Just when you think you’ve thought of everything when it comes to planning and executing the wedding of your dreams, life, the weather, or a crazy crisis sneaks up and rains turmoil on your day. So many couples in 2020 and 2021 are faced with closures, cancellations, and other issues stemming from COVID-19, which is certainly nothing anyone could have planned for.
When it comes to pandemics, this is new territory for all of us. Most insurances don’t address this possibility, but our bets are moving forward that this will be included in standard coverage. If your wedding is being affected now, your best bet is to work closely with your vendors. Their livelihood depends on the show going on, and most are moving heaven and earth to make sure their couples are accommodated.
Before you book your venue, find out what kind of event liability coverage they carry, ask about what it covers and what it doesn’t. Truthfully, vendors love couples who ask those questions because it reassures them that you’re mindful of the bottom line and aware of the importance of protecting your investment and their property.
Typically, liability policies held by the venue provide coverage for bodily injury and property damage. Think about the maid-of-honor catching her heel on an errant piece of tile or a slip and fall in the bathroom. Whose liable then? Having a well-written wedding liability policy can ensure no one gets stuck paying for someone else’s accident.
Depending on your state’s laws specific to events that provide or serve alcohol, you may need further or state specified policies to ensure you and your beloved and protected from lawsuits should anyone at your wedding be injured while consuming alcohol.
So, if my vendor already has insurance, why do I need to consider buying wedding insurance?
It’s sad to say it, but history has taught us that even with the best of intentions and expert planning: things can go wrong. Wedding venues have suffered hurricane or fire damage, which has forced them to shutter their doors, leaving couples in the cold, without a place to say “I do.”
They can also encounter bankruptcy issues or having their business permits revoked. Just like any business, things can go wrong, which have nothing to do with you but could affect your day. A wedding insurance policy can be the bridge over these troubled waters to greener pastures where it can cover a new deposit at a new venue.
A good wedding policy also protects you. Policies can often include coverage for damage to the wedding dress or rented wedding attire for when the parties get a little too crazy, and the red wine goes flying. And, while we hate to mention it, it’s good to know that your wedding presents are covered should they get lost or even be stolen.
Let’s face it; you’ve put a lot of time and effort designing your perfect day, why not protect that investment? Wedding insurance the perfect icing on the (wedding) cake to give you peace of mind to enjoy every moment as it unfolds.