CONCERTS: Is ticket insurance worth it? : Audio File with Vanessa ...

Posted on | November 12, 2012 | Comments

Some concert tickets now offer an insurance option. (2011/File Photo)

Today was an exciting day at the Audio File household. Charming Husband, who loves, loves loves Soundgarden (and any project Matt Cameron is involved in), managed to score tickets to the Feb. 16 show at The Wiltern since he?s part of the Soundgarden fan club.

I?m pretty stoked because I didn?t get to see the band when they came to the Forum in 2011.

As we were talking about the purchase price (which was pretty hefty, but I don?t mind too much since we?re seeing them in a smaller venue), Charming Husband brought up that he purchased ticket insurance.

Obviously, I have car insurance. In the past I have purchased travel insurance, but ticket insurance is a new one for me. Doing a quick search, it looks like it has been around for a few years, but I tend to ignore all of the extras when I?m checking out.

Here?s the pitch from Allianz Global, the company that he purchased the insurance from: ?Wild horses couldn?t keep you from your event. But a case of the flu could. So could car trouble or a family emergency. If life throws an unexpected wrench in your plans, Event Ticket Protector can help you recoup the money you spent on your tickets.?

Hmmn. Apparently pre-existing conditions do not apply. I can think of exactly two times I would have really needed ticket insurance: Once in 2000 when the Beastie Boys/Rage Against the Machine tour was canceled after Mike D broke his arm and then Rage split, and in 2005 when a friend and I tried to make it from Philadelphia and Baltimore, respectively, to Los Angeles to see Alkaline Trio, but were thwarted by thunderstorms in Atlanta.

As I remember the Beastie Boys/Rage tour?we were reimbursed for everything except shipping. As for the Alkaline Trio debacle, we didn?t get our money back, but we had a blast being stuck in Atlanta for 24 hours.

I?m not sure either would qualify for a refund here.

Here is a sample of some things that are covered:

1. Any serious Injury or any unforeseen serious Illness occurring to You or Your Companion which results in You being unable to attend the event for which the Single-Day Ticket is purchased. You or Your Companion must be examined by a Physician within 72 hours of the cancellation and the Physician must advise You or Your Companion not to attend the event.
2. Any serious Injury or any unforeseen serious Illness occurring to Your Family Member which requires You to provide primary care to that person. Your Family Member must be examined by a Physician within 72 hours of the cancellation.
3. Any serious Injury or any unforeseen serious Illness occurring to Your Family Member that is considered life threatening or requiring hospitalization. Your Family Member must be examined by a Physician within 72 hours of the cancellation.
4. Your death.

Here are some things that are NOT covered:
1. Pre-Existing Conditions;
2. Intentionally self-inflicted harm, suicide or attempted suicide by You;
3. Normal pregnancy, fertility treatments, Childbirth or elective abortion, other than unforeseen
complications of pregnancy of You, Your Companion or Your Family Member;
4. Mental or nervous health disorders, including but not limited to: anxiety, depression, neurosis
or psychosis; or physical complications related thereto of You, Your Companion or Your
Family Member;
5. Alcohol or substance abuse; or conditions or physical complications related thereto of You,
Your Companion or Your Family Member;
6. War (whether declared or undeclared), acts of war, military duty (unless specifically covered),
civil disorder or unrest;
7. Operating or learning to operate any aircraft as pilot or crew;
8. Nuclear reaction, radiation or radioactive contamination;
9. Natural disasters (unless as specifically covered);
10. Terrorism;
11. Financial Default;
12. Epidemic or Pandemic;
13. Pollution or threat of pollutant release;
14. Any unlawful acts committed by You, Family Members, or Your Companion, whether they are
insured or not;
15. You or Your Companion: a) making changes to personal plans or b) having a business or
contractual obligation;
16. The event being cancelled or delayed by the venue or promoter for any reason (including bad
weather) unless as covered herein;

Good to know that if the end of the world really does happen at the end of 2012, I don?t think our Soundgarden tickets would be refunded. However, there is one silver lining to this dark cloud that now has me worrying about Riverside becoming the next Chernobyl: you have 10 days from the date of purchase to cancel the insurance and obtain a refund of the premium as long as you haven?t filed a claim and the event hasn?t passed.

Have you ever purchased ticket insurance? Is it helpful for unforeseen circumstances or just another way to add more profit to ticket prices?

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Source: http://blog.pe.com/audio-file/2012/11/12/concerts-is-ticket-insurance-worth-it/

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