Refund Policy
A Legal Notice
This Refund Policy is a business policy for services and products provided by Bea L. Hines. It is not legal advice. Clients and organizations should review this policy with their own legal counsel before entering into a written agreement. When a signed speaker agreement, event contract, invoice, or written proposal contains refund terms that are different from this policy, the signed agreement controls.
Speaker Booking Payments
A booking is not confirmed until the required payment has been received and the booking has been accepted in writing.
Retainer / Deposit
A 50% non-refundable retainer is required to reserve Bea L. Hines for a speaking engagement, workshop, training, or private program.
The retainer secures the date and compensates Bea L. Hines for calendar reservation, preparation time, planning, administrative coordination, and the loss of other booking opportunities.
The retainer is not refundable for any client cancellation.
Final Payment
The remaining balance is due 14 calendar days before the scheduled event date unless a different due date is stated in writing.
If final payment is not received by the due date, Bea L. Hines has the right to cancel the booking without refunding the retainer.
Client Cancellation Policy
All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing by email.
Refunds are based on the date the written cancellation request is received.
Cancellation 30 or More Days Before the Event
If the client cancels 30 or more calendar days before the event, the client will receive a refund of any amount paid above the non-refundable retainer, minus payment processing fees and any non-refundable expenses already incurred.
Cancellation 15–29 Days Before the Event
If the client cancels 15–29 calendar days before the event, the non-refundable retainer is forfeited.
If the final balance has already been paid, 50% of the final balance will be refunded, minus payment processing fees and any non-refundable expenses already incurred.
Cancellation 14 Days or Fewer Before the Event
If the client cancels 14 calendar days or fewer before the event, all payments are non-refundable.
No refund will be issued for cancellations within this period.
Rescheduling Policy
A client may request to reschedule one confirmed engagement.
The request must be submitted in writing at least 21 calendar days before the event date.
One reschedule is allowed without an additional speaker retainer if the new event date occurs within six months of the original event date and Bea L. Hines is available.
If the client requests to reschedule fewer than 21 calendar days before the event, a rescheduling fee of $250 will be charged before a new date is confirmed.
If the client does not select and confirm a new date within six months of the original event date, the booking is considered canceled and all payments are forfeited.
Speaker-Initiated Cancellation
If Bea L. Hines cancels an engagement and the cancellation is not caused by the client, the client will receive one of the following options:
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A new event date at no additional speaker fee; or
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A refund of all speaker fees paid for services not delivered.
Bea L. Hines is not responsible for costs paid by the client to third parties, including venue fees, catering, printing, marketing, staffing, travel, lodging, equipment, or vendor expenses.
Public Event and Workshop Registration Refunds
Other
This section applies to ticketed events, public workshops, seminars, webinars, retreats, and group programs hosted by or featuring Bea L. Hines.
Refund Deadline
Registration fees are refundable only when the refund request is received at least 14 calendar days before the event date.
Refunds requested at least 14 calendar days before the event will be issued minus payment processing fees.
No Refund Period
No refunds will be issued fewer than 14 calendar days before the event.
No refunds will be issued for:
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Failure to attend
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Late arrival
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Early departure
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Schedule conflicts
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Personal emergencies
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Technology issues on the participant’s side
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Failure to access event materials before or during the event
Transfer of Registration
A paid registration may be transferred to another participant if the transfer request is submitted in writing at least 48 hours before the event.
The request must include the original registrant’s name and the replacement participant’s full name and email address.
Travel and Expense Payments
Travel-related costs are non-refundable once booked, paid, or incurred.
This includes:
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Airfare
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Hotel lodging
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Ground transportation
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Parking
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Meals
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Mileage
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Baggage fees
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Change fees
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Cancellation fees
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Travel agent or booking fees
If a client cancels or reschedules an event after travel has been booked, the client remains responsible for all non-refundable travel expenses.
Payment Processing Fees
Payment processing fees are non-refundable.
Any approved refund will be reduced by credit card fees, platform fees, bank fees, or other payment processing charges.
Refunds will be issued to the original payment method.
10. Refund Processing Timeline
Approved refunds will be processed within 10 business days after written approval.
After the refund is processed, the time required for funds to appear in the purchaser’s account depends on the bank, card issuer, or payment platform.
Force Majeure
If an event cannot take place because of circumstances beyond the control of Bea L. Hines or the client, the engagement will be rescheduled.
Force majeure events include:
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Severe weather
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Natural disasters
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Public health emergencies
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Government restrictions
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Venue closure
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Power outage
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Travel shutdown
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Airline cancellation
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Civil unrest
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Acts of God
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Emergency conditions that make performance unsafe or impossible
The rescheduled date must occur within six months of the original event date.
If the client refuses to reschedule within six months, the booking is treated as a client cancellation and the refund terms in Section 3 apply.
How to Request a Refund
All refund requests must be submitted in writing to:
Bea L. Hines
Email: [Insert Email Address]
Website: [Insert Website]
Phone: [Insert Phone Number]
The refund request must include:
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Full name
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Organization name, if applicable
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Event or product name
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Event date or purchase date
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Amount paid
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Payment receipt or invoice number
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Reason for refund request