduled, you will automatically get a full refund on your ticket purchase. You do not need to file an insurance claim.
Ticketmaster will process and send out refunds to all ticket holders once an event is cancelled. The refund will go back to your original payment method. You typically do not need to take any action to get your money back in this case.
Alternatives to Ticketmaster ticket insurance
Instead of Ticketmaster’s insurance, you may be able to get similar protections through:
- Your credit card – Many cards include limited trip or event cancellation coverage as a benefit.
- Travel insurance – If you booked flights/hotels for the event, travel insurance could cover the event tickets too.
- Homeowners/renters insurance – Policies may cover trip cancellations for specific reasons.
- Premium credit cards – High-end cards like Chase Sapphire Reserve offer robust cancellation protections.
Check if you already have coverage that would apply before purchasing Ticketmaster’s additional insurance. This can potentially save you money on redundancies.
Can you buy Ticketmaster ticket insurance after purchase?
Unfortunately, Ticketmaster does not allow you to add ticket insurance after initially purchasing your tickets. The insurance must be added within a short window from your original ticket order date – typically 5-7 days depending on the event type.
If you forgot to add it the first time or try to purchase it after that deadline passes, you will no longer have the option. You cannot retroactively add ticket insurance to an order placed on Ticketmaster.
This restriction is in place to prevent people from trying to add insurance when they suspect they may no longer be able to attend an event. It keeps the costs down for everyone by limiting last minute additions. Be sure to consider the insurance at the same time you purchase the tickets.
Is Ticketmaster ticket insurance worth it?
Whether Ticketmaster’s ticket insurance is worth it depends on your specific situation and risk factors. In many cases, it can provide valuable peace of mind:
- Expensive tickets – The insurance is often worth it if you spent over $500-$1,000 or more per ticket and would be devastated to lose that money.
- Notable life events – Important games, concerts, shows may be worth insuring to avoid missing out on those memories.
- Health conditions – Those at higher risk of illness/injury are more likely to utilize the insurance.
- Inflexible work – People with rigid jobs and on-call requirements can benefit from coverage.
The insurance costs a fraction of the total ticket price, so even if the risk of missing the event is low, it can still provide useful protection in case the unexpected happens.
Conclusion
Ticketmaster’s optional ticket insurance provides a refund if you can’t attend an event for covered reasons like illness, work emergencies or bad weather. The cost ranges from $3-$7 per ticket up to 7% of the total ticket price. Purchasing insurance gives peace of mind, but comes with limitations like strict claim eligibility. For expensive tickets and high-risk purchasers, the extra protection is often worthwhile.