5 tips to insure your wedding

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue goes the old saying, but if you're getting married this summer, don't forget to add insurance to your list of essentials. 

Wedding season runs from May to October, and as anyone planning their special day will tell you, the costs can rack up. The average wedding price was £20,700 in 2023, according to a national survey by wedding experts Hitched of more than 2,000 couples who tied the knot last year. 

Which? explains how to make sure you're covered for anything that could go awry just before, or on the big day.

1. Wedding insurance can protect against financial loss

While, of course, not mandatory, taking out dedicated cover can provide essential financial protection if you've poured your hard-earned savings into your wedding day only for it to be cancelled or disrupted.

Wedding insurance covers:

• Cancellation: This includes cover if your venue backs out, as well as if important guests such as close family can't make it and you need to rearrange the big day. That includes because of accidents or death, but not any pre-existing conditions.
• Failure of suppliers: Your insurer should help recover some of the costs if services you've booked for the wedding let you down at the last minute. For example, it will cover for unexpected events such as caterers going bust, the photographer not turning up or your florist failing to deliver your bouquet.
• Lost, stolen or damaged items: This includes your wedding dress, suits, rings, gifts and cake. Any of those vital extras that would be expensive to replace. There is usually a tight time window in which to make a claim, so check the terms and conditions.
• Legal expenses and personal liability: If a person is injured or their property is damaged by the bride or groom at the wedding, this will cover the legal fees.

Before you take out any policy, always check the small print and be aware of what isn't covered. Wedding insurance, for example, won't pay out for cancellation such as bad weather, your partner changes their mind or you go over budget and can't afford to settle the bill. Weddings abroad may also not fall under standard cover, so you might need to buy an add-on to be protected. 

2. Check if you're already covered

The good news is, you may already be covered by existing policies. 

For example, check your home insurance policy to see if you have personal possessions cover included. That will protect your belongings from loss, damage or theft and cover you for items you take outside the home. It's normally sold as an add-on to contents insurance, but you can buy it after at an extra cost, so don't worry if you forgot.

This type of policy should protect all those little extras that make your wedding day special, from rings to gifts. Failing to get adequate cover could leave you thousands of pounds out of pocket. Analysis of internal claims data from Tesco Bank found that there were 523 ring-related claims in 2023, an increase of 20% year-on-year, which added up to an average claims value of £2,326. 

Alex Cross, Insurance Director at Tesco Bank, also recommends speaking to your insurer to see if they will increase your existing contents insurance for a set time before and after the big day so things such as dresses, suits, gifts, and decorations are covered. He says in some cases, it doesn’t just cover these items while they are in your home, but also covers the venue and while the items are being taken to and from the reception.

• Find out more: best contents insurance

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3. You may need extra cover for high-value items

Items such as jewellery or engagement rings with precious stones can cost a fortune. You should be covered by any existing home contents insurance policy with personal personal possessions cover included. Check your policy documents and speak to your insurer to make sure.

If the object is worth more than the single item limit - the maximum amount you can claim for an individual article - you’ll need to list it individually on your insurance policy to ensure it’s covered. The single-item limit varies among insurance providers and could be as low as £1,000, but it’s typically around £1,500 to £2,000.

The downside is that the cost of listing these high-value items will push up the price of your premium, but it may be worth it to avoid your big day being ruined.

If you are insuring your engagement ring, you could take out specialised protection. One advantage of this is that it won’t affect the no-claims discount on your home insurance, but it could end up costing more if you list your ring on an existing policy.  

• Find out more: home insurance add-ons, fees and charges explained

4. Don't forget the honeymoon

After the wedding, the next big expense is the honeymoon. 

Hitch's National Wedding Survey found the average cost of a post-wedding trip was an eye-watering £4,300 in 2023, up 13% from the year before. That's largely down to more newlyweds travelling abroad.

Cover for a honeymoon is the same as for a holiday, so you should take out travel insurance as soon as you've booked to protect against anything that might happen on your romantic getaway - from flight cancellations or delays to lost luggage and medical expenses while abroad.

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5. Be picky with providers and policies

If you think you need a new policy to protect your big day, browsing the market should always be your starting point. But with so much choice, deciding which insurer and policy is right for you can be hard. 

To get a clearer idea of how different policies and providers stack up take a look at our guides on the best contents insurance and best travel insurance. We've rated policies from dozens of insurers to help you choose the right cover.

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