Interesting concept but what is the purpose of purchasing the software only to have the subscription (not the software) run out and be blocked from acquiring the software you paid good money for? I would think this is a mistake or a glitch and not part of how this works. It would seem unfair to purchase something I can not physically own and then have it taken from me at their choosing (or in this case when the subscription ran out).
CharlesCS ... anything purchased online and subsequently downloaded will obviously be 'lost' if its only location was/is a harddrive you no longer have access to, whatever the reason.
The correct step in online purchase/downlod... for any software, no matter what the type/source is to download and save to a known and reliably accessible medium. Your OS drive does not classify as such. You need to copy the software [backup] to ideally an external location - second harddrive [physical, not partition] and/or CD/DVD/Flash drive.
Then "when" your OS goes belly-up [or your computer fries or is stolen]...you still have the software intact.
As mentioned many times...there are only 2 types of computer users...those who backup....and those who cry....
Accessing 'lost' SD proggies/vers can be achieved via contacting SD sales, so it's not all bad, however backing up is always the preferred procedure as it's within your own control...