Buying insurance for Broadway tickets can be a smart idea to protect your investment, especially if you are purchasing expensive tickets. However, insurance does come with an added cost, so you’ll need to weigh the potential benefits against the extra fees. Here are some key factors to consider when deciding if insurance makes sense for your Broadway tickets.
What does Broadway ticket insurance cover?
Broadway ticket insurance typically covers you in case you need to cancel your trip or tickets for covered reasons. Some common reasons insurance may refund you include:
- Illness, injury, or death preventing you from attending
- Severe weather causing cancelation of the performance
- Travel delays causing you to miss the show
- Military deployment
- Jury duty
- Pregnancy complications
Insurance can provide either a full or partial refund depending on the policy. Be sure to read the fine print to understand exactly what circumstances are covered.
What does Broadway ticket insurance NOT cover?
Some common things Broadway ticket insurance does not cover include:
- Changing your mind about attending
- Pre-existing medical conditions
- Mental health conditions, anxiety, or depression
- Financial hardship or work obligations
- Traffic or transportation delays within your control
- Non-life threatening illnesses like a common cold
If you simply decide not to go or have a minor illness, you will generally not be able to make a claim. Make sure to understand all the exclusions before purchasing a policy.
How much does Broadway ticket insurance cost?
The cost of Broadway ticket insurance can vary, but typically ranges from 5% to 15% of the base ticket price. Some factors that affect the cost include:
- The show – Popular high-demand shows often have pricier insurance.
- Ticket price – The more your tickets cost, the more the insurance will be.
- Policy coverage – More comprehensive coverage costs more.
- Your personal factors – Age, health, trip duration can impact price.
As a general estimate, expect to pay around $10-$30 per ticket for insurance. While the extra fee may seem high, it could end up saving you hundreds if you need to file a claim.
When should I strongly consider Broadway ticket insurance?
Here are some situations where buying insurance is highly recommended:
- You purchased very expensive tickets over $150 or more per seat.
- You booked non-refundable ticket packages like VIP experiences.
- You are traveling from out of state or internationally.
- You have health conditions that make canceling a possibility.
- You are booking far in advance and worried about changes in plans.
- You will have no way to resell or transfer the tickets if plans change.
The more you have financially at risk, the more insurance makes sense to hedge against losing your money if you need to cancel.
When can I skip Broadway ticket insurance?
Here are some instances where you may not need to purchase insurance:
- You are a local booking last minute tickets at normal prices.
- You booked discounted tickets under $100 per seat.
- You have flexible plans and dates to attend shows.
- You purchased refundable tickets that allow cancellation.
- You are in good health and unlikely to have complications.
- You can easily resell the tickets if plans change.
If your tickets were very affordable, you have backup dates in mind, or you could recoup costs by reselling, then insurance may not offer enough upside to justify the extra fees.
Where can I buy Broadway ticket insurance?
There are a few ways to purchase Broadway ticket insurance:
- Through your ticket vendor – Many ticket sellers like Telecharge and Ticketmaster give you the option to add insurance during checkout.
- Third party insurance providers – Companies like Allianz Insurance sell policies you can buy separately after purchasing tickets.
- Travel insurance packages – Some travel insurance plans may include cancellation coverage for events and activities.
- Your credit card – Some credit cards include trip or event cancellation coverage as a benefit.
Going through the company you bought tickets from directly is often the easiest way to get insurance. You can also shop around for third party providers to compare options and pricing.
What should I look for in a Broadway ticket insurance policy?
Here are some key factors to evaluate when choosing an insurance policy for Broadway tickets:
- Covered reasons for cancelation – Make sure the list of covered circumstances is comprehensive based on your needs and concerns.
- Exclusions & limitations – Be aware of any exclusions like pre-existing conditions that could prevent you from filing a successful claim.
- Refund amount – Know if the policy refunds the full ticket value or a portion of it.
- Replacement ticket option – Some insurers let you choose replacement tickets rather than a cash refund if shows are rescheduled.
- Ease of filing a claim – Understand the claims process and make sure it is straightforward.
- Reviews & reputation – Check online reviews and the company’s ratings by organizations like BBB.
Do your homework to find a Broadway ticket insurance policy that provides sufficient protection and value for your situation.
Can I insure single Broadway tickets or do I need to insure the whole order?
