What Home Insurance Does And Doesn't Do For Your Backyard Wedding
Posted on: 3 January 2022
Are you planning a backyard wedding? Home weddings offer a great way to save money while enjoying an intimate and personal set of nuptials. But is your backyard wedding covered by your homeowners insurance? If you're not sure, here are some key things home insurance does and doesn't do for your wedding festivities.
Home Insurance Does Include Liability
One of the biggest concerns for anyone hosting a gathering is liability for injuries to others or damage to guests' belongings. The good news is that home insurance policies generally will cover you against lawsuits and pay for medical care if your guests have an accident. It is important to make sure you don't violate the terms of the policy, though. If you'll serve alcohol, for instance, check on additional riders or licensing.
Home Insurance Doesn't Always Cover Vendors
Will any outside vendors or suppliers be on your property for wedding business? Your personal homeowners coverage may or may not extend to them. So ask for proof of insurance showing they have their own coverage for liability and workers compensation. If you are using a private bartending service, check their liquor coverage.
Home Insurance Does Protect Jewelry and Gifts
In general, your gifts, wedding ring, and wedding day jewelry are likely included under your policy coverage. This is the personal property section of your insurance policy. Check personal property limits, though, to make certain you have enough coverage for expensive itemized pieces and categories. And keep receipts on higher-end purchases.
Home Insurance Doesn't Cover Cancellation
One of the biggest ways that home insurance differs from wedding insurance is cancellation coverage. Your home insurance is unlikely to pay for things like lost down payments if you must cancel your wedding — even for things like natural disasters or health emergencies. However, it would cover damage or loss of your own belongings in that event — which may or may not provide sufficient reimbursement.
Home Insurance Does Fit the Budget
Expanding your home insurance policy to provide higher dollar coverage for a wedding can be the most cost effective route to wedding insurance. Rather than paying for a single event policy, you can increase limits for the entire year — which is important for the planning and disassembly periods. And adding higher limits is usually a fraction of the cost of a new policy.
Where to Start
Learn more about how your specific homeowners insurance policy does or doesn't provide coverage for your wedding plans. Meet with a qualified insurance agent to go over details including coverage limits, individual item limitations, and caveats today.
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