Why do wedding planners need insurance?
Disappointed couple
Despite your best efforts to make a couple’s wedding show-stopping, the band you hired for their dream jazz-themed reception cancels. You arrange a DJ replacement, but even with saxophone table centrepieces and the vinyl wedding cake in place, the bride says the entertainment cancellation has ruined the day. Weeks later, you receive a legal letter attempting to recover fees – fortunately, professional indemnity insurance can help pay court costs as part of your tailored wedding planner policy.
Injury on the big day
The work of a wedding co-ordinator involves many moving parts, which can create opportunities for health and safety issues. During setup for an outdoor wedding, you’re overseeing the installation of the bar tent when your bride arrives to confirm the order of the day. Unfortunately, the master of ceremonies arrives moments later and is injured by a falling pole. Public liability insurance can help with the cost of legal support and compensation expenses for wedding planners in these circumstances.
Assistant accident
During wedding season, your schedule features many tiers so you take on an assistant. You ask them to clear away and pack up the van at a barn venue while you set up at a stately home. A box filled with wood slice centrepieces is too heavy to lift effectively alone, resulting in it falling from the vehicle during loading, injuring your employee’s neck. Employers’ liability insurance can back you up financially by defending and settling a claim from your assistant.
What cover is included in insurance for wedding planners?
Professional indemnity insurance
A wedding planner must ensure every detail is in place for the big day of their clients. This is a sizeable responsibility that you don’t underestimate, so professional indemnity insurance is there to step in if things go wrong. As self-employed professionals delivering a service, wedding co-ordinators answer to the couples they work with. Professional indemnity insurance with Hiscox covers breach of contract for your sector as standard as claims can arise from such incidents. If you’re accused of negligence or dishonesty, this cover can help with the cost of court proceedings and compensation.
Public liability insurance
A great deal rests in your hands as a wedding organiser – keeping a bride happy is just one aspect. Your business is known as the region’s principal luxury wedding planner, but you still have a responsibility to look after people and property, which is where public liability insurance comes in. If you’re arranging for a marquee to be delivered to a country manor, then you could be held liable if a hotel guest wanders beneath the canopy and trips on a stray peg. With the right insurance, compensation worries are cushioned.
Employers’ liability insurance
The peak of wedding season could leave you unable to fit every appointment in your planner, so you might ask someone to help out while you focus on contract negotiations. Should this be the case, it’s worth knowing that you could need employers’ liability insurance by law. (external link) This type of insurance helps a wedding planner to account for their responsibility to staff, and it applies to volunteers as well as paid employees.
Hiscox can help tailor insurance to your wedding planner business – you may choose to add cyber or legal protection cover while self-employed organisers might also consider personal accident insurance.
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build my coverInsurance for wedding planners and event organisers: FAQs
How much does wedding planner insurance cost?
The cost of wedding planner insurance depends on the product combinations you select, as well as the cover limits that suit your work.
Hiscox takes a tailored approach to business insurance, which allows you to choose products and set relevant limits. This might allow a wedding planner to take out more public liability insurance than someone planning a small workshop, which could help safeguard against the risks of interacting with large numbers of people.
The approach also means you only pay for the insurance you need, which is good news, since single-policy quotes start at £10* per month. Find out more about the factors to consider when calculating the cost of business insurance.
*Figures based on policies from at least 10% of our customers from 2020.
Does Hiscox insurance cover claims involving subcontractors?
Hiscox professional indemnity insurance covers a range of complaints which could be made against a wedding planner, even if they occur due to the actions of subcontractors.
For instance, you might employ separate caterers for the canapes and main meal. The canape caterer might give several guests food poisoning, causing your other catering client to lose business. In this case, you might face a claim citing civil liability – with Hiscox, this is covered.
Alternatively, an outsourced team might fail to arrive after an advance payment, in which case your business would be covered for direct financial losses.
Does wedding planner insurance insure the wedding too?
Wedding planner insurance can account for several issues which can arise at a ceremony or reception. These might include damage to personal property and injuries to guests or even contractors.
However, it may be important to note that cover will differ depending on whether it’s purchased for the wedding planner or the event itself.
Wedding planners can also opt to purchase event insurance, which is designed to cover separate risks specific to the event itself including adverse weather disruptions or even cancellation.
Related articles and guides
Do I need public liability insurance?
The nature of wedding planning involves contact with members of the public – so liability cover may be beneficial. Learn whether you need public liability insurance with our guide.
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Real claim stories: A volunteer injury
When a wedding planner needs support, they might take on volunteers – read Hiscox real claims stories to learn how insurance can help in such situations.