The average wedding in the United States costs almost $34,000; that's more than many Americans spend on a car. Getting insurance for your car is a must - but as many couples find out, so is getting insurance for their wedding.

Many venues require wedding event insurance in order to host the ceremony and/or reception on their premises. If your venue has asked you to get this kind of insurance, there are a few things you need to know in order to get the right policy. Philadelphia Insurance Companies (PHLY) can provide the expertise and coverage you need to make sure you can focus on the important things on your big day.

What Is Wedding Event Insurance?

If a venue asks for wedding event insurance or wedding liability coverage, what they're looking for is a type of special event insurance. Special event policies cover losses associated with property damage and bodily injury that may occur at an event. For a wedding, this type of special event policy covers the ceremony and reception and protects the bride, groom, and other insureds in the event of accidental injuries, damage, or financial loss. What can those damages entail?

Example Wedding Claims

Everyone hopes the big day will go perfectly, but unfortunately, things can happen that are out of your control. Incidents can lead to significant financial loss, especially without adequate insurance coverage. Here are a few examples of common claims that would be covered under a comprehensive wedding event insurance policy:

• Unexpected weather renders the event venue unsafe or unusable and forces you to cancel or postpone your wedding ceremony

• Unforeseen issues with your wedding vendor lead to a postponement

• An unfortunate accident leads to one of your guests getting injured

• An unanticipated incident leads to property damage at the venue

The first two examples alone make up a large portion of wedding insurance claims. These common problems can lead to serious headaches. Insurance is there to make sure you're financially protected every step of the way.

What Your Policy Will Cover

If your venue requires wedding event insurance, you probably want to understand what you're purchasing. Wedding event policies vary, but most will cover a few basic exposures. It's an easily obtainable short-term coverage that begins at 12:01 a.m. on the day of the wedding and ends at 12:01 a.m. the next day. If you think your event will continue past midnight, you'll simply need to extend the policy period to encompass all the days of your event.

Here are some things to look for when determining what your policy will cover:

• Wedding cancellation or postponement due to unforeseen circumstances

• Vendor issues, such as their non-appearance

• Extreme weather events that render the venue unsafe or unusable

• Property damage to the venue

• Lost or stolen gifts

• Wedding dress damage

• Damage to jewelry

What You Need

Now that you understand what wedding insurance is and what it can cover, you may be ready to choose a policy. When you do, there are a few things you'll need to confirm to make sure you're meeting your venue requirements:

• Adequate Limits

  Different wedding venues may have different requirements for insurance limits. Many venues require $1M in liability coverage for a special event. Make sure your wedding insurance limits are adequate to meet venue requirements. PHLY offers policies with $1M in coverage per occurrence and up to $3M total.

• Certificate of Insurance

  Most venues asking for wedding event insurance will require a certificate of insurance. This serves as proof you have obtained coverage that meets the venue requirements. Once you purchase a policy from PHLY, we'll email you an electronic certificate instantly so you can show your venue.

• An Additional Insured

  Your venue may ask to be added to your policy as an additional insured. This will appear on your certificate of insurance and means your venue will be covered under the policy you purchase. PHLY offers this service upon request for qualified insureds.

Where To Get Wedding Event Insurance

With an overall customer satisfaction rating of 96%, PHLY is the perfect insurance company to meet your wedding insurance needs. In fact, we protect special events of all kinds like festivals and concerts across the country.

It's quick, easy, and affordable to get PHLY coverage for your big day. Just apply online fast at our Special Events portal. Answer a few questions about the event, enter your personal information, and hit submit. Then pay online. In just a few minutes, you can get back to wedding planning, knowing your wedding is protected from financial risk.