What if Something Goes Wrong?
Wedding Insurance

A wedding day is the most memorable day in a couple's life together. It is the start of forever. Memories made on the first day are celebrated each and every year, on anniversaries. In that respect, a couple wants their wedding day to be perfection. From the fabulous dress, sophisticated tuxedo, to the fragrant and artistic display of flowers, the elegant wedding bands, and the stunning photographs that capture the magic of the day, a couple could not imagine a glitch in the execution of their meticulous planning.

As a bride-to-be, which excitedly I am, I do not even want to talk about things that could go wrong on a wedding day. I wish for my day to be perfect, along with everyone else's. Realistically speaking, from the insurance producer perspective, I am aware of the unexpected situations that can occur. There could be a damaged wedding dress, a bridal store unexpectedly closing, a professional photographer who declares bankruptcy, a fiancé in the military who unexpectedly gets called to active service, or a no-show vendor on the day of the wedding. There are some fabulous vendors available! Truth be told, not one person can predict the future. What if a photographer gets ill moments before your big day? What if a vendor must close down due to their struggling financial problems? Lost deposits, a more expensive last minute vendor, irretrievable photographs, no dress, these are realistic situations that can occur!

This is where wedding insurance would provide a peace of mind, for the unforeseen situations. We have a policy for our vehicles, homes, RV's, motorcycles, and anything of value that could be costly if something should happen to them, or someone else while occupying them. With as much money as the average family invests in a wedding, it seems as though we would want to protect that investment, too. A wedding has value to a couple and their family, and some things would be irreplaceable, or costly should something unfortunate occur. With wedding insurance, the insurance company can help to minimize the cost of such an occurrence, or help to replace to the best of their ability, something that may be deemed irreplaceable.

Take for instance, professional photographs. How could one ever replace such a prized token of a wedding day? Once lost, all special moments must be stored in the memory alone. It can truly be devastating for a couple. What can they show their children, and grandchildren? Irreplaceable yes, but able to be reconstructed for the purpose of having something to look back on? I have to say yes to that, too.

With wedding insurance, it is possible to reconstruct the moments in the church with the bridal party and family, to allow something to show for the special day. Now, grandma in her beautiful Pendleton® silk cardigan and skirt will forever be captured with her arm linked with my handsome new husband, and grandpa in his rarely seen crisp suit will have his arm around me just the way he has lovingly hugged me for the past 26 years.

Wedding insurance will also cover lost deposits, should a vendor fail to provide the service they stated in the contract, or should you need to cancel or postpone the wedding, due to a covered reason which would include a military call to active service, or sudden hospitalization of the bride or groom, children or parents. This, we hope will never happen. There is coverage for lost deposits and amounts paid, as per the contracts made between the vendors and the insured. Examples of vendors would include transportation, food, catering services, property and equipment rentals, hall and location rentals, special attire, special jewelry, flowers, professional event photographs, professional event videos, and entertainment. There is coverage available for losses or damage to bride and groom's special attire, special jewelry, or event gifts within the coverage limits. The policy can cover extra expenses that a couple can incur. There also is the ability to purchase up to $1 million in liability for the wedding event and up to $1 million in liquor liability, for additional protection on your wedding day.

I would like to clarify a few things to expect and a few things that are not covered with a wedding insurance policy. Coverage for weather conditions is not available, unless there is a catastrophic occurrence. Contracts and receipts must be available between the insured and vendors. These do not have to be given in advance to the insurance company, but it is best to have contracts and receipts, in the event of a claim.

There is no coverage for care, custody, and control, which includes any item borrowed, or rented, that is in your possession. If a rental company offers insurance for what they are renting to a couple, it is advised to obtain the insurance from them, if coverage is desired on the items, for typically a minimal additional premium. They have different contract periods and terms, and occasionally will have in their contract that they have the right to pick items up a few days after the wedding (outside of the wedding policy's effective term). Remember, lost deposits for such a vendor would be an available coverage! Failure to provide the contracted service would also have available coverage, in the case a couple would need to find a last minute rental company, or the company was a no-show.

The policy is effective from the day the policy is issued, until 2am, the day after the wedding. It is best to take out a policy from the moment the first deposit is made with a vendor, or the moment the "perfect" dress is purchased. Policies can be purchased until up to two weeks before a wedding. Wedding insurance can start at $165, not including liability. The large factors in the cost of the insurance are how much of the wedding a couple chooses to insure, and the size of the wedding planned. The insured gets to choose how much they want to spend, and the maximum of limits for the coverage available!

They also can choose, for an additional premium, to have liability and liquor liability coverage. This policy is for the insured who wants a peace of mind in all aspects of the wedding day, and not just for liability purposes alone. With those intentions alone the policy can seem costly. With the investments made for this one special and memorable day, the cost to insure the day is minimal compared to the cost that could potentially incur, should something not go as planned.

As a bride-to-be, I will purchase this policy with the first deposit I make regarding my wedding. Planning a wedding can be intensive, yet an exciting experience. I choose to have a peace of mind that my investments will be protected, and even if my wedding carries out perfectly, I will be happy that I had the ability to leave my worries to the wind and enjoy the fabulous day! May each bride who shares in this joyful occasion have the day she has always dreamed of!

Heidi Gingerich is a bride-to-be, and an independent agent for Central Insurers Group, Inc., which offers the Wedding Protector Plan^SM from Travelers.
www.centralinsgrp.com
(800) 526-3923
hgingerich@centralinsgrp.com