Should You Purchase Wedding Insurance?

You may have heard about wedding insurance but are unclear what it covers. While thinking about insuring your wedding might take a touch of the romance out of the planning, it’s worth considering.

Think about all the time spent planning every detail, not to mention the money you’re putting down on deposits including venues, caterers, and flowers.

Ask yourself these two questions:

• Can you afford to lose the money you’ve already spent on wedding planning?
• Will you be able to spend the money a second time if your wedding goes haywire?

If you answered no to either (or perhaps both) of these questions, then you need to purchase wedding insurance.

Still on the fence? Think beyond the money you’ve shelled out already and think of possible problems. What if the caterer serves bad oysters and people fall ill? How about your favorite uncle who always overindulges at an open bar then drives home?

These are the scenarios that you can protect yourself from if you purchase wedding insurance.

While wedding insurance won’t cover a runaway bride or a no-show groom, it will include some other potential risks.

#1 – Wedding attire damage

Are the groom or groomsmen renting tuxedos? Rental agreements require them to return those garments in the condition in which you received them—reasonably clean and free of damages and stains. What happens when the groom gets smudges of his Aunt Irma’s makeup down the lapel during her overzealous hug?

What about the wedding dress? It’s a thousand-plus dress that’s a keepsake you hope to keep for your daughter to wear one day. A trip over the hem can leave a hole or tear that can cost a hundred dollars or more to repair.

These situations are not very hard to visualize, are they?

#2 – Host liquor liability insurance

If you are serving alcohol at your wedding, it’s a smart idea to tack host liquor liability insurance onto your wedding insurance. It’s a separate policy but worth every penny.

You would assume that the bartender would be responsible for not overserving your wedding guests, right?

Think again. Your wedding venue’s contract may hold you liable for ensuring safe alcohol consumption during your event. It looks like you might be a little too busy cutting the cakes and shaking it on the dance floor to watch over the bar.

#3 – Snags with vendors

There’s nothing worse for a bride and groom to learn in the eleventh hour that their dream venue has closed their business, the caterer has filed bankruptcy, or the florist had a hot glue gun accident and can’t arrange the flowers.

If the vendor fails to make a remedy to you (as if they even can make up for this breach of your confidence), your wedding insurance will help to make this right. Having the money back in your pocket will allow you to find new vendors—ASAP!

#4 – Rental property damage

You’ve probably noticed that you’re laying out a ton of money for rentals. Not only are you renting the venue, but you could also possibly need to rent tables, chairs, tents, table linens, and even some wedding décor.

The rental contracts likely stipulate that you return these items undamaged.

What if a giant gust of wind tears the tent? Or, how about a worker dropping the champagne fountain during break-down after the reception?

Having wedding insurance covers these types of accidents that can—and do—happen.

#5 – Liability from illness or injury

As an event host, you could be accountable for a guest’s well-being (depending on the language in the venue’s rental agreement). Should a guest slip and fall or have an allergic reaction to your shrimp appetizer, you could be left footing the bill to the tune of thousands of dollars.

These are scenarios that you really can’t anticipate, but you really should feel secure in knowing that you have protection in the unlikely event of medical bills.

Accidents and injuries can happen anytime and anywhere, even at your wedding!

#6 – Weather worries

Should your event be postponed or canceled due to uncontrollable weather worries, wedding insurance will cover you.

This is especially essential coverage for those who live in areas prone to hurricanes, blizzards, ice storms, or in tornado alley. However, bad weather can happen anywhere!

One caveat. Purchase your wedding insurance as soon as you book your date. If you wait until a few days before the event and see adverse weather conditions heading your way, you will probably be restricted from taking out a policy.

Final Words on Wedding Insurance

Wedding insurance may sound far-fetched to some couples. But, once you begin adding up the actual costs along with weighing out potential risks, it begins to look like a wise investment. After all, you can’t put a price tag on having a worry-free wedding day.

Are you ready to insure your wedding? Contact a local insurance agent for guidance on what coverages are available in your state.