Wedding Insurance - For The Car With More Roll Than Royce

A vintage Rolls or a modern Mini, a retro Camper or luxurious Hummer - whatever amazing car you have organised for your wedding needs to be properly insured to avoid any expensive mishaps on your special day.

What could go wrong?

Of course you need insurance for your family car, but what could go so wrong with a car that is only used for a short drive to your wedding venue? You'd be surprised! For example:

• Theft - wedding cars are usually unique, top of the range and simply irreplaceable, making them a target for thieves. What would you do if your car was stolen or vandalised the evening before your big day?
• Breakdown - especially pertinent for vintage cars but applicable to all, cars are prone to unexpected breakdowns. Without insurance, you may need to get the bus timetables out!
• Accidents - cover yourself in the unfortunate event of an accident whilst you are using your wedding car, to make sure that your big day isn't followed by potentially huge compensation claims.
• Driver illness - it is the morning of your big day and your driver calls in sick. But no one else is insured to drive your amazing car, so you end up turning up in a taxi.

There are so many unforeseeable things that could happen, making sure your wedding insurance policy has adequate cover for wedding car disasters will help ensure peace of mind on your wedding day.

Own a wedding car? What should you look for in a car insurance policy?

Wedding cars, are of course, used differently to your day to day family cars, and this is reflected in the small print of your insurance policy. Read your wedding car insurance policy carefully to check that you are insured for every eventuality. Some things that you may want to check could include:

• Mileage - policies may specify a limit to the mileage covered so make sure that your journey is within any mileage limits set. Insurance is available for unlimited mileage but may be more expensive as the insurer's risks are lower with a limited mileage policy;
• Agreed value option - with cars ranging from classic to kit cars, supercars to limousines, a standard insurance policy may only pay out the list price and not the 'true' value in the event of complete loss. However, some insurers will agree a valuation for your vehicle as part of the insurance contract, ensuring that it is covered to its true value;
• Legal expenses - assists and advises if you need to recover any uninsured losses (there is usually an indemnity limit);
• Windscreen cover - windscreen chips can happen at any time, so being insured could save you a lot of money. Note that often an excess will apply if the windscreen cannot be repaired and needs to be replaced;
• Some policies will offer limited cover for the cost of arranging alternative transport if drivers (that must be named when the policy is set up) are unable to drive due to ill health, DVLA restrictions imposed or injury.

Policies can also offer:

• Personal accident cover;
• Replacement vehicle in the instance of a non fault accident;
• Personal effects cover (up to an agreed limit);
• Breakdown cover;
• Public liability cover - covers you against the costs of compensation if you are negligent, for example damaging a wall when reversing in a hotel car park.

You may also want to consider:

• Personalised numberplate cover - ensuring that you can replace a personalised plate in the event of theft;
• Employees liability cover - only applicable if you are actually employing drivers, to cover you if your driver claims compensation for injury whilst working for you.

Discounts available

Remember to ask if there are any discounts available!

• If you are a member of any owner's clubs, you may qualify for a discount;
• If you are using two or more vehicles, then often insurers will offer a fleet discount rate.