Wedding Insurance Counteracts Murphy's Law

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The "law" goes like this "If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong." Even for the optimists among us, it's better to play it safe, instead of being sorry. Planning and hosting a wedding involves a lot of money, with weddings averaging at around the $27,000 mark in 2007, an increase of almost one 100 percent since 1990. With that kind of expenditure, bridal couples may be wise to consider including wedding insurance in their budgets, just in case!

  • Wedding insurance can provide couples with protection against financial loss caused by a number of events that can result in the cancellation of a wedding event. To name just a few:
  • Unexpected injury or illness of the bride or the groom
  • Unexpected injury or illness of one of the immediate family member
  • The bride or groom being called for military service
  • Severely inclement weather that interferes with the wedding, or the honeymoon (See also "Weather Related Problems and Solutions" at http://www.hudsonvalleyweddings.com/guide/weather.htm), including a natural disaster (fire, flood, etc.)
  • Inaccessibility to the ceremony, or reception site

    Any of the wedding professionals being a "no-show." Photographs and video are what "remain" after the wedding is over and so are extremely important. If the photographer and/or videographer fail to show up at the wedding, insurance can include payment to reshoot a staged event. It can also cover lost, damaged, or stolen, negatives, and/or film that is improperly developed. If a professionally produced video is damaged, a policy will usually pay to have either a video montage created, a video compilation created from the wedding photographs and other wedding memorabilia, or, where possible, retaking of the video at a restaging of the event.

  • A lost, or damaged gown
  • Circumstances which keep most of the guests from reaching the wedding venue
  • Last-minute job relocation, and, in some cases, cancellation due to job loss
  • Jewelry stolen from the location where the wedding is held. Most homeowners' and renters' have a limitation on stolen jewelry and cover only up to $1,500. That means, for example, if the cost of an engagement ring, wedding rings, and gifts come to more than that, extra coverage is advisable. Keep in mind that most insurance companies will ask for a certified appraisal before writing a policy.
  • Many couples overlook securing the wedding gifts that come in before and during the wedding. It's not unusual, because it's sometimes logistically difficult, for the gift table to be secured," so sometimes gifts "walk away." In the case of gifts, homeowners' and renters' policies may have caps on the coverage. Couples should make certain that the limitation is high enough to cover a potential loss and again an increase may be wise. Some policies even cover gifts for a specified amount of time after the wedding itself.
  • In the event that someone attending the wedding is injured, or any property damage because of an accident during the course of the wedding. Policies can cover reasonable medical expenses.

    Wedding insurance does not cover cold feet, or change of heart, or mind. The insurance policy could be invalidated if the event is canceled as a result of something about which you had previous knowledge. Canceling a wedding, because of insufficient funds, or as a result of injury due to hazardous activities, may, in all likelihood, not be covered.

    It's best to consult with an insurance agent to discuss all the particulars of your celebration and what kind of coverage is appropriate for your circumstances. if your company doesn't write such policies, ask them to recommend someone who does. As with any contract, it's important to read the fine print that will include the limitations of the policy. The price of policies vary, but usually runs about 1 percent of the total cost for the wedding. Wedding insurance can give you peace of mind, and in the case of something unforeseen, it may allow you to reschedule your wedding and still recoup your expenditures, less the policy's deductible.

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