Perspective
Wedding insurance can be a smart investment
April 25, 2022
by PEMCO Insurance
Does my insurance cover mishaps at my wedding?
The short answer: It depends on your wedding. Home weddings likely would be protected under your homeowners or renter policy’s liability coverage and umbrella policy, similar to a holiday gathering you might host. However, your policy isn’t designed with weddings in mind. For that, consider true wedding insurance. Besides offering liability protection, it gives you peace of mind for the event itself.
What does wedding insurance cover?
For a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, wedding insurance can protect you three basic ways:- Liability to cover damage or injuries at the wedding site (many venues require it);
- Cancellation if the venue becomes unusable or you must postpone the wedding because of a serious illness or death in the family; and
- Loss of deposits if a wedding vendor doesn’t deliver or goes out of business.
Spoiled wedding plans can be more than disappointing. NerdWallet reports the average cost of a wedding in 2021 (excluding the honeymoon) was $28,000. A ruined event can be the financial equivalent of totaling a car!
Wedding insurance is a lot like trip insurance you might buy to protect an expensive vacation. It can be a budget-saver if the unexpected happens, but it has strict limits on what is and isn’t covered. Read the fine print. For example, some policies may cover cancellations for weather only if a state of emergency is declared (like during a hurricane or blizzard). Or, if the bride or groom is in the military and gets called to duty, you’ll likely collect only if you bought a special rider to cover that possibility.
As with vacations, credit card companies may offer some protection if you’re using their cards to pay for wedding services. It’s worth finding out what coverage you already may have before you buy more.
How can I get wedding insurance?
PEMCO doesn’t sell wedding insurance, but you can purchase it from companies that specialize in weddings. Ask your wedding planner or the event coordinator at your wedding venue for referrals. You’ll also want to check out this article from Brides magazine, which does a nice comparison of six popular plans.A major life event like a wedding is also a great time to update your insurance. Read our Post-wedding checklist for newlyweds.
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