Wedding insurance: is it worth it?

When it comes to planning a wedding, there’s seemingly no end to the little extras. From gifts for the bridesmaids to those special page boy outfits your other half simply can’t do without, the list of added expenses will continue to grow at a rate that will both alarm and impress you.

So when it comes to the question of buying wedding insurance, it’s probably no surprise that many couples wince at the prospect of shelling out more of their hard-earned cash on a product they think they’ll probably never use. The insurance industry isn’t exactly popular after all, and the prospect of pouring yet more money into its coffers is a step too far for a lot of people.

Yet with wedding insurance policies starting at around the £25 mark and most nuptials costing upwards of £18k, it could prove to be the best money you ever spent. Venues sometimes catch fire, grooms break their legs in sporting accidents and on one notable occasion, the horse pulling the bridal carriage bolted and crashed, leading to the hospitalisation of the bride and cancellation of the wedding.

If something like that happened to you, think of which deposits, booking fees and hire charges you’d lose outright. How long would it take to save enough to pay for them again for a second, rescheduled service? Too long? Then maybe wedding insurance wouldn’t be such a bad thing after all.

When choosing wedding insurance make sure to check carefully what’s covered. Although they’ll pay out for damaged dresses, bankrupt suppliers or lost rings, many policies won’t replace cash or gift vouchers, for example, so any gifts of this nature would be unprotected. Go over the small print and make sure you’re insured against the issues that most concern you.

Shop around online for the right policy, carefully comparing the conditions offered by each company, and don’t be rushed into buying the first one you see. If the worst comes to the worst, you don’t want to find yourself in a dispute with your insurers over what they should be paying out for.

Crucially, don’t forget that most policies won’t cover the honeymoon. You’ll need separate travel insurance for that.

Finally, check your home insurance policy before you begin. It may cover some special occasions, and you may also be able to arrange increased protection for wedding presents while out of the home.