Marriage in India is an auspicious occasion, but may also be one of the most expensive events for many. A lot of effort, time, detailing, and budgeting is required, right from the planning to the execution stage. It is therefore crucial to get protection against any possible financial losses or damage arising out of any mishap or unexpected occurrence.
But, how can one get protected against any unforeseen events when it comes to weddings? By opting for wedding insurance which provides coverage for any associated risk.
Let us learn more about wedding insurance, its benefits, and key factors to note.
What is wedding insurance?
It is a type of insurance that provides cover for expenses, damage or loss – physical as well as monetary, arising due to the cancellation of marriage for various reasons.
Wedding insurance
- provides coverage against damages caused due to cancellation of the wedding because of theft, accident, fire, burglary, natural calamity
- covers monetary loss related to decoration, valuables, the printing of cards, catering, property damage, travel booking charges etc
What is covered under wedding insurance?
Cancellation of a wedding is a huge blow to anyone and apart from the emotional loss and anguish, it can result in a financial burden. Therefore, wedding insurance is a tool to cover high expenses and also other damages or losses in case things do not go as per plan. Let us check the details of the Wedding Insurance coverage:
- Cancellation of wedding
This covers wedding cancellations due to man-made (theft, fire, others) or natural calamities (earthquake, flood, others). It also includes cancellation due to accidental death, injury, or hospitalization of key family members/persons as pre-specified in the policy. Some of the generally covered items/expenses under wedding cancellation are :
- Marriage Hall and catering services
- Charges for decorators, beauticians etc
- Charges for photographers, DJs
- Stay / hotel charges for bride, bridegroom, their families, and guests
- Damage to property
This relates to property damage or loss thereof, due to natural disasters, man-made causes, burglary or theft of expensive items like jewelry, valuables and other equipment, as per policy specifications. Some of the generally covered items include damage to –
- Place of residence & venue of the wedding
- Decorations and/or sets erected at the venue
- Accident cover
The family members, blood relations or other persons as named in the policy are covered against the illness resulting in hospitalization, accidental death, total or partial disability, and total and partial dismemberment.
- General or public liability cover
This covers loss/liability due to death/damage/injury caused because of an accident at the venue or location, in connection to the wedding. It may also cover damage or destruction of third-party property / life.
Advantages of wedding insurance
Wedding insurance has been catching up in recent years due the following reasons :
- Low Premium
As compared with the total cost of the entire event, the wedding insurance premium is a small amount.
- Customisation
The party availing wedding insurance can ‘pick and choose’ specifics as per requirement and thus save on costs
- Peace of mind
With wedding insurance, the host has an opportunity to share some of the financial burden. It thus brings the much-needed peace of mind.
Exclusions under wedding insurance
Although wedding insurance provides coverage against a number of circumstances and occurrences, there are certain situations where the cover is not applicable. These are called ‘exclusions’ Some of these exclusions are :
- A terrorist attack
- The kidnapping of person(s) insured
- Wedding cancellation due to a strike or general unrest
- Property damage due to negligence or lack of proper supervision
- Sudden unavailability of the venue
- Congenital diseases/illnesses (for named insured person/s)
- Physical injuries due to unnatural causes, like drug or substance abuse, alcohol overdose, use of non prescribed medicines etc
- Injury caused due to invasion, unrest, war or warlike situation
Filing a claim under wedding insurance
The procedure for filing a claim under this insurance is the same as it is for other types of Insurance. A claim can be filed by :
- Informing the Insurance company of the occurrence of an event
- Submitting a duly filled claim form
- Attaching all the required documents, bills, receipts etc
- An insurance company representative will then investigate and assess the amount of loss/damage
- On successful validation, the claim will be settled, else rejected
- In some cases, the vendor can be directly paid the compensation amount
- In case of any disagreement between the policyholder and insurer, a dispute can be raised and dispute redressal procedure can be followed thereafter
Points to note while opting for wedding insurance
Some of the aspects to keep in mind for availing wedding insurance are:
- All bills pertaining to venue booking, jewelry purchase, decoration, card printing, catering charges etc need to be retained
- Keeping the number of vendors limited will help in cost reduction and the premium will be low
- The insurance pays for the ‘sum insured’ only and does not cover costs over and above the amount specified
Important point to note here – The benefits and coverage will differ from one Insurer to another. For a detailed list of Policy specific coverage, inclusions and exclusions, you should refer to the exact wording in the policy document.
Conclusion
Marriage is an occasion to celebrate and marks a new beginning. For most Indian households, it also turns out to be a costly affair, coming close to or sometimes even exceeding the cost of a house purchase. Thus, there is a lot at stake. Wedding insurance definitely provides the much-needed relief and acts as a cushion for families availing of this cover.
FAQs
‘Cold Feet’ refers to the last minute change of mind where the bride or groom does not want to go ahead with the ceremony. This is not covered under wedding insurance.
A claim can be filed within 30 days from the occurrence of an event under wedding insurance.
Yes, wedding insurance policy can be canceled by the insured, subject to policy conditions.
The wedding insurance policy duration generally is seven days and continues till midnight of the next day of marriage.
ICICI Lombard and Future Generali are two among the top insurance providers who offer wedding insurance cover in India.
