Every Club Director has experienced it.
A family reaches out after an athlete can no longer participate because of an unexpected injury, illness, or family emergency. While your club’s refund policy may be clear, those conversations are rarely easy.
In some cases, families who cannot receive a refund dispute the charge with their credit card company, resulting in a chargeback. Responding to a chargeback can be time-consuming, requiring staff to gather documentation and meet strict response deadlines. In addition to the administrative burden, chargebacks can result in lost revenue and processing fees.
Fortunately, there are proactive steps clubs can take to reduce the likelihood of these situations before the season begins.
Why Chargebacks Happen
Most chargebacks aren’t the result of poor customer service. More often, they occur when an unexpected life event leaves a family unable to participate and looking for a financial solution.
Volleyball clubs commit resources well before the season begins. Registration fees are used to reserve facilities, hire Coaches, purchase insurance, register for tournaments, and prepare for practices. Because those expenses are incurred in advance, many clubs maintain nonrefundable registration policies.
When families understand those policies during registration and are given an opportunity to protect their registration investment, expectations are clearer from the start.
How Player Registration Protection Can Help
Player Registration Protection by ViCoverage, powered by Vertical Insure, gives families the option to help protect eligible nonrefundable registration fees if an athlete is unable to participate because of an approved covered event.
For clubs, offering this optional protection may provide several benefits:
- Reduce difficult refund conversations.
- Support consistent application of your refund policy.
- Provide families with a clear claims process for covered events.
- Strengthen documentation if a chargeback is filed.
- Help protect outstanding payment plan balances, when applicable.
Organizations that offer Player Registration Protection have reported greater success responding to chargeback disputes because they can demonstrate that families were offered an optional protection solution during registration.
A Better Registration Experience
Player Registration Protection doesn’t replace your club’s refund policy. It complements it by giving families an optional way to help protect their registration investment if the unexpected happens.
By setting clear expectations during registration and offering families an additional layer of protection, clubs can reduce administrative challenges, improve communication, and spend less time managing disputes.
That allows Club Directors and Club Administrators to stay focused on what matters most: creating a positive experience for athletes and families.
Learn More
Want to learn practical strategies for reducing refund disputes and improving your registration process?
▶ Watch the Chargeback Prevention Video to learn best practices for communicating refund policies, responding to chargebacks, and understanding how Player Registration Protection can support your club.
Have questions or want to learn more?
If you’d like to learn more about offering Player Registration Protection, visit the ViCoverage | JVA Resource Hub, where you’ll find videos, FAQs, marketing resources, and implementation guidance.
If you’d like to discuss how the coverage fits into your club’s registration process, simply click Schedule a Call on the Resource Hub home page to book a meeting with Shelly Pope and her team.
