Happy bride hugging groom at their wedding.

Wedding Insurance FAQs

** Please see our separate blog post for information on wedding insurance and coronavirus. **

What is wedding insurance?

Wedding insurance is an insurance policy that can cover you financially if, for example, you have to cancel or postpone your day (e.g. as a result of death or illness in the family), a supplier goes out of business, there's damage to your dress or hired attire or there's a public liability claim on the day itself. It can be taken out easily online with a one off payment of between £20 and £200 depending on the amount of cover you need.

What is generally covered by wedding insurance?

Wedding insurance generally covers the unexpected, such as illness, cancellation or failure of suppliers. See our wedding insurance cover page for a more comprehensive guide to what is covered by wedding insurance.

In addition to having to rearrange your wedding you would usually have the following items covered:

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When should I take out wedding insurance?

You should really think about taking out wedding insurance before you start paying for any deposits. Most policies are usually valid for up to 24 months before the big day, and some will even allow you to buy cover up to the day before the wedding providing "you know of no reason which may cause you to incur a claim before you purchase your policy".

Is wedding insurance a one-off payment?

Yes. The price quoted is usually a single one-off payment to cover your whole event and so is great value for money. Most wedding insurance policies will cover you for up to 24 months before the big day too.

What is usually not covered by wedding insurance?

Any situation or circumstances that you are already aware of are usually excluded from the policy, for example existing illnesses or unemployment. Most wedding insurance policies will also not cover you should either the Bride or Groom simply change their mind or get 'cold feet'.

Why do I need wedding insurance?

Wedding insurance is there to provide peace of mind on your wedding day. Many couples spend vast amounts of money on their wedding day (the average wedding cost is around £14,500) and should the unfortunate happen, wedding insurance could mean you're not left financially out of pocket.

How much wedding insurance cover do you need?

Cover is usually offered in tiers based on the total cost of your wedding. This means that in the event of total disaster and your wedding having to be cancelled or postponed, the policy would pay up to the maximum level towards your wedding.

You may wish to consider:

Where do I find wedding insurance?

Our online comparison table is a good place to start - you can compare policies and cover from a number of different providers to see which meets your needs best.

The policy

Does wedding insurance cover our honeymoon too?

Generally speaking no, a wedding insurance policy won't cover your honeymoon. You should look at purchasing separate travel/honeymoon insurance too, although there may be some companies offering a combined policy. If you're having your wedding abroad, many wedding insurance policies also cover weddings held overseas.

Am I covered elsewhere?

Does paying by credit card protect the deposits I pay on my wedding?

Your credit card or home insurance policy may provide you with some degree of cover. Home insurance policies may cover you for wedding gifts and deposits paid for by credit card might be protected under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. Either is no substitute for a more comprehensive wedding insurance policy though.

If we have to claim, will we have to pay an excess?

Some insurers will charge an excess, but others don't. If they do charge an excess, the amount tends to be from £25 to £100. Check policy wording carefully though as some insurers apply an excess to some policy sections but not others.

Are all policies the same?

No, it's important to look at the detail of what a policy covers you for. For example, some policies don't cover you in the case of redundancy, or for gift vouchers given as gifts. Some insurers will cover deposits made before the insurance was taken out, but others don't. As always read the policy wording carefully so that you know exactly what is and isn't covered.

What's covered?

Are we covered if either one of us is made redundant?

Does wedding insurance cover me if I'm made redundant?

With some insurers, yes, so long as there was no prior knowledge before the policy was taken out. Remember though, if you're made redundant and you are covered, wedding insurance will only help you to recover any deposits you've already paid. It won't pay the balances to allow your wedding to still go ahead.

Does wedding insurance cover you for a change of heart?

Where one of the participants decides not to go ahead, the correct insurance terminology is 'disinclination to proceed' or 'change of heart'. We currently aren't aware of any wedding insurance policy in the UK that offers this type of cover.

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What happens if the photos don't come out properly?

This is a different issue to non appearance of the photographer - if the digital media storage is faulty and there are no copies available, most policies will cover the cost of retaking the photographs and the cost of the couple and immediate wedding party in having to arrange to get together to retake them.

Does wedding insurance cover us if we cancel the wedding?

Possibly. You would not be covered if one party withdraws (changes their mind or gets 'cold feet'). However, you would usually be covered in the case of things like venue failure, which could be caused if they go bust, lose their licence or double book you.

Can the wedding be covered if the groom has a pre-existing medical condition?

There is a common misunderstanding about pre-existing medical conditions for the major participants. To be clear, most pre-existing conditions are usually covered for the couple and close relatives, however, where there has been a terminal prognosis or you are awaiting treatment or the results of tests of such a prognosis, insurers will not cover this risk unless you have discussed it with them prior to taking out the policy. It's certainly always best to check with your insurer that any specific illness or situation is covered.

