Wedding Insurance Articles

This morning, the lovely people at BBC Radio Coventry and Warwickshire asked me if I would go on air and have a quick chat about wedding insurance on the Annie Othen show.

Of course, I was only too happy to and it was a great opportunity to explain a little about what wedding insurance is, what it covers and more importantly, what it doesn’t cover.

You can listen to a recording of the interview below – thanks to Steve for recording it for me.

If the player above doesn’t work, just try the direct link here.

Key Points

• The average cost of wedding insurance last year was just £51.55
• The average cost of a wedding was £15,500
• As with any insurance product, always read the policy wording through carefully so that you exactly what is and isn’t covered.
• Read some reviews on wedding insurance – Look at the Defaqto Star Ratings, or ask on forums such as Wedding Ideas or Hitched.
• ‘Cold feet’ or ‘change of heart’ isn’t covered, nor would you be covered for bad weather. Extreme weather (such as heavy snow) that prevented the majority of guests from attending probably would be covered though.
• Buy wedding insurance as early as you can in the planning process – most policies will cover you for up to 24 months.

It’s either Spring or Autumn somewhere in the world in March, with the glorious but slightly temperamental weather that goes with the season. As temperatures rise, blue skies are seen more and blossom starts appearing on the trees – Europe in springtime is a great destination for honeymooners in March. The Southern hemisphere is continuing into Autumn, with beautiful warm weather.

Tropical destinations are still dry in March, and starting to get very hot.

Spring in the Northern Hemisphere

UK honeymoon destinations can be lovely at this time of year, with British pubs and cafés still offering cosy fires and cream teas if it decides to rain. Dartmoor, the Lake District, Cornwall, the Cotswolds or Yorkshire are among the huge range of British honeymoon destinations that will hopefully be seeing plenty of springtime sunshine in March.

Europe offers more reliable springtime warmth, with destinations such as Spain or the Algarve in Portugal emerging from the winter months to enjoy the vibrant spring time. Bear in mind, however, that it might not be warm enough for a beach honeymoon.

Tropical beach and Safari adventures

If you want more tropical temperatures and drier climates, you need to be thinking about travelling further abroad to places like the Caribbean, Africa or Asia to soak up the sunshine. Some suggestions to get you started:

• Adventurous safaris in South Africa, Kenya or Tanzania;
• Explore Morocco’s ethnic bazaars in Marrakesh, travel on to discover beautiful mountain and coastal regions;
• The Philippines have beautiful undeveloped beaches, volcanic scenery and world renowned opportunities for diving;
• Visit China before the humid weather arrives later in the year;
• Visit any of the many Caribbean destinations – St Lucia, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba or the Dominican Republic;
• The Maldives is at the end of its dry season with lovely, sunny weather and beautifully calm seas, perfect for diving and snorkelling enthusiasts;
• Malaysia – tropical rainforests, plantations and exotic beach holidays are all on offer in March;
• South East Asia is in the middle of the dry season in March, and destinations such as Thailand, Vietnam or the less known Laos offer adventure and luxury at affordable prices;
• Australia and New Zealand are still enjoying warm weather, but the tourist season is starting to wind down, so take the opportunity to head down under and explore cosmopolitan cities, beautiful islands, beaches and stunning landscapes;

Note for travelling in March

Check your dates against the school holidays, as prices can rocket over the Easter break.

Honeymooning in February, St Valentine’s month, offers couples a huge variety of destinations to choose from. The Northern hemisphere is still wintry, with lots of opportunities for skiing or city breaks followed by a romantic cosy cuddle in front of a warm fire. The Southern hemisphere offers an escape from the chill, with warm summer sunshine in many countries creating perfect honeymoons on the beach or safari. Here are just a few of the many possible destinations.

Winter wonderland in the Northern hemisphere

January saw most of the Northern hemisphere in the depths of winter, but during February the weather will begin to brighten up a little. This makes February a great month for skiing or winter city breaks.

Examples of skiing resorts would be Zermatt in Switzerland, or any of the amazing ski resorts that Canada has to offer.

For winter city breaks, consider Bruges, where you can experience the cultural highlights of this famous Belgian city and, of course, warm up with some authentic Belgian hot chocolate! Cities such as Florence, Siena and Rome are steeped in innate romance whatever the time of year, and February is no exception.

