Wedding Insurance and the Pregnant Bride

If you discover that you are expecting a little bundle of joy while you are planning your wedding, not only do you need to let your dressmaker know, but you should also check your wedding insurance.

What could happen?

More often than not, a pregnancy will be no barrier at all to enjoying your wedding day, indeed it will add to the excitement and anticipation of your amazing new life to come! However, sometimes things just don't go to plan. If you have complications during your pregnancy, you may need hospital care or bed rest during your final trimester. You may also struggle to manage a very busy day, particularly late on in the third trimester. When you know you are going to be pregnant on your wedding day, it is worth taking the time to consider the practical implications and also to think what you might need cover for in your wedding insurance policy.

Additionally, it may not just be the bride that is pregnant - if a bridesmaid or Matron of Honour becomes pregnant so can't fly out to your overseas wedding, or your best man has to suddenly disappear as his wife has gone into labour, what impact would it have on your wedding plans?

What is and isn't covered?

Rearranging the wedding when you find out you are pregnant:

While many wedding insurance policies cover costs involved in rearranging your wedding, as pregnancy does not constitute an 'unforeseen circumstance', you are often not covered if you wish to rearrange your wedding when you realise you are pregnant. Usually, there would be a few months in between finding out you are pregnant and your wedding date, in which you can give your wedding suppliers plenty of notice if you need to change your plans. Hopefully with a good few months notice, you will not lose your deposit money.

Rearranging the wedding due to pregnancy related issues:

If you go ahead with your plans and celebrate your wedding during your pregnancy, read your wedding insurance wording very carefully. The date up to which you are covered for claims due to pregnancy does vary from insurer to insurer. For example, taking some policies at random:

• "You are not covered for claims caused by pregnancy where anyone will be more than 26 weeks pregnant by the end of the Wedding Reception"
• "You are not covered for any claim arising directly or indirectly from pregnancy or childbirth unless the expected date of confinement is more than 2 months after the Wedding Date"
• "Exclusions - pregnancy (unless the birth is expected more than three months after the Wedding / Reception"

So, if you need to cancel or rearrange the wedding because your baby comes early, or you are hospitalised or ill due to pregnancy, then you may be covered by insurance as long as you are within your own insurer's timeframe requirements.

Remember, it is important to know that if you have an existing medical conditions that impacts on your pregnancy you must tell the insurance company or you may not be covered.

If you wish to cover other members of your wedding party for pregnancy related claims, it is probably worth contacting your insurer directly to ask for advice.

Travelling for your wedding or honeymoon while pregnant

Some airlines will not let you fly towards the end of your pregnancy, especially if you are expecting a multiple birth or have had complications in your pregnancy. After 28 weeks, you'll usually need a 'fit to fly' certificate from your midwife or GP stating that you are in good health, have a normal pregnancy and confirming your expected due date.

Of course, at the start of your pregnancy you usually have no idea if you will have a straightforward pregnancy or not, so if you are planning an overseas wedding or honeymoon then make sure that your wedding and travel insurance policies will cover you adequately. Note that not all insurers will even cover you to travel after 28 weeks or expecting a multiple birth and, even if they do, they may stipulate that you return within 8 weeks of your due date.