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Wedding insurance generally centers on two pillars—event liability and cancellation/postponement—that protect you from venue-required risks and from losing nonrefundable deposits if a covered peril disrupts your plans. According to the Insurance Information Institute and NAIC, liability covers third-party bodily injury and property damage, often satisfying a venue’s requirement to name it as Additional Insured, while cancellation/postponement can reimburse nonrecoverable costs caused by covered events like severe weather, vendor failure, sudden serious illness/injury of key participants, or venue closure.
For this guide, we validated active providers in 2025 and prioritized programs that offer both major coverages, clear limits, and fast venue certificates. We also accounted for tightened exclusions (for example, communicable disease), purchase cutoffs and waiting periods, state-by-state availability, and rising weather disruption risk documented by NOAA. Our short list reflects providers that remain available now (e.g., WedSafe, Wedsure, Markel, and peers), and notes that Travelers’ Wedding Protector Plan is not selling new policies.
What Is Wedding Insurance?
Wedding insurance reimburses nonrefundable wedding purchases and deposits when a covered reason forces you to cancel or postpone, and it can protect you against third-party claims that arise at the event. The Insurance Information Institute explains that consumer wedding policies typically include liability (often $1,000,000 per occurrence with Additional Insured certificates for the venue) and optional cancellation/postponement, with add-ons for attire, rings, photos/video, and gifts. Common exclusions include change of heart and—on most modern policies—communicable disease/pandemic losses; “known event” rules (for example, named storms announced before purchase) also apply. See consumer guidance from the NAIC.
- Liability Coverage
Event liability is frequently required by venues and public-permit offices. Typical requirements are about $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate with the venue named as Additional Insured; if alcohol is served, host liquor liability is often required. Examples from municipal permits (e.g., NYC Parks) reflect these norms. Specialist providers issue instant COIs online to meet these terms; see Markel, WedSafe, and venue resources summarized by Triple‑I.
- Cancellation Coverage
Cancellation/postponement can reimburse nonrecoverable deposits and expenses when a covered peril prevents the wedding from occurring as planned. Covered causes often include severe weather that makes the venue unusable or inaccessible, sudden serious illness/injury of key participants, vendor no‑show or bankruptcy, and certain civil authority orders. Policies typically exclude change of heart and, today, communicable disease/pandemic losses, and they enforce waiting periods and “known event” rules—so buying early matters. See WedSafe’s cancellation overview and NAIC.
Do I Need Wedding Insurance?
Weddings are a major financial commitment—the latest The Knot Real Weddings Study reports the average U.S. wedding cost at roughly the mid–five figures—so even modest disruptions can translate to significant unrecoverable costs. Liability is often contractually required by venues and public permits (with host liquor if alcohol is served), while cancellation/postponement is optional but valuable if your nonrefundable spend is substantial. Weather risk has also intensified: NOAA tracks a high frequency of billion‑dollar weather and climate disasters in recent years, underscoring why earlier purchase windows and careful reading of named‑storm rules are important. Availability and terms vary by state; confirm specifics on the quote screen and with your venue. See the NAIC for shopping tips.
The 4 Best Wedding Insurance Companies
- Wedsure: Customizable Coverage
- WedSafe: Liability Coverage
- Travelers: Not issuing new wedding policies (destination alternatives below)
- Markel Specialty: Last-Minute Liability Coverage
| Liability Limits | Cancellation and postponement limits | Liability deductible | Cancellation deductible | |
| Wedsure | $1M – $3M | Select limit to match nonrefundable costs (varies by state) | $0 | N/A |
| Wedsafe | Up to $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate | Up to $100,000 (limit you select) | $25 | $25 |
| Travelers | N/A | N/A | $0 | N/A |
| Markel Specialty | Up to $2M | Select limit to match nonrefundable costs (availability varies by state) | $0 | N/A |
Wedsure
Most Customizable
Pros
Flexible policies
Set your own deductible
Wedding photos guaranteed
“Change of heart” coverage
Cons
Expensive for all wedding sizes
No option to remove liquor liability
Wedsure offers modular wedding protection—liability and cancellation/postponement plus options for rings/attire, gifts, photos/video, and more—with online purchase and instant venue certificates. Coverage details, exclusions (including communicable disease), and state availability are outlined on the program overview and coverage pages. Buy cancellation early to avoid “known event” limitations (for example, named storms).
✓ Best For: Customizable Coverage
✗ Not For: One Comprehensive Policy
Wedsafe
Best for Liability Coverage
Pros
Liability coverage options
Purchasable day-of
Bundling discount
Cons
Expensive for larger weddings
Bulky policy
WedSafe provides venue‑friendly event liability (commonly up to $1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate) with Additional Insured certificates and optional host liquor, plus separate cancellation/postponement with limits up to $100,000. Liability can often be purchased close to the event date; cancellation usually has earlier purchase cutoffs and waiting periods. Confirm state‑specific options and timing on your quote and policy.
