Event Cancellation Protection Program FAQs

What Is Event Cancellation Protection?

Event Cancellation Protection is a benefit program available to race directors who register their events on UltraSignup and choose to opt-in to the program. Through UltraSignup's affiliation with Adventure Advocates, participating events gain access to a reimbursement program that allows race directors to offer their registrants a refund of event registration costs in the event of a qualifying cancellation or postponement.

Note: Adventure Advocates is not providing an insurance plan. It is providing a refund guarantee on behalf of the event should the event be canceled due to certain covered circumstances (described below).

If your event is cancelled or postponed due to a covered circumstance and is not rescheduled within 90 days, Adventure Advocates will remit refund funds to UltraSignup, and UltraSignup will electronically distribute refunds back to the credit or debit cards originally used to register.

How It Works

1. Opt In

Race directors can opt their event(s) into Adventure Advocates membership through UltraSignup.

2. Refund Disclaimer Displayed 

A link to the Adventure Advocates Refund Disclaimer will be added to your event's registration pathway, so registrants are informed of the terms before signing up.

3. If Cancellation Occurs

Should a covered circumstance occur, the race director notifies Adventure Advocates, submits required documentation, and UltraSignup processes refunds electronically to eligible registrants.

4. Refund Assignment

By opting in, race directors agree to assign their right to receive the reimbursement to UltraSignup, which then distributes those funds directly to registrants.

Covered Circumstances

Adventure Advocates will provide a full or partial refund of registration fees if an event is canceled or postponed for one of the following reasons and is not rescheduled within 90 days:

Adverse Weather

Any adverse weather conditions that posed a serious threat to the safety of those attending or setting up the event, or that made it physically impossible to use the venue due to physical damage or complete inaccessibility to the venue.

Natural Catastrophe

Earthquake, tsunami, flood, volcanic eruption, hurricane, tornado, forest fire, and/or any other extraordinary meteorological event causing widespread damage.

Terrorism

An act or series of acts involving the use of force or violence by any person or group, committed for political, religious, or ideological purposes, including the intention to influence any government or put the public in fear.

Note: Terrorism coverage does not apply to: (1) fear or threat of terrorism alone, unless a public safety civil authority issues a written order making the event impossible to hold as scheduled; (2) any act involving nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons.

What Is NOT Covered

Pre-existing or known circumstances

Any circumstance or peril that was known or pre-existing at the time the event became an Adventure Advocates member is excluded from coverage.

Events canceled after they have started

No refund will be provided for an event that is canceled once it has commenced.

Events rescheduled within 90 days

If an event is rescheduled to occur within 90 days of the original start date, no refund will be provided.

Duplicate refunds

No refund will be provided if the event organizer is also providing refunds for the same covered perils.

All other cancellation reasons

If an event is canceled for any reason not explicitly listed above, Adventure Advocates cannot guarantee a refund, though registrants may still be due a refund from the event organizer directly.

Pricing

Event Cancellation Protection is offered at a fee of 3% of all registration fees collected for the event. This fee is collected from race directors by UltraSignup as a statement adjustment.

How Is This Different from Spot Refund Guarantee?

UltraSignup offers two separate programs that help protect registrants' investments — and it's important to understand the distinction:

In short: Event Cancellation Protection covers the race director's registrants when the whole event can't happen. Spot Refund Guarantee covers an individual runner who can't attend regardless of whether the event takes place. Both are valuable — they just address different scenarios.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to offer Event Cancellation Protection? 

No. Event Cancellation Protection is entirely opt-in. Race directors choose to enroll their event during the event setup process on UltraSignup.

How do my registrants know the protection is available for my event? 

When you opt in, a link to the Adventure Advocates Refund Disclaimer is included in your event's registration pathway. Registrants will see this link before completing their registration.

What if my event is not enrolled and I have to cancel? 

Refunds are only available through this program for covered circumstances. If your event is not enrolled, registrants are not eligible for reimbursement through Adventure Advocates. You may still owe refunds to registrants depending on your own event policies.

When does event cancellation coverage take effect? 

Coverage applies once your event is enrolled and the Refund Disclaimer link is added to your registration page. Refunds will only be provided for qualifying cancellations if the Disclaimer link was present on the registration pathway while the event was actively accepting registrations.

What if the event is rescheduled instead of canceled? 

If the event is rescheduled to take place within 90 days of the original start date, no refund is provided. If it is rescheduled beyond 90 days (or not rescheduled at all), the cancellation may qualify for a refund under the covered circumstances.

What if the event starts and then is canceled mid-race? 

No refund will be provided for an event that is canceled after it has already commenced.

How do registrants receive their refunds? 

UltraSignup distributes refunds electronically back to the credit or debit cards that were originally used to register.

As a race director, what do I need to do if my event is cancelled? 

Race directors must notify Adventure Advocates of the cancellation and provide all requested documentation in order to initiate the reimbursement process.

As a new Adventure Advocates member, are participants who registered before I became a member covered if my event is cancelled? 

If your event has already opened registrations before becoming a member of AA, the first month's payment must include 100% of all previous registrations for the upcoming covered event in order for those participants to be covered.

If the membership start is within a 6-week window of the event taking place, this is not allowed. If your event date is scheduled within the coming 6 weeks, then we must get it pre-approved by our underwriters before being added. If this is the case, please reach out to UltraSignup support.  

Can UltraSignup cancel my Adventure Advocates membership? 

Yes. UltraSignup reserves the right to discontinue an event's Adventure Advocates membership at any time at its sole discretion.

Where can I read the full terms and conditions of event cancellation protection? 

You can review the complete terms in the Adventure Advocates Refund Disclaimer and the Event Cancellation Protection Benefit Assignment document, which you'll be asked to sign when enrolling.

Getting Started

If you're a race director and want to enroll your event in Event Cancellation Protection, please fill out this form to get started.

Once you've joined the Program you'll want to add a required question for participants that links to the Disclaimer Document. Here's some language you can copy-paste to make that easier.

This event is covered by Event Cancellation Protection. Please read and acknowledge the Disclaimer.