You’ve put lots of time, energy and money into planning your wedding. And, while no one wants to think about something unfortunate happening, there’s a lot that can go wrong. Wedding insurance covers everything from a rainstorm ruining your outdoor ceremony to the photographer not showing up.
“Weddings are a significant investment — that’s why wedding insurance is beneficial for every couple,” says Esther Lee, editorial brand director at The Knot. “It protects their investment from circumstances beyond their control and gives them the ability to be reimbursed for any unexpected expenses.”
The real value of wedding insurance, Lee adds, is the peace of mind it provides in such a stressful situation.
But is it right for everyone? After all, even the best policy can’t magically get you a new venue or wedding cake.
Wedding insurance can protect your big day from the unexpected
Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.
Markel’s wedding insurance policies offer high limits for cancellation and postponement coverage and offers a discount for buying both types of coverage. The company offers online quotes and coverage for weddings in some destinations outside of the US.
Is wedding insurance worth it?
What does wedding insurance cover?
There are two different types of wedding insurance policies:
Cancellation or postponement insurance
A cancellation policy covers non-refundable payments to vendors and venues if you have to cancel or reschedule due to outside circumstances, like severe weather, illness or injury. It may also include vendor no-shows and specialty items at risk of damage or theft.
Think about the wedding dress, and any heirloom pieces or items of value,” Lee said. “Certain policies could cover the wedding gifts, too.”
Liability insurance
Most venues will require you to purchase a liability policy that covers damages or injuries you’re found responsible for. Many insurers offer a liquor liability add-on that covers losses related to alcohol served at the event. Depending on your plan, your liability coverage may extend to the rehearsal dinner and next-day brunch.
Wedding insurance doesn’t cover every circumstance, however. Most policies won’t pay out if you get cold feet, for example.
Editor’s tip
Most wedding insurance doesn’t extend to the honeymoon, so you’ll need a separate travel insurance policy. Using a comparison site like Squaremouth lets you quickly compare multiple quotes.
How much does wedding insurance cost?
Wedding policies typically run between $100 and $175 —a paltry amount when you consider the average wedding in the U.S. costs $33,000, according to The Knot.
The cost of a specific policy will depend largely on your wedding budget and the particulars of your ceremony and reception.
How to buy wedding insurance
To get an online quote, you’ll need a date, guest count, and the minimum liability coverage required by your venue.
We’ve crowned several top wedding insurance companies, including Event Helper, for its affordable rates, and Travelers, for its helpful no-deductible policy.
Event Helper Wedding Insurance
Information about Event Helper Wedding Insurance has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.
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Coverage limits
Up to $5 million in liability coverage, $100,000 for cancellation coverage, $5,000 medical payments
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Deductibles
Options include $500, $1,000 or no deductible
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Riders
Endorsements for waiver of subrogation, hired auto and liquor liability
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Availability
Available in all 50 U.S. states
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Policy highlights
Event Helper policies can cover everything from a small affair to a 5,000-person event. Insurance documents are available instantly to download and share with your venue.
Travelers Wedding Insurance
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Cost
The best way to estimate your costs is to request a quote
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Maximum coverage
Varies by state, up to $250,000 cancellation coverage in many states
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Policy highlights
Travelers wedding insurance plans offer a wide variety of coverage in its cancellation plans and high limits for liability coverage. It offers no-deductible coverage for both liability and cancellation insurance and doesn’t have surcharges for destination weddings or additional insureds.
Do I have to get wedding insurance?
While cancellation policies are optional, Lee says they’re a “must-have” that couples need to budget for.
“We all have insurance policies on our homes, whether it’s homeowners or renters insurance,” she said. “Knowing that weddings are such a valuable investment, why would you not have wedding insurance?”
Liability insurance, however, is likely required by your venue.
“It helps you avoid having to use your own assets to compensate someone after something unintended happens,” Lee said. “It can protect you if someone is injured, like a waiter tripping or guests getting food poisoning.”
If you’re having alcohol at your reception, you’ll want to add liquor liability coverage. This can prevent you from having to pay for repairs to the venue or to someone else if a guest who’s had too much to drink causes damage.
The case against wedding insurance
If you have homeowners or renters insurance, you may already have some level of liability and personal property coverage that covers lost, stolen or damaged items and expenses you’re held liable for.
You’d likely have to pay a deductible, and your rates could increase. Check your declarations page to see how much personal property and liability coverage your policy includes.
And, of course, a wedding insurance policy can only reimburse you — it can’t fix the problem. If your photographer cancels at the last minute, you’ll still have to find a replacement or go without.
Wedding insurance FAQs
What does wedding insurance cover?
The cancellation component of wedding insurance compensates you if you have to postpone or cancel your ceremony or if vendors don’t show up. Liability coverage protects you financially from injuries or damages incurred at the event.
When should you buy wedding insurance?
You should buy wedding insurance early in the process — typically as soon as you’ve started booking vendors. You may even need liability coverage in place to book your venue.
How do you file a claim with wedding insurance?
To file a wedding insurance claim, make sure to gather as much documentation and evidence as possible. Collect any receipts for unexpected expenses. Then, contact your insurance company through their website or by phone. You’ll follow their instructions to send the documentation and complete any forms. You may also be asked to provide personal information so that the company can compensate you.
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Meet our experts
At CNBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority, grounded in relevant training and/or experience. For this story, we interviewed Esther Lee, editorial brand director at The Knot. She has been an editor with the brand since 2016, before which she worked in entertainment and lifestyle journalism.
Esther has appeared in numerous outlets, including the Today Show, Bloomberg and Yahoo Finance.
Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice to help them make informed financial decisions. Every insurance article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
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Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.