Wedding Insurance

Before getting married, more brides are saying "I do" to wedding insurance.

Approximately 2.2 million weddings take place each year in the U.S., with the average cost now reaching $27,000.*

"A wedding is a large investment both emotionally and financially. But with so many moving parts, there's a lot that can go wrong," says Alan Tuvin, vice president of product management, Travelers insurance.

What happens if your wedding dress is damaged before the ceremony or the catering company goes out of business? What happens if you come down with a sudden illness and can't go through with the ceremony? And what happens if severe weather shuts down your venue?

Insurance plans such as the Wedding Protector Plan from Travelers provide coverage, with no deductible, for a variety of unfortunate occurrences that may be associated with a wedding event. For example, coverage is provided if a hurricane causes the necessary and unavoidable cancellation or postponement of the event.

Other coverage includes postponement for withdrawal of military leave, forfeited and lost deposits and extra expenses associated with special attire, transportation, photographs and entertainment.

"Most people have to plan a wedding within a budget," says Tuvin. "The insurance makes sure your budget will not spiral out of control when the unexpected happens."

The top wedding claims and problems typically include damage to wedding attire, mishaps with event photography, cancellation due to illness or bereavement and no-shows by contracted vendors.

To help you decide whether you need the insurance, Travelers offers an online Risk Quiz. Even if you don't consider your plans to be risky, you may want to check it out.

Once you've done the quiz, if you decide you'd like the coverage, you can find an agent or purchase coverage online.

As long as the wedding is more than 14 days away, it's not too late. The site also offers an e-newsletter for newlyweds.