Summer sun in the Southern hemisphere

During February, countries such as Asia (south and south-east especially), North Africa and the Middle East are still experiencing their dry season, but without the roaring temperatures that are to come in following months.

Dubai is the quintessential city shopping break, either as a complete honeymoon or as a stopover on route to other destinations such as southern Africa, Australasia and southeast Asia.

South-east Asia, for example Thailand, Cambodia or Vietnam, offer the relaxation of sunny warm beaches as well as a rich local cultures.

Australia’s summer time continues into February, and what an incredible country to choose for a honeymoon – explore cities such as Sydney and Melbourne, visit islands, reefs and rainforests, or take time out to visit the island of Tasmania. You will also be spoilt for choice if you visit India, where the summer season is just starting but temperatures are bearable, and activities ranging from exquisite beaches in Goa to the cultural highlights of Rajasthan.

Safari honeymoons are ideal in the month of February. For example, Kenya or Costa Rica offer amazing animal spotting opportunities, with leatherback turtles visiting Costa Rica towards the end of the month.

The Caribbean, as in January, is still an ideal choice of destination in February, where it is still peak season but locations such as the Dominican Republic are still affordable for those on a budget. Hawaii offers Pacific sunshine and romance, where you can discover a new romantic island every day. Palm Beach offers almost 50 miles of sandy beaches and luxurious honeymoon hotels.

We all know how important it is to make sure that you take out adequate wedding insurance to protect your big day. With the average cost of a wedding still around £15,000, you’d be daft not to.

We also know from the top ten list of claims that was published last year that couples are often claiming for things like bankruptcy or liquidation of suppliers, loss of wedding photographs or damage to bridal attire.

But what are the more unusual things that couples have claimed for on their policies?

After locking their underwriters in a room for a few days to sift through the claims paperwork, WeddingPlan has published some of the more unusual wedding insurance claims that were seen in 2011.

Here are the scenarios they described:

The Unlicensed Venue

These days, it’s not just Churches or Registry Offices that couples can get married in. Couples can tie the knot in a whole variety of locations, even on the beach! However, the law requires those venues to hold a proper licence in order to hold marriage ceremonies. In 2011, a number of couples found themselves having booked a venue that lost its licence before their big day. As a result of adequate wedding insurance and contracts between themselves and the venues, those couples were able to claim back some of the costs.

A Bureaucratic Nightmare

A wedding is about two things, the couple and their love for each other. But in order to get married, there are a number of formalities, such as the Registrar and the necessary legal paperwork. If there is a problem with either of them, it’s possible that the wedding may not be able to go ahead. In 2011, a number of claims for rearrangement were as a result of problems with either the Registrar or official documents.

When Disaster Strikes – Twice!

Having picked her dream venue, one Bride couldn’t believe her bad luck when she found out there was a problem and it was no longer fit for use. Imagine her disbelief when the same thing happened a second time and she found herself having to look for a third venue! A number of claims were received from couples who’d suffered a run of problems with their venues but again, so long as sufficient cover and contracts were in place, any associated costs incurred as a result of having to book a new venue would have been covered.

It’s Snow Joke

Last winter, large parts of the UK saw significant snowfall. Whilst this was a minor inconvenience for many, just imagine what it would have been like if you were about to get married! Numerous cancellation claims were made on wedding insurance policies as couples found they and/or significant numbers of guests could not attend.

Broken Leg, Broken Dreams

Walking down the aisle on crutches is no dream for anyone! For one poor Bride, a broken leg meant having to cancel the wedding. Fortunately her dreams were put on ice rather than being completely shattered.

Most wedding insurance policies will cover you if you have to cancel or rearrange your wedding as a result of serious illness or injury. This can include broken legs, especially if an operation is needed.

A Short Trip Before The Honeymoon

Just imagine, you’re walking down the aisle, your heel gets stuck and you trip, ripping the back of your dress in the process. It’s every Bride’s nightmare, but as damage to attire is not uncommon, those that had wedding insurance were most likely able to claim back the cost of repairs.

Bring The House Down

Last minute problems with the reception venue resulted in many couples having to cancel or rearrange their big day. One claim was received when a whole ceiling collapsed only days before the wedding was due to take place! If sufficient cover was in place, any rearrangement costs incurred would have been met.

