Insurance. It has become one of the most important words in our lives today. In a world of enormous brush fires, large scale hurricanes, and global pandemics it has become impossible not to talk about insurance in the world of weddings.
Wedding Insurance is a type of insurance that covers your event from any financial losses you may incur due to situations outside of your control. (The most common things that could happen outside one’s control are weather, property damage, or vendor issues. For example, after Hurricane Sandy hit NY in October 2012 certain beachside venues in Queens and Long Island were out of commission due to flooding).
Photo taken by: Cengiz Adagion Studio
What does wedding insurance cover?
There are two different types of wedding insurance: Liability Coverage and Cancellation Coverage
Liability Coverage offers you protection from mishaps that can occur due to your guests, vendors or the venue during your event. This can refer to a slip and fall from a boozy guest or scuffing up a venue’s dance floor.
Cancellation Coverage offers you protection if the event is cancelled or postponed. This is the current situation for many brides and grooms today due to the coronavirus. The pandemic caused a government mandated shutdown and restrictions on weddings. Due to the unprecedented nature of this disaster, most wedding venues and vendors have tried to be as accommodating as possible but not all venues and vendors are able to provide their clients with money back and/ or the ability to perform on the new date. While this specific disaster is unprecedented, severe weather and property damage have always been a threat to any event. Cancellation Coverage protects against acts of god, extreme weather, sudden illness’ and most other unexpected challenges that are not in your control.
What is the price range of wedding insurance?
When buying an insurance plan it is important to make sure the plan you have covers the total sum costs of your wedding budget (ie the gown, tux, venue, vendors, etc). The price range will vary based on the coverage, but the typical cost is between $175 - $1,000.
Can destination weddings be covered with insurance?
Certain insurance companies do insure destination weddings outside of the United States.
Would we recommend paying for insurance?
As a planner, I advocate to always err on the side of caution. In times of uncertainty, any insurance can be quite comforting. I highly recommend to all my clients that in this new age, they all have wedding insurance. By spending a little extra money now, you could save you a lot of money in the future!
What are other unexpected issues that cause brides and grooms to need insurance?
Military Deployments, Bands break up, vendors go bankrupt, vendors don’t show up, foreign vendors can’t get into the country, transportation gets into an accident, the list goes on and on…
Is it too late to get wedding insurance now?
No! Most companies allow couples to get insurance up to 24 hours before their event. Purchases already made will be covered with the exception of any existing claim situations prior to your purchase, so it’s best to buy wedding insurance as soon as you start planning!
What companies provide the best wedding insurance (in my own experience)?
Best Overall Coverage: Markel Event Insurance
Best Destination: Travelers
Best Customizable: WedSure
Best for Liability: WedSafe