As a wedding planner, your job starts months or even a year before the event itself. You have to arrange the location, caterer, flowers, photographers, and band, and make sure they all meet the couple’s expectations and are within their budget. You try to anticipate everything that could go wrong, but there’s no way you can think of everything. No matter the decisions you make along the way and how well you prepare, there is only so much you can control on the actual day. And even if everything does go along as expected, there are heightened emotions with the parties involved and they could change their mind and be dissatisfied. For these reasons, and many others, you need wedding planner insurance to protect yourself and your business.

This guide will provide you with enough information about wedding planner insurance costs to choose the best policy for your needs.

We Cover in This Guide

• How much does wedding planner insurance cost?

• What is wedding planner insurance?

• What does wedding planner insurance cover/not cover?

• Benefits and risks

• Types of insurance you may need

• Tips for buying

• FAQ

• Summary

How Much Does Wedding Planner Insurance Cost?

Wedding planner insurance cost ranges from $39 to $49 per month depending on your provider, location, crew, business size, coverage, limits, and a number of other factors. Below are some examples of typical policies with the key coverage most professional wedding planners need and their starting costs.

• Basic (essential coverage to meet client demands): $39 per month for general liability (GL)
• Standard (when you also have equipment or operate from an office): $49 per month for general liability (GL) + property; bundle them with a business owners policy (BOP)
• Pro (get protected against employment-related issues): $49 per month for a business owners policy (BOP) + workers’ compensation

If these policies are not enough for you, most insurance providers allow you to customize a policy to meet your specific requirements.

What is Wedding Planner Insurance?

Whether you own a business with several clients and work on numerous weddings simultaneously, or take on one at a time, all wedding planners need adequate coverage. Accidents happen, and even if you didn’t do anything wrong, you could be blamed. The consequences of even one dissatisfied client, or a claim of damages, could destroy your business, your personal finances, and/or threaten your ability to gain future clients. Wedding planner insurance is an essential way to cover your company against many possible issues. Anyone in the industry should certainly get coverage before starting their work.

What Does Wedding Planner Insurance Cover/Not Cover?

The risks wedding planners face are various. A fire could ignite in your warehouse and destroy your equipment. A guest could trip over a wire and break their arm. While setting up some lights, one of your employees could fall off a ladder, injuring themself and breaking a venue’s window. Wedding planner insurance covers these scenarios, among others, that fall into the following categories.

• Third-party bodily injury

• Third-party property damage

• Personal injury

• Products/completed operations

• Business personal property

• Lost business income

• Equipment breakdown or damage

• Work-related injuries and illness

• Ongoing medical care (such as rehab)

• Missed wages during recovery

Despite the wide-ranging risks covered under most policies, basic coverage does not include everything and will require additional insurance for your specific requirements. They can include:

• Damages beyond the limit of your policy

• Accidents while driving personal or company vehicles on the way to a venue

• Dissatisfied client claims

Benefits and Risks

Wedding planner insurance offers various benefits to cover risks, including:

• Protecting business assets: Damage to your own equipment, or causing injury or harm to clients, guests, or the venue can potentially wipe out your earnings and destroy your business. Wedding planner insurance provides essential protection to protect you from these scenarios.

• Cover legal expenses: If a client, third party, or employee sues you, you are protected from the costs of fighting lawsuits and the damage if you are found liable.

• Peace of mind: ​Knowing that your business is covered in the worst-case scenario allows you and your employees to focus on the wedding itself without being preoccupied with what could go wrong.

Types of Insurance You May Need

• Business Owners Policy (BOP): A combination policy that typically includes general liability and commercial property. Protects you in case of damage to third-party property as well as your own.

• General Liability Insurance: Protects your business against lawsuits, investigations, settlements, and damages from third-party claims of property damage, personal injury, bodily injury, and other related scenarios.

• Commercial Property Insurance: Pays to replace or repair covered damage to your own assets.

• Professional Liability Insurance: Covers the cost of defending claims when a client sues for professional mistakes or failure to complete work.

• Inland Marine Insurance: Provides coverage for movable business and client property in your possession.

Tips For Buying

When considering wedding planner insurance costs, keep the following in mind before signing a contract:

• Work with an independent agent: An independent insurance agent will help direct you toward providers with the best rates and the most experience covering the wedding industry.

• Identify your risks: Be sure to thoroughly analyze your business, taking into account your clients, employees, vendors, and venues, to identify potential risks.

• Compare quotes: Policy costs vary between insurers. Consider at least three quotes to find the best rates and coverage.

• Bundle policies: Providers will often provide discounted rates when you combine certain key coverages like a business owners policy (BOP) with general liability and property.

FAQ

- How do I protect myself and my employees who drive their own vehicles to the venue?

Purchased non-owned and hired auto insurance. This policy covers damages or injuries while performing business-related tasks in a personal vehicle.

- How do I protect myself against extremely large claims?

Basic wedding planner insurance may have certain limits. If you think a specific wedding carries particular risks for a potentially large claim, consider umbrella insurance. This is a way to cover damages above the limits of typical policies.

- I work for a wedding planning company that carries its own insurance. Do I need my own policy?

It may be necessary. Your company’s policy is for its own interest and may not provide enough protection for you personally. Try to get as much information about their policy and work with an agent to determine if you require separate coverage.

Summary

Wedding planner insurance protects your business against the potential losses and damage from the various risks involved in arranging a wedding ceremony and reception.

By understanding wedding planner insurance costs and determining your needs, you will know that your policy covers all the scenarios you may face and feel secure that your business is safe.