A Blustery Start

The weather is something that simply cannot be controlled and for many couples, particularly those having their wedding outside in a marquee, it’s something they keep a very close eye on as the big day approaches. High winds led to the damage of many hired marquees in 2011, but fortunately for those couples with adequate insurance and optional marquee cover added, they didn’t ‘take off’ or ‘set sail’ on honeymoon significantly out of pocket.

Disco Inferno!

The dreams of many couples were shattered after a fire destroyed the barn of a popular country wedding venue. Luckily, some of the affected couples had taken out wedding insurance and it’s likely that any costs incurred as a result of having to cancel or rearrange their big day would have been met.

Redundancy

Perhaps not so unusual given the current economic climate, a number of claims were made in 2011 as a result of redundancy. If, having been made redundant you choose to cancel your wedding, you may be able to submit a claim for any deposits that are lost as a result.

These are just a small selection of the issues that, according to the insurer, caused couples to claim on their WeddingPlan insurance policies last year. While it’s never nice to hear about wedding disasters, these scenarios do highlight just how important it is to have adequate protection in place, just in case the worst should happen.

Our comparison table lists a number of wedding insurance providers and can be sorted by both premium and level of cancellation cover. It’s important to remember to read policy documents carefully to see exactly what is and isn’t covered and compare policies on more than just price alone as cover does vary.

WeddingPlan is a trading name of UK General Insurance Ltd who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

A honeymoon in January may mean that you may want to jet off to warmer climes, go skiing in sparkling snow clad mountains, or have a romantic city break without the hustle and bustle of high season. Whatever you want to do, there are plenty of options available for honeymooners choosing a destination in January.

Sun seekers

To escape the cold weather, jet off to the southern hemisphere where you will find tropical areas experiencing their best, driest weather. The Caribbean is particularly attractive at this time of year, where honeymooners can enjoy the sandy beaches of Antigua, discover the amazing British Virgin Islands or have fun on the island of Jamaica. Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina and Chile are all highly recommended at this time of year.

Bright, sunny weather is ideal for honeymoons to New Zealand, which offers experiences to suit many tastes and budgets, from lazing on the beach and exploring the Bay of Islands by boat, to hiking and sampling local food and wine.

The West and south of Sri Lanka experience a dry season in January, for example Kandy and the Hill Country, historic Galle and a variety of coastal resorts.

South America offers exciting adventures in January, ranging from deserts and islands to glaciers and mountains.

Winter adventures

It is the season for the best alpine adventures in the Northern hemisphere and a must time to travel for anyone looking for a ski resort honeymoon. European resorts include France, Austria, Spain, Switzerland and Italy, or check out the USA skiing resorts such as Jackson Hole in Wyoming, Vail or Aspen in Colorado, or Vermont.

If skiing isn’t your thing, you can still enjoy some seasonal snowy romance with a cosy cabin in the mountains or fjords of Sweden or Norway.

Off season tranquillity

Remember that although many places are not in season in January, many European cities will not only offer a honeymooning couple a plethora of shops, museums, galleries, architecture, restaurants and cultural events, but it will also be far less busy and crowded.

It is usually dry in Hong Kong, where you can explore the delights of the city, and the local cuisine before continuing to explore more of southern China, Asia or Australia.

Where not to go:

Indonesia, the Seychelles and Polynesia where it is still the rainy season and Madagascar, Reunion and Mauritius where there is a high risk of cyclones.

We’ve looked at the data from over 1,200 wedding insurance policies purchased over the last 12 months via CompareWeddingInsurance.org.uk to cover weddings taking place this year.

Given that the state of the economy is still generally pretty poor (in fact only last week the BBC were reporting the likelihood of another recession) it is perhaps unsurprising that the decline in average wedding spend that we noticed last year has continued.

Based on the data we’ve collected, the average couple is expected to spend around £11,357 on their wedding day, plus an estimated £3,000 on their honeymoon – around £14,500 in total.

That’s a drop of £1,184 (around 10%) on last year’s figure of £12,541 excluding the honeymoon.

Will The Trend Continue Into 2013?

It’s looking likely that average wedding spend will continue to decrease into 2013.

Again based on the level of cancellation cover of wedding insurance policies taken out to cover 2013 weddings, there currently looks to be a further 8% decrease in spend on the 2012 figure. This would see the average cost of a wedding in 2013 reducing to just £10,538 excluding any honeymoon.