Am I covered if the bride is pregnant?

Usually, yes, but check individual policies for limitations. With most policies you're only covered for pregnancy related claims if it's within a certain period of time in your pregnancy. Some insurers won't provide cover after 28 weeks for example.

My wedding is in a marquee, is this covered?

You will probably need separate marquee cover. This can be added as an extra on most wedding insurance policies.

What does wedding insurance cover in the case of a supplier going out of business?

Claiming in the event of a supplier going bust will usually allow you to recover the cost of your outlay already, plus the additional costs incurred in arranging an alternative. It would be wise to check with your insurer who they term as valid suppliers for the claims to be supported.

Is retaking of wedding photographs covered?

What if the photographer falls ill or the photographs are damaged in some way? This is a fairly standard type of claim and most insurance policies will usually pay for the retaking of any photographs in these circumstances.

Can you cover your wedding against the weather?

Does wedding insurance provide cover for extreme weather?

This may seem strange, but many weddings have had to be cancelled due directly to adverse weather conditions either rendering the venue unsuitable, or preventing some of the main parties from attending. It may be that the officials are unable to attend. If this is the case, then insurance would often pay out. However, it would not pay out in the case of a reception having to be moved under cover in the case of rain, or if say just a handful of guests couldn't make it to the wedding because of heavy snow. You also probably wouldn't be covered if the weather was a 'known risk'. If there's already two foot of snow on the ground and you think your wedding might be affected, there's probably not a lot of point rushing out to buy a wedding insurance policy as it's unlikely you'd be covered.

What if my cake/flowers/dress/wedding meal fails to arrive?

A general question about the various services is what happens if a service provider fails. It can be the flowers, caterer or maybe the entertainment. In all cases, you can usually claim for either the cost of the deposit you have paid or if you are able to get replacements, the cost of those replacements.

Am I covered for Swine Flu?

We spoke to a number of different wedding insurance providers to see if you're covered for Swine Flu. Many said that you would actually be covered with their policies, but there were some that did say you wouldn't be covered. It's therefore worth checking the small print or giving them a call if this is a particular concern. As usual with most insurance products, anything you were aware of before taking out the policy will normally not be covered.

Think you need non-standard cover?

Can I cover a celebration that's a little while after the actual ceremony?

It's becoming more common to have a small wedding at one location, with a larger party held on a different date. You need to check with your insurer the maximum number of events that can be covered and the number of days between the events.

Does wedding insurance cover a wedding abroad?

Most policies can be extended to cover a destination wedding, but you should also take out a separate travel/honeymoon insurance policy too. Make sure that you check with your insurance company that your items like the wedding rings and gifts are covered for loss and theft.

There is one thing to remember if you are having your wedding abroad. Most insurers will offer wedding insurance even if you are having your ceremony abroad, but you should be aware that the public liability extension for liability for loss, damage or injury, will often not apply outside of Great Britain, particularly if your ceremony is in the United States or Canada. This is because of the differing legal requirements of these countries and the fact that UK jurisdiction will not apply there.

What if the bride or groom aren't British?

With a shrinking world, it is becoming more and more common for people from different countries to get married. So, what are the requirements as regards insurance? Well, as long as one of the participants who is taking out the policy is normally a resident of the UK, you are usually alright to take out a policy in this country.

My fiancé is in the army and likely to be deployed overseas at some point next year. Can we protect our big day?

One area of confusion seems to be where one or both of the participants are in the armed forces. It is always a possibility that you can be posted overseas at the time of your wedding, so you would have to re-arrange it. The situation is that wedding insurance will usually cover the costs of rearranging the wedding as long as the leave was already granted and that there was no notice of possible cancellation of that leave at the time the policy was taken out.

Does wedding insurance also cover civil partnership ceremonies?

Of course! Wedding insurance covers both weddings and civil partnership ceremonies, receptions and celebrations.

Does wedding insurance cover an Asian wedding?

Generally, yes. You'll want to check though that the individual policy gives you enough cover in terms of number of events covered and the number of days between the first and last event.

Our wedding insurance comparison table compares the polices and premiums of leading UK wedding insurance providers.

Protect your special day with wedding insurance

Compare cover and prices »

CompareWeddingInsurance.org.uk is a trading name of Leyton Solutions Limited.

Registered in England and Wales, Company number 7022117. Registered address: 86-90 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE.

Leyton Solutions Limited is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Emerald Life Limited, Insuremore Ltd, UK Oasis Group Ltd and Voyager Insurance Services Ltd who are all authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Leyton Solutions Limited is also an Introducer Appointed Representative of Blue Insurance Limited who is authorised by the Central Bank of Ireland and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for UK business.

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