Preparing for the biggest day of your life may take more than just getting the hang of the two syllables that aid in your pronunciation and your wedding is going to be all about paradise islands, fine food, your favourite flowers, and champagne. However, before you even set in place plans to walk down the aisle, there are many things that you need to take care of when considering an overseas wedding such as the location, legalities, guest lists, caterers, vendors, travel arrangement, insurance and much more.
The Need for a Comprehensive Overseas Wedding Insurance Policy Provider.
Sure, planning for a wedding is fun, especially if you and your spouse plan to marry in the light of a romantic fairy tale such as in Thailand, Hawaii or perhaps, the Caribbean. Planning for an overseas wedding has its charms and delights, with additional hopes set up for the honeymoon after a successful reception. The preparations for an overseas wedding may require additional organisation such a deciding if guests will pay for the airfare and accommodation and additional legalities but every little bit worth the extra work.
However, there are times when things may take a turn for the worse and an unforeseen issue occurs in the midst of the preparations or during the big day. So if peace of mind is important to you then being adequately covered with a comprehensive wedding insurance policy could help to alleviate the worry.
Do You Need Wedding Insurance?
Well the fact that you are planning an overseas wedding means you are most likely spending a significant amount of money on your wedding. I would guess that peace of mind knowing that if things did go wrong for whatever reason, you have some form of cover that will allow you to rearrange or reimburse you for what is most probably the biggest day of your life.
Do not get me wrong, there is no point spending your special day worrying about what could go wrong or issues beyond your control. Relax and enjoy your special day because the chances are it will be the event you always dreamed of.
However, to ignore the possibility that things never go wrong can be music to Murphy’s Law ears! – Hope for the best and plan for the worse is the way to go and wedding insurance will provide an element of peace of mind so you can truly enjoy you wedding, besides that is what car and home insurance are for.
Benefits of Overseas Wedding Insurance.
All wedding insurance policies are different and it’s crucial to make sure you are insured for an adequate amount and that you know what is included in your cover (and what is not) and what any excesses are should you need to claim.
Most wedding insurance companies will pay out for the cancellation or rearrangement of the wedding and reception due to illness, accident or bereavement but this normally only applies to the main wedding party. Also normally covered is suppliers going bust and loss or damage to the main wedding outfits, rings, presents, photos and video, cake, failure of wedding cars and in some cases personal liability.
As you can see, an overseas wedding and reception are not covered as standard and are usually optional extras. So does overseas cover actually give you anything extra? Well no not really. What is does do is allow the cover mentioned above to be valid when getting married and having a reception abroad. Therefore, there are no additional complications when covering your wedding and reception abroad and normally just involves selecting the overseas option when taking out a policy. Naturally, the insurance premium will increase in order to cover the additional risk but you’ll be very surprised to learn that this additional cost can be as little as £15 on a standard mid-range policy.
So in summary, most insurance policies will cover the following:-
- Cancellation/Rearrangement
- Loss or Damage
- Failure of Suppliers
- Wedding Rings
- Wedding Gifts
- Legal Expenses
- Public Liability
Optional Extras:-
- Overseas wedding and reception
- Marquee cover
What does vary from one policy to another is the level of cover i.e. The amount at which the above is covered, so working out how much each element of the wedding is actually costing and how much cover is required is essential in choosing the correct policy.
Choosing the Best Wedding Insurance for Overseas Weddings.
There are many companies offering to insure your big day but which are the best in the UK?
We believe there are three wedding insurance companies in the UK that offer excellent and equally comprehensive cover and have a long track record in these services. These are John Lewis, Debenhams and Wedding Plan.
“John Lewis Wedding Insurance” Recommended and Esteemed.
So, let’s discuss the policies of one of the leading wedding insurance policy providers. John Lewis, known for its quality and a reputation for excellent customer service.
John Lewis Overseas Wedding Insurance provides you with a range of cover for all budgets with six plans, which can start from as little as £60 and can offer cover for cancellation for up to £100,000. The great thing about John Lewis is that over 90% of previous customers would recommend their services; this is very high for this industry.
Cancellation or Rearrangement of Wedding Reception:
As mentioned above, John Lewis Wedding Insurance provides you with a chance to choose from six levels of cover ranging from £60 to £300.50 depending on the level of cover and the amount you are spending on your wedding.
You will be covered if a supplier goes bust or fails to show up on the day, John Lewis will reimburse you for any deposits or cost that have been incurred. You are also covered if the wedding partners or civil partners falls ill you could be reimbursed your costs. This also covers close relatives or members of the wedding party, but remember John Lewis will not cover illness if this is a pre-existing medical condition.