Of course, once we have more data for both 2012 and 2013, we will be able to revise and publish more accurate figures. Having said that, given that the sample size for 2012 weddings is already fairly significant, we think it’s unlikely this figure will change much.

Why Is Wedding Spend Decreasing?

We can only really speculate as to why average budgets are decreasing as much as they are.

The general state of the global economy has to be playing some part. Whether it’s the threat (or reality) of redundancy, a reduction in the availability of credit compared to recent years or just a general feeling of uncertainly, the result is a 25% reduction in average spend compared to just a couple of years ago.

Anecdotally, we’re seeing more couples going down the DIY route – making their own stationery, wedding cakes or even dresses. Some are getting friends or relatives to help out too.

Couples may also be inviting fewer guests as a way of saving money, although we’ve yet to seen any firm evidence of this.

We’d love to hear your thoughts so please do leave them in the comments section below.

Once a tiny town of Bedouin traders, modern day Dubai is now both a ultramodern business centre and tourist paradise. With opportunities ranging from shopping, fine dining and quality hotels through to vast deserts and amazing beaches, rugged mountains to camel racing and markets, honeymooning couples will find a kaleidoscope of attractions on offer.

What to do

Shopping
Dubai is ranked the second world’s most popular destination for shopping after the United States. Whether you are looking for a great bargain or just window shopping, Dubai has it all on offer – duty free, gold, electronics, textiles, cars and fashion.

Nightlife
With a thriving nightlife, Dubai’s hotel bars range from sophisticated cocktail lounges to typically informal British pubs. Many also offer food and live music. Hotels also have nightclubs with a range of music and ambience to suit all tastes.

Beaches and water sports
The warm blue waters of the Arabian Gulf meet golden sandy beaches all along Dubai’s coastline, enticing for beach lovers and water sports enthusiasts alike. Beach resort hotels usually have their own private beach area, with amenities such as shaded areas and barbeque pits.

Heritage & Museums
Waiting to be discovered all around Dubai are a number of historic buildings offering a glimpse of the 4000 year history of Dubai. Places to visit include the Al Fahidi Fort, Sheikh Saeed’s House, and the Bastakiya.

Other things to do in Dubai include camel and thoroughbred racing at the Nad Al Sheba racetrack, over 400 restaurants, golf courses, lush green parks and cultural festivals of music and the arts.

Where to stay

From the glitz, glamour and opulence of the only seven star hotel in the world, through to desert resorts offering romance, peace and tranquillity, Dubai hotels cater for every taste and budget. Beach and spa resorts as well as large multinational hotel chains offering city luxury are all available for romantic honeymoons in the sun.

Insurance

When travelling abroad, you should always take out some form of honeymoon/travel insurance before you go. Policies can offer cover against delay or cancellation, lost baggage and importantly medical costs should you fall ill whilst abroad.

Find your own idyllic and romantic tropical paradise, surrounded by crystal clear waters and underwater coral gardens when you visit the islands of the Maldives. With about only a quarter of the islands inhabited, honeymooners will love the opportunity of a day with a whole island to themselves, as well as experiencing world class spas, water sports and more sandy beaches than you can dream of!

What to do

Diving
With a reputation as a diver’s paradise, the warm seas of Maldives have high visibility throughout the year. Over a thousand species of fish and other underwater creatures inhabit the waters. All resorts and safari boats give you basic to advanced training, with the guidance of experienced dive instructors. There are many coral reefs throughout the Maldives, all a short distance from one another, so it is possible to dive at a different location each day.

Watersports
Water, water everywhere – and lots of watersports! Surfing is best between June and September. Also on offer is parasailing, water polo, kayaking, kite-surfing, water-ski-ing, and jet-ski-ing.

Excursions
Excursions can be arranged by your resort to local inhabited islands to see local fishing villages with brightly painted houses and bustling harbours, calm and beautiful night fishing experiences and even day trips to uninhabited islands where you can spend a whole day with an entire island to yourselves!

Spa
Every Maldivian resort has a spa; some of them hidden within tropical vegetation, others on a wooden jetty over the lagoon, and some even found underwater. Maldivians use their own local oils and traditional healing methods to offer calm, relaxation and therapy to help visitors to soothe away the stresses and strains of daily life.