Most Broadway ticket insurance policies allow you to insure single tickets rather than requiring you to insure your whole order. This provides flexibility if you only have concerns about certain shows, dates, or seats.
For example, you may want to insure expensive front row Hamilton tickets for your parents visiting from out of town. But you may decide to skip insurance for cheaper last minute Come From Away tickets you snagged for yourself.
With many insurers, you can select exactly which individual tickets to insure during the checkout process. This allows granular control over what’s protected versus what’s not.
One thing to keep in mind is that insurance costs per ticket often decrease incrementally the more tickets you bundle into a single policy. But the ability to customize coverage ticket-by-ticket is useful in many scenarios.
Can I get broadway ticket insurance if I purchased tickets from a reseller or third party?
Getting insurance can be more complicated if you purchased Broadway tickets from a reseller or third party vendor rather than directly from the official source. Here are a few key considerations:
- Some ticket resellers like StubHub allow you to add cancellation protection or insurance when you make the purchase. This should cover you similarly to insurance from the box office.
- If insurance was not offered at the time of purchase, you likely need to buy a separate policy from a third party insurer after the fact.
- Insurance claims may be denied if it’s discovered the tickets were originally purchased from an unofficial vendor in violation of Broadway rules.
- If purchasing from a reseller, only use reputable and authorized vendors to reduce risk of issues.
It’s safest to buy directly from official ticket sellers when possible. But reputable resellers can also offer insurance options that provide sufficient coverage in many cases.
What if something happens that my Broadway ticket insurance doesn’t cover?
If an event comes up that causes you to miss a Broadway show and is not covered by your insurance policy, you unfortunately have very limited options. Here are a few things you could potentially do:
- See if the box office or your ticket provider allows you to exchange the tickets for a future date, likely incurring an exchange fee.
- Sell or gift the tickets to a friend or family member who can attend in your place.
- Sell the tickets through a resale platform like StubHub to recoup a portion of costs.
- Forfeit the ticket value as an unfortunate loss depending on circumstances.
Without insurance protection, Broadway tickets are generally non-refundable – so try to avoid uncontrolled circumstances leading to missed shows when possible.
What happens if my show is cancelled and I have Broadway ticket insurance?
If the Broadway show you booked tickets for ends up being fully cancelled with no ability to reschedule, your insurance policy should provide a refund. Typically you can expect to get back the full face value of the tickets minus insurance fees.
Coverage details can vary by policy, but event cancellation is one of the standard covered circumstances. Just be sure to follow the proper process for filing your claim after the cancellation is announced to receive your payout.
One thing to note – if a show is simply rescheduled or postponed rather than fully cancelled, your insurance may instead give you replacement tickets for a future performance rather than a cash refund.
Does my homeowners or renters insurance policy include Broadway ticket coverage?
Standard homeowners and renters insurance policies are unlikely to provide any coverage for Broadway show tickets. These policies are designed to cover your physical property in the case of incidents like theft, fire, or natural disaster.
Event cancellation insurance is considered a separate specialty insurance product. You would need to purchase a specific policy to have risk protection for Broadway tickets.
That said, if you had Broadway tickets stolen from your home, a homeowners or renters policy may reimburse you for the physical tickets as personal property – but not for the lost event admission they represent.
Are there any alternatives to buying Broadway ticket insurance?
A few potential alternatives to buying insurance include:
- Using a credit card with built-in trip cancellation coverage for ticket purchases.
- Only buying refundable Broadway tickets when possible.
- Reselling unwanted tickets through a marketplace if plans change.
- Attending a future performance if shows are rescheduled.
- Purchasing last minute heavily discounted tickets to minimize losses.
However, for high value Broadway trips, formal insurance is still your best option for full protection. The alternatives often don’t provide comprehensive coverage.
Conclusion
Broadway ticket insurance provides valuable protection against losing your money if you need to cancel insured shows. It offers peace of mind, especially for expensive tickets and guests traveling from out of town. Just be sure to read the fine print and understand exactly what circumstances trigger refunds before purchasing a policy.
While the extra insurance fees do add up, for many Broadway fans and tourists the cost is worthwhile. Nothing can ruin an eagerly anticipated Broadway trip faster than losing hundreds or thousands of dollars on tickets you suddenly can’t use. With the right insurance policy, you can attend shows stress-free knowing cancellations and changes in plans are covered.