What is Wedding Insurance?
Insure to Protect Against Liability & Accidents at Wedding Reception
Jun 3, 2009
Big events like weddings don't come cheap. The average wedding in the U.S. now costs between $26-27,000 – as much as a new car. Most people wouldn't drive a car without insurance, and it's a good idea for couples planning a big, lavish wedding to consider purchasing wedding insurance to protect them against things that can go wrong on the big day.
Wedding insurance is relatively inexpensive, ranging from $125 to about $600 depending on just how much coverage is needed.
Who Needs Wedding Insurance?
Wedding insurance is completely optional. In fact, many brides and grooms don't get any insurance to guard against problems on the big day. Couples planning a small, inexpensive wedding don't necessarily benefit from insurance, while other couples have high risk tolerance and are willing to take whatever comes without insurance.
For many couples, however, insurance is a valuable part of the wedding planning process that enables them to invest money well in advance of the wedding without worrying about vendors going out of business, photographer no-shows, weather crises that might prevent the reception from happening, or sudden military deployment forcing a change of the wedding date.
What Can Wedding Insurance Protect Against?
Wedding insurance plans vary widely depending on the insurance broker, the location, and how much coverage is needed. The following are often part a wedding insurance plan:
- Weather – Insurance pays for the cost of rescheduling the wedding due to tornado, hurricane, flooding, and other weather emergencies
- Illness, Injury or Death – Covers the cost of rescheduling if the bride, the groom, or a family member is injured or falls ill shortly before the wedding day
- Location – If the Church or reception hall doesn't have its own insurance, the plan can cover damages due to fire, electrical troubles, property damage during the reception, or the location going out of business prior to the event
- Vendors – If the businesses providing flowers, photography, food, the wedding cake or anything else fold before the wedding, insurance covers the cost of replacing items already paid for
Some wedding insurance policies will also include:
- Military Deployment – Covers the cost of rescheduling if the bride or groom is deployed unexpectedly before the wedding takes place
- Transportation – If transportation shutdowns prevent the bride, groom, or immediate family members from arriving at the wedding on time
- Loss of Luggage – Covers the cost of replacements if the wedding gown and the groom's tux go missing en route to a destination wedding
- Damage to Dress – Pays for repairs to accidental damage to the wedding gown
- Accidents and Liability – If a guest, server, or location staff member is injured during the wedding or reception
- Damage or Loss of Wedding Ring – Covers the cost of replacement if a wedding ring is damaged before or on the wedding day
- Damage or Theft of Gifts – In case the gift table crashes or presents are stolen
- Ruined Photos – If a photographer's film or memory cards are defective, some insurance policies will cover expenses to bring the wedding party back together so new photos can be taken
- Travel Insurance – for the honeymoon
Although insurance can be purchased to cover just about everything else, wedding insurance won't cover expenses if the bride or groom gets cold feet and the wedding is canceled.
Sources
- Callaway, Nina, "Wedding Insurance", Weddings.About.com, accessed 3 June 2009.
- Nelson, Kristi, "Insurance Can Help Avert Wedding Disasters", NBCDFW.com, 25 May 2009.
- Sage, Bobbie, "Does Your Wedding Plan Include Insurance?" PersonalInsure.About.com, accessed 3 June 2009.
- Wedding Protector Plan, "Why Wedding Insurance?" AgentProtectMyWedding.com, 2008.
 |
