Is Wedding Insurance Worth Getting?
By: Robertson Insurance, Risk Management
Tags: Insurance, Robertson Insurance, Wedding Insurance, Risk Management, Wedding Planning

Finally, the special day you’ve waited for is about to become reality. You’re making wedding plans and booking your venue, caterer, and other vendors — but have you stopped to think about wedding insurance? If you and your partner are wondering whether this kind of insurance is necessary, consider all the risks beyond your control that could ruin your carefully-made plans.

Unexpected events, such as COVID-19, are a prime example of why coverage is crucial to protecting your big day. With the average wedding costing around $33,900, it’s better to be prepared than to leave your plans to chance. Below we’ll dive into what this special type of insurance includes and frequently asked questions regarding this type of plan.

What Is Wedding Event Insurance?

Simply put, wedding event insurance is an extra step to safeguard all the financial investments you’ve put into your big day. You can work with a provider to find plans that will protect anything from venue issues and catering debacles, all the way to a costly guest accident.

You can select as little or as much coverage as you need, depending on the size and type of wedding you’re hosting. A good rule of thumb is to opt for enough protection so that if a disaster strikes, you’re not starting your marriage off reeling from the financial impact of events beyond your control.

What Does Wedding Insurance Cover?

Let’s break down the two main types of event insurance and what they cover so you can make an informed decision on what protection you need.

Wedding Liability Insurance

With any event, there’s always the risk of someone being hurt. Wedding liability insurance ensures if you’re held legally responsible for an accident or injury on your wedding day, you don’t have to face the costly repercussions alone.

Wedding liability insurance will cover:

Alcohol-related incidents

Venue damage caused by a guest or vendor

Expenses resulting from injury of a guest or vendor

Legal fees and defense costs (if applicable to the situation)

This type of policy can also be extended to protect more than just you and your partner. Upon request, the liability insurance can also cover the immediate family of the groom and bride (like parents) and even the venue.

It’s worth noting that some venues require you to have this type of coverage to use their facility. Make sure to ask your venue contact as you’re going through the booking process. Also, read the contract carefully to look for mention of details like this.

Wedding Event Insurance

Wedding event insurance is geared more towards covering unforeseen issues that can affect the outcome of the wedding day services you’ve paid for. Typically it’s geared towards accidents that can occur with your venue or wedding vendors’ expected services.

Wedding event insurance will typically cover:

Cancellations from your venue for safety issues (mold, fire, etc.)

Severe weather complications resulting in rescheduling

Vendors not showing up, going bankrupt, or lacking permits

Military duty postponing the couple from marrying

Damage to bridal party clothing and other costly event supplies

Your venue and vendors may already have their own insurance as well, so you’ll want to check into that before deciding what amount of coverage you need. However, even if your vendors have their own insurance, it’s still wise to opt for your own, so you don’t leave any gaps for unforeseen expenses.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a prime example of where this type of wedding day insurance can provide peace of mind in situations out of your control. Couples were forced to postpone weddings due to gathering restrictions, but they didn’t have to worry about losing the money they invested in services for their special day.

What Wedding Day Insurance Won’t Cover

Your options above offer a large range of coverage. However, there are still a handful of scenarios that this type of insurance isn’t designed to handle, including:

Protection of your engagement ring if damage or theft occurs

Your partner calling it off close to the day of the wedding

Expensive jewelry and accessories worn by the bridal party

The transmission or infection of contagious diseases

Those situations aside, these insurance plans are designed to cover the most common wedding claims — cancellations, property damage, injuries, or vendor problems.

FAQs About Wedding Day Insurance

Still have questions about this type of insurance? Here are some of the most common FAQs answered below.

1. Do I need insurance if I’m hosting a backyard marriage event?

Yes. Your homeowner’s insurance plan is usually not enough. The average plan does not have the right provisions to cover accidents or risks posed by serving liquor. It’s safer to opt for wedding liability insurance.

2. When should I buy insurance for my big day?

You can shop around and purchase it as soon as you’ve booked your venue or started writing checks to your wedding vendors. You can also purchase it 2–3 weeks before your wedding if you want to wait a bit longer.

3. What wedding insurance covers COVID-19?

If you’re looking to protect your wedding in the event of a cancellation due to COVID-19, talk to your local insurance provider about liability or cancellation wedding event insurance options.

4. How much insurance do I need for my special day?

The scale and size of your wedding will affect how much or how little coverage you need. Before you talk to your provider about plans, ask your booked vendors if they have insurance. For example, caterers and venues typically have their own policies, which may reduce the areas you need coverage for on your big day.

5. If there’s bad weather on my day, is it covered?

If it’s just rain, no. However, most plans covering weather will insure you in the event there’s a natural disaster or severe weather event that postpones your celebration.

6. Who can purchase wedding event insurance?

Aside from just the bride and the groom (who need to be at least 18 years old), any other financial stakeholders can be included. This includes parents or relatives helping to pay for the wedding.

Wedding Insurance Is Not One-Size-Fits-All

There will be a lot of factors making you nervous about your wedding day, but worrying about an accident that could ruin your special plans shouldn’t be one of them. Consider meeting with a local insurance provider who can take time to learn about your needs and create a unique plan to cover your wedding’s specific risks.

Want to learn more about how Robertson Insurance brokers can help you find the right wedding day insurance to deliver peace of mind? Contact our team to learn more about the protection we offer to keep your special day special.