Gig-goers urged to check policy wording

People planning to attend gigs and events may not get the Covid-related cover they are expecting, Which? is warning.

It is urging people to check the small print on policies.

Around three in 10 people told the consumer group they would now be more likely to pay for ticket insurance, after the pandemic led to mass cancellations of events.

One in five had tickets to an event they could not attend or was cancelled due to coronavirus between April 2020 and May 2021.

In case of national or local lockdown, or mandatory selfisolation, Competition and Markets Authority guidance suggests consumers should be able to expect a refund from the ticket provider.

These consumers should not need insurance, Which? said, and only one of the policies it reviewed included cover for this.

The situation is less clear when consumers are following government advice rather than a legal requirement – such as advice not to travel outside their local area.

In these situations, consumers may need insurance to get a refund – but some policies Which? reviewed do not cover this.

The consumer champion warned some people may disregard important health guidance rather than miss an event and lose their money.

The consumer group said it is important to check each policy’s terms and conditions to see if it is worthwhile paying extra for insurance.

Ticket insurers told Which? that many customers have been able to obtain full refunds due to their cover.