One of my the biggest questions I get asked at the moment is whether or not to get wedding insurance. To make it easier to decide, these are the need-to-knows and the basics of wedding insurance.

Ok, so first of all, it’s important to know that there are many different wedding insurance policies that cover different things. The number one rule when getting insurance is to READ THE SMALL PRINT. There may be hidden costs and it may not cover certain aspects of the wedding.

As I said, different policies cover different parts of the wedding, but here’s what the policies generally tend to cover:

• A supplier cancels on you last minute
• Key members (eg groom, best man, mother of the bride) can’t make it to the day so you decide to cancel
• The venue cancels on you or they go bust
• Lost, stolen or damaged eg wedding rings, flowers, dress etc.
• Personal liability and legal expenses

However, be aware that most policies DO NOT cover the following:

• Cold feet
• Cancellation due to money problems, other than redundancy
• Marquee cover*
• Cancellation due to a small problem on the day
• Ceremonial swords*
• Cancellation due to pre-existing conditions
• Bad weather*
• Public liability*

*Some policies cover these but you may have to pay extra.

So, should I get wedding insurance?

Get wedding insurance if you would be seriously out of pocket if something went wrong. Not a lot of us can afford a wedding like Kim & Kanye’s or Posh and Becks’s, so if you’re not forking out a lot on your wedding day, it’s not too important.

However, if the financial and emotional stress of rearranging would be seriously too much to handle, it might be worth getting wedding insurance.

How much will it cost?

Policies start from £19 for weddings of £3,000 and go up to £300 for £100,000 wedding. So it’s really not that much on the grand scheme of things, and could save the day.

Hiring trusted suppliers will also lower the risk and therefore lower the cost, so make sure you do a background check on all the suppliers you use when booking. Get everything and writing and keep receipts. Keep a little wedding folder of all the important documents, then you can show the insurer if anything turns sour.

When should I take out wedding insurance?

If you’re unsure as to when to buy wedding insurance, you’re able to buy it two years in advance. For more details on when to do book what for your wedding day, read the UKbride wedding checklist to tell you exactly when to start booking/looking.

REMEMBER: You need travel insurance for your honeymoon, not wedding insurance, and a successful claim doesn’t always mean cash! They may rearrange your big day or cover the costs of whatever went wrong, not the whole day. It completely depends on the insurer.

Your usual comparison sites have a wedding insurance comparison option! Click this link if you’re interested in taking out insurance.