With the ever-increasing costs associated with weddings, it’s no wonder that more and more Australian couples are turning to wedding insurance to protect their special day. But what exactly is wedding insurance and what does it cover? In this guide Graeme Dean, Co-Founder of Dream Wedding Insurance runs through everything you need to know about financially covering your Big Day:
Wedding insurance inclusions:
The biggest concern for most couples leading up to the big day is cancellation! What if the bride, groom or an immediate family member suffers injury or illness? Or severe weather stops the bride or groom from reaching the venue? What if the venue is suddenly damaged and can’t hold the event? Each of these potential nightmares would be covered under a standard wedding insurance policy. All deposits and payments would be covered, as well as the additional costs to reschedule the wedding.
On top of cancellation and rescheduling, wedding insurance also generally covers supplier failure, wedding transport, wedding attire, marquee damage, personal liability and more.
What is generally not covered:
Changing your mind. There are no wedding insurance policies in Australia that will cover change of heart. As with all insurance policies, it’s important to read the product disclosure statement that outlines the coverage and exclusions.
Wedding insurance cost:
Policies can be purchased from around $200 up to $1,295. Couples generally choose the level of coverage based on their wedding budget. To give you an idea of the kind cover you might receive, a Silver policy from Dream Wedding Insurance costs $445 and provides the following benefits:
Cancellation & Postponement - $10,000
Rescheduling - $6,000
Wedding Attire & Rings - $5,000
Wedding Gifts - $4,000
Supplier Failure - $6,000
Wedding Cars & Transport - $3,000
Equipment Hire - $2,000
Personal Liability (not included for overseas weddings) - $5,000,000
Wedding insurance for overseas nuptials:
Dream Wedding Insurance is the only stand-alone wedding insurance provider in Australia that covers overseas weddings. Policies can be purchased for weddings taking place anywhere in the world.
The best time to take out wedding insurance:
As soon as the venue is booked! That’s when you have a date and you’ve most likely put down your first deposit. Wedding insurance can be purchased up to 18 months before the wedding, though you can pick up a last minute policy if your wedding is at least 30 days away.