Wedding Insurance Abroad Guide

Wedding Insurance Abroad Guide

The happiest day of your life could be made even more special if you were given the option of choosing any location in the world. Well, the reality is that you can and more and more couples are deciding to take their big day overseas.

While the idea of a quaint church in an English village might appeal to some, the idea of jetting off to a faraway place is something that a lot of people want. You have the choice of a fast paced city wedding somewhere like Rome, Paris or even Las Vegas or you might want a relaxed, romantic beachside wedding in the Maldives or the South Pacific.

Whatever your idea of the perfect wedding is, there’s one thing that all weddings abroad have in common; they cost A LOT of money.

Some standard wedding insurance packages will cover the basics of a wedding abroad but that doesn’t apply to all of them. There are cases where you will need to take out additional cover if you want to make sure your wedding abroad is covered.

If you’ve been thinking about getting hitched on foreign turf then don’t worry, this guide tells you everything you need to know about wedding insurance abroad.

Why Do I Need Wedding Insurance Abroad?

Why Do I Need Wedding Insurance Abroad

Taking out wedding insurance is something we would recommend no matter where you are getting married. But when you get married abroad there are additional costs that you wouldn’t have if you stayed in the UK for the big day. For example, things like extended hotel stays, flights, visa fees and plenty of other things.

The importance of wedding insurance abroad cannot be understated. In the event that something were to go wrong, the last thing you want is to be in a position that drains you financially. Your abroad wedding insurance will cover most things so that you can concentrate on enjoying what’s most important; planning your special day with that special someone.

There is research that suggests that the most common claims made by couples getting married abroad on their wedding insurance were to do with cancellation or rearrangement. There were also a high number of claims relating to the photography as well as deposits made to suppliers.

When you take out an insurance policy for your wedding, it will normally come into effect from the moment you confirm the wedding date. For this reason, a lot of people choose to take out insurance as soon as they choose the date so they are covered in the lead up to the event; after all, things can go wrong during the planning phase.

However, you should keep in mind that while we would always advise taking out a wedding insurance abroad policy as soon as possible, you have to keep in mind that the date of the wedding may impact how much you have to pay. For example, most companies will charge a premium if your big day is more than a year down the line.

Does My Standard Wedding Insurance Cover Getting Married Abroad?

Does My Standard Wedding Insurance Cover Getting Married Abroad

If you have read our information on standard wedding insurance then you will be familiar with what it covers. Without going into too much detail, this is what you can expect from a standard package:

  • Cancellation cover; this ensures you are covered in the event that the venue needs to cancel. You will also be covered for any associated costs should a member of the bridal party no longer be able to attend the wedding.
  • No show or damaged goods; most wedding insurance policies will cover you if items show up damaged or if they do not show up at all. For example, if the wedding car does not arrive.
  • Lost or stolen items; should any important items such as wedding rings (but not engagement rings), outfits, cakes, gifts etc be lost, stolen or damaged, your insurance will cover you.
  • Photo and video cover; if there is a technical fault that prevents photos and videos from being taken or developed, your policy will cover the cost of a reshoot.
  • Weather cover; if 50% or more of your guests need to cancel because of bad weather, this is covered in your standard wedding insurance policy.
  • Public liability; this type of cover ensures that you are protected if there is an accident, injury or damage to a third party or property. However, do note that some wedding insurers don’t include this in their standard package while others do.

Most standard wedding insurance packages will cover you regardless of the location of your wedding. Although you will need to be transparent about this when buying the policy. However, there are some companies, such as John Lewis that require you to buy an add on if you are getting married abroad. But don’t let this put you off as a single policy could cost as little as £40 so it’s really not going to put that big of a dent in your budget.

It’s also worth considering that these additional packages offer more tailored covers for travelling abroad. For example, you will usually be covered for things like delayed travel and Essential Document Protection although depending on the policy you take out, the cover may differ.

Generally speaking, there are a variety of levels of cover that you can choose from. Normally there will be three levels but again, this will vary among providers. When you choose a higher level of cover, this is going to cost you more but again, the premium isn’t bank breaking.

Level 1 cover usually pays out a small sum in the event that your wedding has to be cancelled. In this instance, you might receive a lump sum of £5000 to cover any costs but if you had purchased Level 3 cover from the same company, the pay out might be four times this much.

What works for one couple may not work for the next. This is why it’s important to take a look at your wedding and figure out exactly the level of cover you require. Moreover, we would always recommend comparing wedding insurance abroad policies to make sure that you get the best deal for you.

A Note On Excess Payments

In the unfortunate event that you have to make a claim on your wedding insurance abroad, you will be required to pay an excess charge. This is a fee that the insurance company takes in order to process the claim. But it’s not usually a lot for abroad wedding insurance and the average is around £49.

The Importance Of Travel Insurance When Getting Married Abroad

The Importance Of Travel Insurance When Getting Married Abroad

When it comes to arranging insurance for your wedding abroad, you might think that standard travel insurance is included. But this might not be as comprehensive as you had hoped.

For example, your wedding insurance abroad will cover things like issues with the ceremony or reception but it won’t cover the cost of your honeymoon should anything go wrong and you have to cancel.

In order to make sure that you are fully covered when travelling abroad, you will also need to take out a travel insurance policy. Again, this isn’t expensive but the costs that could arise having not taken it out could easily put you in a financial nightmare.

When you’re abroad, you need to make sure that you are covered for unexpected medical costs, lost luggage, flight cancellations and other things. While some insurers may offer both wedding and travel insurance, they’ll usually have to be purchased as two separate policies.

As with your wedding insurance, it’s important to spend some time comparing quotes in order to find the right cover for your needs.

Medical Treatment In Europe

In years gone by, if you were travelling within Europe, it was a good idea to apply for a European Health Insurance Card. This allowed you to access certain medical treatments for free when abroad. However, this wasn’t something that was taken out in place of travel insurance.

Medical Treatment In Europe

But, now that the UK is no longer in the European Union, these cards will be discontinued. If you have one now, then you can still use it up until the expiry date printed on the card. However, if you are going to apply, you will need to search for a GHIC card. This is a global health insurance card that covers non-members of the EU.

Conclusion

Your wedding is bound to be the most important day of your life but things can go wrong. If you’ve chosen to hop on a plane and have your wedding somewhere exotic, bustling, relaxing or exciting then you’ll need to take out the right wedding insurance for abroad.

Most standard wedding insurance will cover the basics when you get married abroad but there are some that require you to buy an add on. It’s essential to check at the time of purchasing the policy that you have the correct cover.

Also note that travel insurance is not typically included in a wedding insurance package so you will need to buy this separately.


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