Do you really need wedding insurance? We ask the experts…

Every penny counts when you’re planning a wedding, so do you really need to fork out on insurance too? We find out why protecting yourself and your investment should be right at the top of the list.

Just as you insure your home, car, mobile phone and travel plans, you can also insure your wedding day. And although the average wedding in the UK costs over £20,000, insuring your big day might not cost as much as you think…

What is wedding insurance?

Like any other insurance, wedding insurance can give you money back should you encounter any unexpected financial loss.

Just as your car might get its wing mirror taken off while you’re parked, your wedding cake maker could unexpectedly go out of business (knock on wood neither happen!) In instances like this, having insurance in place protects the money you’ve put into your wedding just in case anything doesn’t go to plan.

Mark Brown, the CEO/Founder of Wedinsure explained: “Wedding insurance provides financial protection for anyone planning a wedding.  I often use the analogy of a car. If you were to spend £5k or £10k, would you contemplate not insuring it?”

Where do I get wedding insurance from?

You can buy wedding insurance from a number of different providers. Whichever provider you decide to go with will offer you protection on different elements of your wedding day, from your venue to your florist.

Do your research into who can cover all of the elements you’re looking for and your wedding budget.

Do I need wedding insurance?

In some cases, not having insurance could actually be a hurdle when wedding planning. Some venues will require you to have cover in place before booking with them. This would require you to have personal and public liability “to protect the venue from damage caused to third party property by the wedding party or their guests or injury to third parties.” (See more about types of cover below).

Even if it isn’t mandatory to get insurance, it’s a good idea to have something in place to protect what is likely the most expensive day of your life.

Mark agrees, explaining: “Regardless of whether it is a legal requirement or not, if you have spent circa £20k on a wedding and you had to cancel at short notice then the chances are you will lose a significant amount of money.”

Is wedding insurance worth it?

The resounding answer from the experts, including Catrina Duthie, founder and director of wedding planning service Fin Flükra, is yes.

Weighing in, she tells us: “Although not a glamorous or exciting topic when it comes to wedding planning, I can’t recommend getting wedding insurance highly enough. The amount of time, effort and money you will put into planning your wedding is absolutely worth protecting.

“Whilst nobody plans for things to go wrong, life can sometimes have other ideas as we all well know! Give yourself the extra peace of mind, knowing that should the worst happen (and we hope it doesn’t!), you’re protected.”

What type of cover should I get?

There are different types of wedding insurance, so you’ll need to shop around to find the right policy for your wedding.

Catrina suggests: “As with any financial product you should seek the appropriate advice and guidance for your own circumstances.”

The cover you need will depend on the size of your wedding, your venue and your budget, among other factors.

Adam Leyton, Director of CompareWeddingInsurance.org.uk, warns that changing your budget could affect your policy. “Keep an eye on your wedding budget. If you’re spending more on your big day than you had expected, you’ll need a greater level of insurance, or you won’t be completely covered.

"Contact your insurer to buy additional cover to increase the policy limits.”

What does wedding insurance cover?

This will depend on what kind of cover you take out, but it can protect against cancellation and rearrange­ment due to a wide range of circumstances.

Of course, you don’t want to have to think about cancelling your wedding, but Mark explains some of the reasons this could happen, such as “if the wedding participants or a close relative fall ill and are unable to attend the wedding or if the venue itself goes into liquidation or administration.”

Policies also cover financial failure of suppliers, personal liability, damage or theft of ceremonial attire, wedding gifts, wedding rings, photography and more.

Mark revealed that around 60% of claims made to Wedinsure are because of suppliers being unable to fulfill their role, due to their business closing or other reasons.

There are some things wedding insurance won’t cover though, so make sure you thoroughly check your policy!

Different levels of cover

As with many types of insurance, most providers will offer different levels of cover, from a basic plan to covering all aspects of your wedding and potential circumstances.

Mark explains how it works at Wedinsure: “We offer 12 levels of cover (from £6,000 to £100,000), starting from as little as a one-off payment of £38.99. You can then usually buy add-ons to boost the standard coverage depending on your needs – such as optional £2m public liability, wedding abroad extension, Covid extension, marquee cover and more.”

How much does it cost?

The price you pay for insurance depends on your specific wedding plans. Factors like the venue, number of guests and your budget will affect your claim.

If you’re worrying about the cost, Mark reassures: “The price of a wedding insurance policy in comparison to other wedding costs is very low and the premiums are also very low in comparison to the level of cover you receive.”

When should I get wedding insurance?

You can’t really take out wedding insurance too soon, if you know you’re getting married, have an idea of budget and know your guest list, it’s time to think about insurance.

Adam, of CompareWeddingInsurance.org.uk, tells us: “As many policies will protect you for up to 24 months before the big day, take out cover as soon as you can. Wedding insurance is a one-off payment, so buying your policy earlier won’t cost you any extra.”

Insurance site Wedinsure even lets couples take out a policy up to 30 months before their big day, and CEO Mark advises: “You should purchase wedding insurance as soon as you have started to pay for any element of your wedding… this is most likely around the time you book the date and venue.”

He adds: “You’ll need to take out your policy no later than one month before the wedding date.”

What if I’ve already paid my deposit?

If you’ve already paid for some of your wedding and are thinking about getting insurance now, you’ll need to carefully check your agreement with the insurance provider you choose.

Adam warns: “Whilst some insurers will cover you for deposits you have already paid (providing there’s no ‘known risk’ when you take out cover) there are a few that don’t, so always read the policy wording carefully.”

If you’ve already made payments to a supplier who can no longer provide the service to you due to going bankrupt, into liquidation or administration, your policy should cover this as long as it was taken out prior to the cancellation.

What if I’m getting married abroad?

If you’re planning a destination wedding, this will likely affect the type of policy you take out. The good news is you can still get insurance, but keep in mind that not all providers will cover weddings outwith the UK.