✓ Best For: Liability Coverage
✗ Not For: Last-minute Coverage
Travelers
Best for Destination Weddings
Pros
Help anytime, anywhere
Extensive coverage map
Zero deductible
Strong reputation
Cons
Not available to residents of all states
The Travelers Wedding Protector Plan is not available for new policies. For destination weddings, compare active providers that offer cancellation/postponement and liability in many states—such as WedSafe, Wedsure, and Markel—and pair them with travel insurance for key participants. Major travel insurers like Allianz, AIG Travel Guard, and Nationwide typically cover up to 100% of insured trip cost for covered reasons (plan maximums vary by plan/state). This combination helps address overseas venues and cruises where guest/vendor travel is a significant exposure.
✓ Best For: Destination Weddings
✗ Not For: Liability Included
Markel Specialty
Best Overall Coverage
Pros
Generous policy
Easy online quotes and claims
Alternative to cancellation coverage
Cons
No online coverage access
Markel offers wedding/special‑event liability (with optional host liquor) and, in many states, optional cancellation/postponement—both available online with instant COIs. Typical venue limits are $1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate, with higher options available, and cancellation limits are selected to match your nonrefundable costs. Availability, covered causes, and exclusions (e.g., communicable disease) vary by state; review details at Markel’s wedding insurance page.
✓ Best For: Last-minute Liability
✗ Not For: Cancellation
How to Choose a Wedding Insurance Provider
Type of Insurance
There are two primary types of wedding insurance policies: liability and cancellation.
Liability
Liability protects you against third‑party bodily injury and property damage at the event. Venues commonly require at least $1,000,000 per occurrence with the venue named as Additional Insured; some also require primary/noncontributory wording, waiver of subrogation, and host liquor liability if alcohol is served. Municipal examples like NYC Parks mirror these norms. Fast, day‑of options are available from wedding specialists such as WedSafe and Markel, as summarized by Triple‑I.
Cancellation
Cancellation/postponement reimburses nonrefundable expenses when a covered peril forces you to cancel or delay. Covered causes typically include severe weather that renders the venue unusable/inaccessible, vendor failure/bankruptcy, sudden serious illness/injury of key participants, venue damage/closure, or certain civil authority orders. Policies usually exclude change of heart and communicable disease and enforce waiting periods and \u201cknown event\u201d restrictions (e.g., named storms already on the map). Compare scope and sublimits across providers (see WedSafe, Wedsure, Markel, and NAIC).
Estimate Your Wedding Budget
Set your cancellation limit to your total nonrefundable exposure (venue, catering, entertainment, rentals, attire, photos/video, décor, and deposits). The latest Real Weddings Study shows the average U.S. wedding cost in the mid–five figures, which helps illustrate why under‑insuring can be costly. As a rule of thumb, liability‑only for common $1M/$2M limits often costs about $60–$250 for one day, while cancellation packages typically price around 1%–3% of the insured wedding budget, scaling with higher limits (see Triple‑I, NAIC, and NerdWallet).
Compare Companies
Pull same‑day quotes with identical inputs (state, date, guest count, alcohol, required limits) from at least two providers—e.g., WedSafe, Wedsure, Markel—and review policy documents for covered causes, waiting periods, exclusions, sublimits, deductibles, and COI wording fees. Availability and terms vary by state; verify the underwriting carrier and its financial strength via your state DOI if needed (see NAIC).
Four Policies to Look For
Events – Confirm which dates/times are covered (setup, rehearsal, ceremony, reception) and whether indoor/outdoor or multiple locations are included. Venues often expect Additional Insured status and specific certificate wording.
Cancellation – Look for covered reasons like severe weather making the venue unusable/inaccessible, vendor bankruptcy/no‑show, sudden serious illness/injury of key participants, venue damage/closure, certain military deployments, and civil authority orders. Note named‑storm and \u201cknown event\u201d rules (see WedSafe and Triple‑I).
Additional – Review sublimits for attire, rings, gifts, photos/video, and reshoot expenses; increase limits or add specialized coverage if values exceed defaults (e.g., consider a separate jewelry policy for high‑value rings). See Wedsure and WedSafe.
Personal injury and property damage – Liability covers injuries to guests and damage to venue property. Add host liquor liability if alcohol is served; requirements are commonly listed in venue contracts and permits (e.g., NYC Parks).
What Wedding Insurance Does Not Cover
Most consumer wedding policies exclude communicable disease/pandemic losses, government shutdowns, and change of heart. Many also exclude \u201cknown events\u201d (for example, a named hurricane announced before you buy) and impose waiting periods. Hazardous activities may be excluded or void coverage if prohibited by the venue (e.g., fireworks). Review sample policies and FAQs from Triple‑I and the NAIC.
If your plans change substantially (such as moving the date or location), notify the insurer and update the policy to keep coverage in force.
Change of heart is not covered by wedding insurance.

