Travelers: Vendor Issues Top Cause of Wedding Insurance Claims

Problems with vendors amounted to 30 percent of claim payments for all wedding claims, according to Travelers Companies, Inc. which announced the findings of its recent analysis of wedding insurance claims from 2011–2015.

Wedding venues going bankrupt, photographers failing to deliver the photos as promised and DJs not showing up for the reception were among the main vendor-related issues. Other top causes of claims included illness or injury of the bride, groom or immediate family member, disruptive weather and military deployment.

Travelers also announced it is expanding its wedding insurance coverage to now include brunch taking place the day after the wedding. Doing so will help couples manage additional financial risks that come with holding another event potentially involving more vendors. This new coverage is currently available in 18 states.

“Hosting a brunch the day after the wedding has become more popular, and we believe expanding the wedding coverage will help couples protect their entire wedding budget, especially considering that when problems arise, they typically involve vendors,” said Todd Shasha, managing director, Personal Insurance Product Management at Travelers. “By carefully researching vendors, making contingency plans for unexpected issues and considering wedding insurance, couples can have peace of mind and focus on their special day.”

Travelers’ analysis of wedding insurance claims also shows that:

• Of the vendor-related claim payments, almost 64 percent involved venue problems where the wedding and/or reception was to be hosted. Those facilities typically closed unexpectedly or could no longer accommodate the wedding as promised.
• Illness and injury resulting in cancellation accounted for 29 percent of the total payments for wedding claims.
• Weather claim payments have steadily decreased since peaking in 2012, when significant storms affected popular wedding dates and locations throughout the United States.

Wedding insurance from Travelers can cover the major events associated with a wedding, including the rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, ceremony, reception and the post-wedding brunch. Lost deposits, rings, special attire like tuxedoes and dresses, photos, videos and more can also be covered under a policy starting at $160. Go to www.protectmywedding.com for more information.

Source: Travelers