How Much Does Wedding Insurance Cost?
Planning a wedding means bringing together a whole mix of people, places, and suppliers — and while most things go off without a hitch, sometimes the unexpected happens. A missing supplier, a last-minute venue issue, or even a cancellation can quickly turn into a major problem.
That’s where wedding insurance comes in. It gives you peace of mind by protecting your money — and your dream wedding — if things don’t go to plan.
In this guide, we’ll look at the cost of wedding insurance, what’s usually covered, how much couples tend to pay, and when it’s the right time to get your cover in place.
What is wedding insurance?
Wedding insurance is the insurance you can buy to cover your wedding. This means, in the event that something happens either before your wedding or on the day itself, you won’t lose out on your money.
So if something gets cancelled because of financial issues, or if something is damaged, lost, stolen, or a key family member falls ill or gets injured, you won’t be left worrying about losing thousands of rands. Wedding insurance helps protect you from unexpected costs when things don’t go according to plan.
What’s the average cost of wedding insurance?
In South Africa, wedding insurance typically costs between R1,500 and R5,000, depending on the level of cover you choose. Basic policies can start from around R500, offering limited protection, while comprehensive plans — which cover cancellations, supplier failures, and other major risks — tend to cost more but give you far greater peace of mind.
With the average South African wedding costing upwards of R200,000 — though luxury celebrations can go well beyond that — it’s a good idea to choose a policy that covers at least the full value of your wedding. For example, if you want cancellation cover for R250,000, you might expect to pay around R2,500 — though this varies between insurers and depends on your wedding details.
Is wedding insurance a one-off payment?
Yes, wedding insurance is a single, one-off payment. Most policies will cover you for up to two and a half years (30 months) and aren’t long-term and renewable like you might get with other policies, such as car or home insurance.
Where can you buy wedding insurance?
In South Africa, there aren’t many direct comparison sites for wedding insurance, but you do have a few good ways to get quotes from different providers. I Do Insure is one of the few specialist companies offering tailored wedding insurance packages locally, and you can request a quote directly on their website. Another option is Bark.com, a service where you post your wedding insurance needs and get quotes from local providers.
What’s covered by wedding insurance?
What is covered by a wedding insurance policy depends entirely on the insurer and the policy you go for. When securing quotes, make sure you know exactly what the policy will include and what is covered — the last thing you want is any unwelcome surprises in the unlikely event you need to make a claim.
Thankfully, a wedding insurance policy will cover most of the large expenses associated with your wedding, including your venue, catering and transport. However, before assuming it’s covered, we recommend you check with your chosen insurer. Your policy will likely include:
- Problems with the venue, such as if they were to cancel your booking due to bankruptcy or go out of business.
- Issues with a vendor you’ve made a booking with, such as a caterer or florist going out of business last minute or not showing up at all.
- Having to cancel due to death, illness or an accident.
- Having to cancel due to redundancy.
- Having to cancel in the event that adverse weather means more than half of your guests can’t make it.
- Critical items that have been lost, stolen or damaged, including your rings and dress.
- Faults with the photos or video, or if the photographer doesn’t turn up on the day.
The good news is that a number of insurance providers now offer policies that cover your wedding if it’s taking place abroad, which is peace of mind if you’ve chosen to go for a destination wedding.
What isn’t covered by wedding insurance?
Unfortunately, should either of you change your mind at the last minute (not that it will happen, of course) and cancel your wedding, your insurance won’t cover you. Other reasons for cancelling a wedding that aren’t covered include:
- If an item that isn’t key to the wedding is lost, stolen or damaged (for example, table numbers).
- Having to cancel your wedding because you realise you’re not able to afford it.
- Having to cancel due to a preexisting medical condition.
- Poor weather, such as rain.
- Marquees — these require their own insurance (though most insurers will provide marquee cover).
That being said, some insurers will cover you for some of the above possibilities, though they may charge a premium. Check with your insurer before taking out a policy to make sure it covers everything you need.
If you’re getting married abroad, your travel insurance may cover you for certain items, such as your wedding attire or gifts, but you should check the single-item limit on your policy to make sure what those limits are.
Does wedding insurance cover an expensive wedding?
You can buy wedding insurance to cover any wedding, regardless of how much it might cost. However, the more money you spend on your wedding, the more you’ll have to spend on your policy.
Is your honeymoon covered by wedding insurance?
No, your honeymoon won’t be covered by wedding insurance. Even though it’s linked to your wedding, it’s still treated as a holiday, which means you’ll need a separate travel insurance policy to cover it. It’s another cost worth factoring in when you’re putting together your overall wedding budget.
What other types of insurance do you need with your wedding?
On top of wedding insurance, there are other types of wedding-related insurance you may want to consider.
If you’re hiring a marquee for your wedding, it’s good to know that most basic wedding insurance policies won’t automatically cover it. You’ll usually need to add a marquee insurance extension to your policy for an extra fee.
Another optional cover you might want to think about is public liability insurance. This protects you if someone is injured or worse and a claim is made against you. In fact, many venues require you to have public liability insurance as part of your booking agreement. While it’s unlikely you’ll ever need it, most couples still prefer to have this cover in place if it’s not already included in their wedding insurance. Every wedding is different, and it’s always safer to be prepared.
When is the best time to buy wedding insurance?
You can buy wedding insurance up to 30 months before your wedding. Whether you secure your wedding insurance a year before your wedding or a week before, the price won’t change, so it’s important to buy it as early as possible (and before it’s too late).
It’s recommended that you purchase wedding insurance as soon as you have a date and before you start paying deposits. The last thing you want to do is pay out thousands of rands only to lose it if your chosen vendor goes out of business.
Do you really need wedding insurance?
It’s highly recommended that you get yourself wedding insurance, because — and forgive us for using a cliché — what if?
With the average wedding in South Africa costing around R200,000, most couples wouldn’t want to risk losing that amount if something went wrong.
If you’re planning a small, simple wedding — like a registry office ceremony with a handful of guests — you might decide wedding insurance isn’t necessary.
But if your wedding is larger and you’re spending a significant amount, getting insurance should definitely be on your checklist. Some venues and suppliers may also require or strongly recommend that you have insurance in place, so it’s important to check your contracts carefully when making your plans.
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