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Wedding insurance covers you financially in a wide range of circumstances that can happen leading up to the event and even on the big day itself.
We evaluated insurers based on the amount of liability coverage available, flexibility surrounding cancellations, and helpful features designed to benefit couples getting married.
What Is Wedding Insurance?
Wedding insurance can reimburse non-refundable wedding purchases and deposits if a qualifying event requires you to postpone or cancel your event. A range of circumstances may be covered based on the insurer and your particular policy.
- Liability Coverage
Liability coverage may be provided by your venue, or you may need to purchase supplemental insurance. Either way, wedding event liability coverage will protect you from a number of crucial protections for your event, such as bodily injury and property damage. Some states or venues may also require host liquor liability insurance if you intend on serving alcohol at your reception.
- Cancellation Coverage
Cancellation coverage is an important feature of your wedding insurance. If you have to cancel or postpone your wedding, your wedding insurance will cover the cancellation for a number of reasons.
Do I Need Wedding Insurance?
Depending on the time, size, total cost, and location of your wedding, wedding insurance can protect you from financial risk. A large number of guests, for example, or a coastal venue during hurricane season may warrant a policy. Proof of event insurance may be required by your wedding venue, or it may be part of the package of services. It’s best to inquire about necessary insurance directly with your vendors. Be sure to carefully assess your needs to see what kind of event insurance will be most useful for your wedding.
The 4 Best Wedding Insurance Companies
- Wedsure: Customizable Coverage
- WedSafe: Liability Coverage
- Travelers: Destination Weddings
- Markel Specialty: Last-Minute Liability Coverage
| Liability Limits | Cancellation and postponement limits | Liability deductible | Cancellation deductible | |
| Wedsure | $1M – $3M | Varies by limit selected | $0 | N/A |
| Wedsafe | Up to $5M | Varies by level | $25 | $25 |
| Travelers | N/A | N/A | $0 | N/A |
| Markel Specialty | Up to $2M | Varies by limit selected | $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, underwritten by Nationwide, offers a slew of add-ons to fully protect your wedding. Extra policies include DJ, event planner, weather, and photo booth operator insurance. You can also immediately print a certificate of insurance to provide to your venue.
✓ 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’s liability coverage applies to both you and your venue. With a high maximum limit, a wedding of virtually any size can be covered by an adequate liability policy. Cancellation coverage is available separately. All policies must be purchased at least 15 days before the wedding.
✓ 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
Couples taking their wedding on the road should consider Travelers, which covers destinations outside the U.S. like Canada, Bermuda, the U.K., and cruise ships. You can buy coverage as late as the day before your wedding.
✓ 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 Specialty offers liability and cancellation insurance, although due to recent global events, some options are currently limited. The good news is you can get liability coverage up to $2 million and get your policy as late as the day before your wedding.
✓ 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 from costs incurred from damages to the event venue. Your policy may also cover personal injury liability, which covers medical costs for anyone who is injured. Find out whether coverage is included just for the day of the wedding, or during setup and rehearsal as well.
Cancellation
Cancellation insurance provides you with reimbursement for expenses paid in the event you have to cancel (or postpone) your wedding for reasons out of your control. Be advised, however — these policies usually only apply to things like natural disasters or a sudden illness or injury.
Estimate Your Wedding Budget
The size of your policy should correspond to the size of your wedding budget. Those with a higher budget are at greater risk of loss and therefore benefit the most from an insurance policy to protect the financial investment. For smaller budgets, minimal insurance will be adequate for peace of mind.
Compare Companies
It’s easy to compare options from different insurance companies by filling out an online quote comparison tool. Then you can review each provider’s policy details before making a decision on the best wedding insurance coverage for your budget.
Four Policies to Look For
Events – Covered events refer to all the gatherings that make up a wedding, such as the rehearsal dinner, wedding ceremony, and reception. Find out the extent of what’s included to get an accurate understanding of your policy.
Cancellation – Covered reasons for cancelling often include severe weather conditions, venue damage or bankruptcy, the illness or injury of an essential member of the wedding party, military deployment of the bride or groom, and transportation issues.
Additional – Additional coverage protects against loss and damage for things that aren’t included in the standard wedding insurance policy. Examples include a lost gown or stolen gifts — unless the situation could have been reasonably prevented.
Personal injury and property damage – This coverage refers to any injuries a guest sustains while attending your wedding and any damage that a guest or vendor does to the venue property.
What Wedding Insurance Does Not Cover
Wedding insurance generally doesn’t cover anything that could be considered an extreme hazard, such as fireworks or sparklers, and using these products could actually forfeit the terms of your entire policy.
Substantial changes such as a new wedding date can also nullify your policy if you don’t notify the insurer and update your agreement.
Finally, your policy won’t cover a change of heart. If the bride or groom gets cold feet, expenses won’t be reimbursed.
FAQ
About the Authors
Lauren Ward is a personal finance writer who regularly covers consumer insurance products. Her work has appeared in a variety of online publications, including Bankrate and The Simple Dollar. She graduated from Georgetown University with a BA in Japanese.
