What does ticket insurance cover for concerts and events?
In short
What does ticket insurance cover for concerts and events? It refunds the ticket price if you cannot attend for a listed reason, such as serious illness or an accident. In Germany it usually costs EUR 0.99 to 29.90 per ticket. If the organiser cancels, the organiser must refund you, so you do not need insurance for that.
Ticket insurance for tickets costing several hundred euros
up to about EUR 29.90 per ticket
Annual ticket cover, up to EUR 1,000 per event
from EUR 7.37 a year
Figures as of October 2026 from the sources listed; terms and excess differ by provider.
The worked example is a guide value from our quoting practice.
Ticket insurance is usually sold at checkout;
for annual or travel cancellation cover Norman Nammert obtains quotes as an insurance broker,
and the commission is paid by the insurer.
Worked example
Two festival tickets at EUR 250 each, flu three days before
How ticket insurance works out if illness keeps you from going.
Ticket price, two tickets
EUR 500
Ticket insurance, about 6 percent per ticket
about EUR 30
Refund with a doctor's certificate
EUR 500
With a 10 percent excess
EUR 450
You get EUR 450 to 500 back for EUR 30. Without insurance, resale is the only option.
Which reasons ticket insurance covers
Ticket insurance (Ticketversicherung) only pays for reasons listed in its terms. Typical ones are an unexpected serious illness, an accident, a death in the family and damage to your home from fire or burglary.
Many policies also include job loss, starting a new job or a train or bus delay of more than two hours. The refund covers the ticket price and fees, not travel or hotel costs.
When the organiser cancels the concert
If a concert or event is cancelled without replacement, the organiser cannot deliver. Under section 326(1) of the German Civil Code (BGB) your obligation to pay then lapses, and you get the ticket price back without any ticket insurance.
The consumer centre of North Rhine-Westphalia won a case that requires a ticket agency to refund booking fees for cancelled concerts too (Regional Court of Traunstein, case 2HK O 1757/21, final). That is why ticket insurance excludes cancellation by the organiser.
What ticket insurance does not pay
Illnesses you knew about when you bought the cover, changed plans and almost all postponements are not insured. If the band plays with a different line-up, the insurer will not pay either.
Some policies deduct an excess in a claim, for example 10 percent of the ticket price. Ask about it before you tick the box at checkout.
What ticket insurance costs
The premium depends on the ticket price. Cover is often limited to tickets up to EUR 1,000.
Offer
Price
Ticket insurance, cheap tickets
from about EUR 0.99 per ticket
Ticket insurance for a EUR 50 ticket
EUR 2.50 per ticket, no excess
Ticket insurance for tickets costing several hundred euros
up to about EUR 29.90 per ticket
Annual cover for any number of bookings
from EUR 7.37 a year, 10 percent excess
When ticket insurance is worth it and when not
The consumer centre of Rhineland-Palatinate considers the benefit questionable in most cases. With a EUR 40 ticket the risk is small, and cancellation by the organiser is not insured anyway.
It can make sense for expensive tickets, such as a festival, a final or several tickets for the family. If the concert is part of a trip with a hotel, travel cancellation insurance (Reiserücktrittsversicherung) is often the better choice.
No right of withdrawal for concert tickets
If you buy a ticket online for concerts and events on a fixed date, you cannot simply withdraw. Section 312g(2) no. 9 BGB excludes leisure services with a specific date from the 14-day right of withdrawal.
If you fall ill and have no ticket insurance, often the only option is resale through the organiser's official platform, if the ticket is not issued in your name.
Step by step
Check the ticket price: for cheap tickets insurance rarely pays off.
Read the covered reasons and the excess in the terms.
Buy ticket insurance with the ticket, at the latest 30 days before the date.
If you fall ill, see a doctor before the event and get a certificate.
Report the claim at once and send ticket, invoice and certificate.
If the organiser cancels, claim the refund from the organiser or ticket seller.
Checklist
Illness and accident listed as covered reasons
Excess known
Maximum amount covers the ticket price
Purchase deadline met
Doctor's certificate possible before the event
Ticket not already covered by travel cancellation insurance
Common mistakes
Buying ticket insurance to protect against cancellation by the organiser
Not mentioning a pre-existing condition and getting nothing in a claim
Getting the doctor's certificate only after the concert
Paying for each cheap ticket instead of checking annual cover
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Does ticket insurance pay if I have flu or Covid?
For an unexpected serious illness usually yes, with a doctor's certificate.
Many policies exclude pandemics and known pre-existing conditions.
Do I get my money back if the concert is cancelled?
Yes, from the organiser, even without insurance.
German consumer centres consider booking fees refundable too.
Can I buy ticket insurance later?
Often up to 30 days before the event.
For short-notice bookings some providers require it within three working days of purchase.
What if the concert is postponed?
Ticket insurance almost never pays for postponements.
But you do not have to accept the new date and can ask the organiser for a refund.
Is ticket insurance worth it for a ticket under EUR 50?
Rarely.
The premium is small, but so is the possible loss.
Consumer advocates suggest it mainly for expensive tickets.
