Bad weather, health emergencies, or vendor defaults... Discover how wedding insurance protects your budget and secures your contracts.
1. General Liability Insurance: the mandatory minimum
General liability (GL) is the essential foundation. It covers bodily injury or property damage accidentally caused to third parties (your guests, venue staff) or to the reception venue itself (walls damaged, accidental fires).
Most venues require a specific general liability certificate for the wedding weekend before handing over the keys.
- Covers property damage caused to the venue
- Protection in case a guest gets injured on site
- Usually requested by reception venue owners
2. Cancellation and Postponement coverage: protecting your investment
This option is designed to reimburse costs already incurred (non-refundable deposits) if the wedding must be canceled or postponed due to a force majeure event: serious accident or sudden illness of the couple or their close family, or extreme weather making the venue inaccessible.
Note that this insurance does not cover 'voluntary withdrawal' (a change of mind by one of the spouses).
Expert Tip
Read the exclusion clauses carefully! Epidemics, transportation strikes, or standard weather conditions (normal rain) are generally not covered by standard cancellation policies.
3. Vendor default: a major risk factor
This is one of the most stressful planning risks: your caterer going out of business three months before D-day, or the venue facing administrative closure. A good wedding insurance policy can compensate you for lost deposits and cover the extra cost of finding a replacement vendor in an emergency.
When choosing your vendors, always ask for a copy of their own professional liability certificate to attach to their contact card.
4. How to integrate insurance into your wedding budget?
The insurance premium is a fixed expense to be entered from the start in your budget forecasts. The cost generally ranges between €150 and €450 depending on the total amount you wish to cover (the overall budget of your event).
Enter this expense under the 'Administrative' or 'Miscellaneous' category of your Plan de Mariage budget dashboard to keep a 100% realistic view of your actual costs.
Expert Tip
Think of the insurance premium as an investment in your peace of mind. Paying €250 to secure a committed budget of €20,000 is an excellent benefit/risk ratio to avoid sleepless nights.
5. Existing coverage: check for duplicates
Before taking out a specific policy, check your current coverage. Some premium credit cards (Gold, Premier, Infinite) include travel or rental cancellation guarantees that may sometimes apply.
Similarly, your multi-risk home insurance often includes a free extension of general liability for organizing one-time family events.
Track your insurance and contingency budget
Incorporate your insurance premium into your Plan de Mariage budget dashboard to keep full visibility over your actual expenses.
Frequently asked questions
How much does wedding insurance cost?
The price depends directly on the total budget to be covered. Count on average 1% to 1.5% of the overall budget of the event (about €200 to €300 of insurance for a €20,000 wedding).
When should we buy wedding insurance?
As early as possible, ideally as soon as the first major contract (like the venue or caterer) is signed, and no later than 15 to 30 days before the wedding date to clear any waiting periods.
Does my home insurance cover the reception hall?
It often covers liability (accidental damage), but not at all the risks of vendor cancellation, gift theft, or postponement due to medical reasons.
What should I do first if a vendor defaults?
Consult your insurance policy immediately to validate coverage, then use your vendor manager to identify local alternatives and update your budget in real time.