Wedding Insurance and Venue Related Disasters

Wedding insurance can cover everything from the venue burning down or going bankrupt, to injuries to guests or damage to property. For financial peace of mind, it is essential!

What could go wrong?

You simply can't predict if Uncle Jack is going to have so much to drink that he manages to set fire to the curtains, or if the seemingly perfect venue goes into liquidation at the last minute. For example:

• As the event organisers, the bride and groom could be liable in the event of:
  • a guest suffering injury from an accident;
  • damage to a guest's property;
  • damage to the venue itself.
• Your venue could make an administrative error resulting in double booking and potentially the cancellation of your wedding booking;
• If you have taken on temporary employees to help put on the event, you could also be liable for a claim if one of them is injured whilst working at the event;
• Your property, or property that you have hired to use at the event could be damaged or stolen, as could the venue's fixtures and fittings;
• Your venue could go into liquidation or be declared bankrupt, meaning a probable loss of deposit and leaving you little or no time to find an alternative venue.

Wedding insurance to cover problems with your venue

If you are arranging your wedding through a large venue that specialises in weddings, you may find that their insurance will be sufficient to cover damage or liability claims. It should never be considered a substitute for a more comprehensive wedding insurance policy though, covering things like death, serious illness and issues with other suppliers.

Check what insurance your venue may offer and ensure that your own wedding insurance policy will cover any shortfalls. Here are some other venue-related issues to look out for in the small print of your policy documents:

• Personal liability - This covers the bride and groom if they are held liable for any damage to any person or third party property;
• Public liability - This covers all members of the wedding party if they are held liable for any damage to any person or third party property. Check the wording of your policy carefully to find out who will be covered;
• Alcohol related damages - This provides liability protection against bodily injury or property damage claims by parties injured as a result of an intoxicated guest who was served alcohol at your event. Note that most policies will only cover this if the alcohol is provided by a named party who is “in the business” of manufacturing, selling or distributing alcoholic beverages;
• Cover if venue goes into liquidation or is made bankrupt;
• Failure to supply the venue as detailed in your contract - due to anything from overrunning building work to the venue being destroyed by fire;
• Rehearsal dinner - check when your cover starts and finishes. Some insurers will insure 24 hours prior and after the event to enable setting up/taking down of the event, as well as a 48 hour cover prior to the event to cover a rehearsal dinner.

What might not be covered

• Note that vendors at your wedding (catering, DJ etc) should have their own liability insurance.
• There may be a limit to the amount that can be paid out in the event of a claim - check beforehand that this limit is sufficient. Often, the higher the premiums, the more you will be able to claim back on your policy.
• Similarly, there may be an excess that you will need to pay in the event of a claim. Check your policy wording as the amount may vary depending on the circumstances of the claim.

And finally...

Nothing can solve the problem of having to find an alternative venue at short notice, but a short time spent checking the small print of your wedding insurance could provide you - financially at least - with some peace of mind if your venue lets you down.