What Is Refund Guarantee?
Refund Guarantee and Refund Insurance are UltraSignup features powered by Spot that give participants the option to cancel their race registration and get money back — reducing cancellation/refund management and increasing retained revenue for Race Directors. Which product a participant is offered depends on how far out from race day they register:
- 1–30 days before the event: Refund Guarantee — cancel for any reason, 80% back, up to 24 hours before race day.
- 31–60 days before the event: Refund Guarantee — cancel for any reason, 80% back, up to 72 hours before race day.
- 61+ days before the event: Refund Insurance — cancel for a specific covered reason (like injury or illness), up to 100% back, up until race start.
Participants who registered and purchased coverage before August 5, 2026 keep their original coverage terms exactly as purchased — this update only applies to new registrations going forward.
Key Benefits for Race Directors
✔ No Cost, No Overhead
You pay nothing. Customers opt-in and directly pay for coverage. Spot handles all support and refund payouts, while you retain the full booking value.
✔ Double Revenue Opportunity
If a canceled booking is rebooked, you’ll earn revenue twice for the same entry slot.
✔ Protects Race Director Revenue
Say goodbye to “exception” refunds that tax your bottom line. Refund Guarantee makes it easier to stand by your stated cancellation policy.
✔ Cancellation Policy Support
While not required, Refund Guarantee also makes it easier to shift to a more-strict cancellation policy, further reducing or eliminating revenue loss from refunds and management efforts—while knowing customers have access to flexibility if they want it.
FAQs
Q: What's the difference between Refund Guarantee and Refund Insurance?
Refund Guarantee (registrations 1–60 days before the event) lets participants cancel for any reason. Refund Insurance (registrations 61+ days before the event) requires a specific covered reason, but pays back a higher percentage and stays active all the way up to race start. Which one a participant is offered depends on when they register — you don't set this per-registration, it's determined automatically.
Q: What does each product cover?
Both cover the participant's registration cost, taxes, and platform fees.
Q: Is there any accounting effort on my part?
No. The transfer of coverage premium is handled by Spot and UltraSignup.
Q: When can customers request a refund?
Refund Guarantee: any time up to 24 or 72 hours before the event (depending on when they registered). Refund Insurance: any time up to race start, provided their reason for cancelling is a covered one. Customers should review their confirmation email for their specific deadline.
Q: Who handles the refund process?
Spot manages all refund requests, support, eligibility checks, and payouts, while you retain the full original registration value, and do not contribute at all to the refund.
Q: How much does coverage cost the participant?
Pricing is calculated dynamically for each registration and shown to the participant at checkout before purchase — it is not a fixed rate.
Q: Can Refund Guarantee be purchased for Virtual Events?
No, virtual events are not eligible for either product.
Q: What happens if the canceled race entry is rebooked?
The Race Director receives payment for both the original and the rebooked registration—doubling revenue.
Q: Can coverage be added to existing registrations?
No. It is only offered when registering for an event.
Q: Is there a coverage limit?
Yes. Coverage is not available for purchases over $5,000.
Q: How will I know if a runner is covered?
The customer's receipt will show which coverage — Refund Guarantee or Refund Insurance — they purchased.
Q: What if I issue a refund directly?
If you issue a refund to the customer, their coverage is voided and they can no longer request a refund from Spot.
Q: What happens if the event date changes?
If an Race Director updates the dates of an event, the new dates are automatically sent to Spot and applied to the refund guarantee coverage for all participants who purchased it. The only exception is participants who had already requested a refund for that event through Spot before the date change.
Q: What happens if a participant transfers their registration?
Coverage is not transferable. If a participant transfers their registration, their coverage is voided.Q: How does this work with lotteries and waitlists?
Q: How does this work with lotteries and waitlists?
Customers can choose to add coverage when entering a lottery or waitlist. If selected/invited and their payment is processed, coverage begins automatically — with the tier determined by how far out from the event that payment is processed.
Q: What happens if a participant upgrades or downgrades their registration?
Downgrades: coverage remains active, but the participant isn't eligible for a refund on the price difference. Upgrades: coverage remains active and continues through the original cancellation deadline.
Q: How do I remove coverage offerings from my event?
Toggle the setting off in your Event Edit page. This removes both Refund Guarantee and Refund Insurance — participants can't have it added retroactively once removed, so only those who registered while it was offered keep the benefit.
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