The Case for Wedding Insurance
Saying "I Do" To This Investment May Save You Heartache On Your Wedding Day
by: Morlette

"Insuring a good time"
Wedding Insurance! Who needs it after all? To some couples the idea of purchasing indemnity for their wedding is just a bugaboo not worth thinking about. However as the average cost of weddings rises, wedding insurance is becoming a much needed necessity and more and more couples are opting to make room in their budgets for this small investment.

Wedding insurance is simply coverage that protects a couple's wedding investments from circumstances beyond their control, and reimburses them for expenses incurred. Some of these big-day financial losses could include the limo driver not showing up and you having to book another one the morning of the wedding - at a much higher price; or having to book another space for the reception should the reserved space go out of business before the wedding.

If you are getting married at the Justice of the Peace or having a less expensive affair, you may or may not need wedding insurance. However keep in mind that you can get a less expensive policy that will cover an intimate nuptial or a specific risky part (such as if you're worried about your wedding dress or tuxedo getting damaged and having to replace at last minute).

Although wedding insurance will undoubtedly help you approach this special time with peace of mind, knowing unforeseen mishaps will be covered, making this decision an extremely personal one, so it's important to know if this is right for you.

What about Cost?
A basic insurance policy can cost anywhere from $125 to $500. Before you buy wedding insurance however, check with each of your vendors to see how well they're covered - your reception site or your caterer may already have their own insurance, so you wouldn't want to pay for overlapping coverage out of your own pocket.

What’s Covered?
Rescheduling due to problems with the location, weather, illness, vendors, key people, sickness, or injury are the top concerns come wedding day. There is usually a specified maximum amount, which can be claimed under each section, and a deductible also applies. Be sure to find out the details of your wedding insurance plan.

Location                                                                                                                          
Your wedding insurance policy can cover damage to the location, fire, electrical or mechanical problems, or going out of business that causes you to lose money or have to reschedule (that is if your ceremony and reception sites don’t already carry their own insurance.)

Weather, Illness or Injury                                                                                           
If your celebration has to be postponed because of rain or other bad weather or if key people get ill or injured, your policy should cover the cost of rescheduling the event.

Vendors, Key People                                                                                                                         
If your Officiant or vendors (caterer, florist, photographer etc.,) should be a no-show, you’ll recoup some of your costs; possibly the costs of rescheduling the whole thing.

Military                                                                                                                     
Wedding insurance can also cover postponement of the wedding due to the bride or groom suddenly getting called to military duty.

Additional Coverage                                                                                     
Supplemental policies defend against damages incurred by other wedding-related items such as:
•    Photography: There are policies that allow you to retake the photographs by re-staging the event with close participants, if the photographer failed to appear, or if the original negatives are lost, damaged, stolen, or not properly developed.  
•    Videographer: If a videotape produced by a professional videographer is damaged, a policy usually pays a certain amount to have either a video montage created, a video compilation made of the photographs and other wedding memorabilia, or, if possible, a retaking of the official video at a restaging.
•    Attire: This coverage pays to repair or replace the bridal gown or other special attire when it is in your possession and is lost, stolen, or damaged even by the bridal store.
•    Gift coverage pays to repair or replace non-monetary gifts that are lost, stolen, or damaged. The policy will state a timeframe within which the damage had to have taken place (Usually within 24 hours to seven days before or after the wedding).

Every insurance policy and every wedding scenario is different. Be sure to have your insurance agent explain the policy to you. Also remember to ask vendors for a copy of their policy, to decide how much coverage you’ll need.