John Lewis don’t just cover you for these major issues that may occur, so don’t worry the wedding cake, wedding ring, wedding flowers, wedding attire and wedding transport will all be covered for loss or damage.
When taking out your insurance with John Lewis simply click the option to include overseas wedding insurance and you are covered.
When Should I Take Out John Lewis Wedding Insurance?
You should take out your wedding insurance and get covered as soon as you start spending any money on your insurance. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and romance of the wedding planning so please don’t leave it too late to arrange your cover. You should definitely have insurance in place prior to paying any deposits for venues or wedding dresses etc.
How Do I Choose The Correct Level Of John Lewis Wedding Insurance?
This is straightforward. The amount you are spending on your wedding will need to match the same amount as the cancellation cover. John Lewis offers a wide range of cover to suit all budgets. John Lewis do not just cover large expensive weddings; they also have premium levels for those planning a small wedding.
Are My Wedding Photos Covered?
John Lewis will pay a photographer to re-take your wedding photos if they cannot be printed due a problem or damage to film, negative or digital media. If this means hiring the wedding attire again, this could also be covered by their policies.
What Does John Lewis Wedding Insurance Not Cover?
As discussed above, overseas and marquee or gazebos are not covered by default. These can be added easily at very completive rates when taking out your policy. If your wedding or civil partnership is taking place overseas then why not also take out John Lewis travel insurance, this way your entire wedding trip and honeymoon are all covered by one provider.
Debenhams Overseas Wedding Insurance
To Help Create And Retain The Magic For Your Wedding.
There are many reasons why you should look at a Debenhams overseas wedding insurance policy and avail the benefits that it may reveal through any of its five levels. Spend according to your expenditures and upgrade or ask for help through their customer care interface whenever you feel you need more information. Debenhams has slightly less policy choices, however, their range allows for all budgets and wedding sizes. Cover starts from as little as under £60 with a low £50 excess.
Nasty Mishaps and Unpredictable Adverse Weather Conditions:
Sudden accidents or injuries can make the roads and other forms of transport unavailable, thus preventing you and your fiancée or any key members or relatives of the family from making their way to the wedding or reception. With the help of Debenhams’ overseas wedding insurance policy, you can easily shift your wedding to another day without having to fork out all over again.
Sickness and Ill Health Cover:
Debenhams Wedding Insurance Policy has standard terms and conditions but in summary you and your family members will be protected should they become ill or as a result of an accident that prevents them from attending the wedding. Remember, that, as with all wedding insurance pre-existing health conditions will not be covered along with some other situations.
The following are not covered by the policy.
- Anxiety, stress or depression.
- If anyone has been given a terminal prognosis.
- Anyone is acting against medical advice.
- If anyone is on a waiting list for hospital treatment, awaiting results of tests or medical investigations that could result in them not being able to attend the wedding
Have no fear when you have a Debenhams overseas wedding insurance policy to provide you cover.
Failure of Suppliers:
Last minute cancellations by the suppliers, vendors or caterers can pose a major problem for any wedding. Debenhams Wedding Insurance provide you the security by making up for the loss allow you to reschedule without being out of pocket..
What Is Not Included With Debenhams?
There are several items that don’t come as standard with the policy and will incur additional cost, these are
- Wedding marquee cover
- Extension of public liability cover to other wedding party members
- Wedding ceremonial swords
What Makes Debenhams Wedding Insurance Special?
Well, the great news is that overseas wedding insurance cover comes as standard with all policies. This means there is no additional premium for you wedding abroad if you take out a Debenhams wedding insurance policy. And, they will also give you a £20 Debenhams gift card again when you take out any of the five polices, wow, an early wedding present!
What Should I Know About Buying Wedding Insurance?
The key to getting the correct wedding insurance is making sure you know the costs of each element of the wedding. Breaking these costs down will enable you to match the cover of each element against each policy and then against each provider. Making sure you have enough cover but not too much that you are paying for levels that are simply not required.
You may not be covered if you do not take out your policy at the right time. As soon as you start planning your wedding and definitely before you start paying deposits you should have a policy in place.
Remember, you have 14 days to change your mind and cancel any policy and receive a full refund. This “cooling off” period is standard across all providers.
Please note that the above information is not advice from us, but is information to help assist in you making a decision with regard to your chosen policy or policy provider.