Where to stay

All Maldivian resorts are on their own island. With over 100 resort islands to choose from, ranging from affordable to ultimate luxury, as well as guesthouses available on the 5 inhabited islands, honeymooners are sure to be able to find a place to stay that suits both their interests and budget.

Insurance

When travelling abroad, you should always take out some form of honeymoon/travel insurance before you go. Policies can offer cover against delay or cancellation, lost baggage and importantly medical costs should you fall ill whilst abroad.

With everything from skiing, adventure, beaches and sunshine through to history, culture, shopping and romance, you are sure to find your perfect honeymoon in Australia.

Where to go and what to do:

There are so many hundreds of different things that you can do in Australia that any honeymoon couple would be wise to do plenty of research prior to booking. The following is a short summary of Australia’s main attractions, with examples of what sort of experiences and opportunities you will find there:

The Great Barrier Reef in Queensland is the perfect combination of romance and adventure. Snorkel together to wonder at the world’s largest coral reef and swim in deliciously clear waters, all with the backdrop of Queensland’s lush tropical rainforests.

Australian cities such as Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra and Sydney offer cosmopolitan romance, centuries of historical architecture and world-class arts and culture. Every kind of shopping opportunity is available, from high end fashion to fresh produce and Australian aboriginal craft.

Alice Springs in the Northern Territory is a base for visiting the famous Uluru (Ayer’s Rock). Known as the capital of the Outback, experience waterholes, palms and astounding wildlife.

Kkosciuszko National Park is home to many luxurious ski resorts, such as Thredbo Village and Perisher Valley, offering a huge range of skiing opportunities, night life, shopping and romantic luxury lodges.

Sydney, Perth, the Gold Coast (Queensland) and Byron Bay (New South Wales) are four of the main beach holiday areas of Australia. Surfers will love the Gold Coast and Scarborough (Perth), while nature lovers will head to Byron Bay to spot bottlenose dolphins, rays, sea turtles and whales. For a vibrant nightlife, try Perth’s Scarborough, and it is hard to beat the ultimate relaxing beach destination with golden sands and warm aqua waters found on the Whitsunday Islands (part of the Great Barrier Reef).

Insurance

When travelling abroad (even more so when travelling half way around the world!), you should always take out some form of travel insurance before you go. Policies can offer cover against delay or cancellation, lost baggage and importantly medical costs should you fall ill whilst abroad.

Imagine glorious beaches, tropical weather, red sunsets, jerk chicken, reggae, rum and warm friendly people – you are imagining Jamaica. A large and diverse island located in the Western Caribbean with tropical temperatures year round, Jamaica is an ideal honeymoon resort for those wanting to combine luxurious relaxation with colourful fun and laughter.

Things to do:

Jamaica offers a simply huge range of activities, from relaxing in a spa or on the golf course through to edge-of-your-seat river rafting or rally driving. Other activities that honeymooners to Jamaica can choose from include bicycle tours in the mountains, river jeep safaris, eco-adventure trails, golf clubs, cruises, horseback riding, swimming with dolphins, Jamaican art and craft galleries, watersports, botanical gardens and much, much more.

Ochos Rios hosts an annual Easter carnival, Montego Bay a Jazz festival in February and there is an Independence weekend celebration in Negril at the end of July.

Places to stay:

With places to stay suiting every budget, from B&B’s to apartments, villas to luxury hotels, honeymoon visitors to Jamaica are spoilt for choice.

Kingston is the heart of Jamaica, offering shopping, fine dining and Caribbean city living.

Montego Bay mixes incredible natural beauty with a multitude of shops, restaurants and clubs, as well as championship golf courses, lavish resorts and legendary Colonial great houses. Centrally located, it is considered the tourist ‘hub’ of the island, with the legendary nightlife of the ‘Hip Strip’.

Negril is a favourite destination for honeymooners, offering sandy beaches, scuba diving, gourmet dining and picturesque coasts. On the west coast, it boasts arguably the best beaches on the island, with calm, clear water and stunning evening sunsets.

Ochos Rios is home to many luxury grand resorts, and also to stunning waterfalls, beaches and rivers. It offers a mixture of beaches, shopping and sightseeing.

Insurance

When travelling abroad, you should always take out some form of honeymoon or travel insurance before you go. Policies can offer cover against delay or cancellation, lost baggage and importantly medical costs should you fall ill whilst abroad.