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Wedding planners work to help provide the weddings of their clients’ dreams, but the stresses and variables involved can lead to a number of risks that could financially harm your company. From injured guests to lawsuits brought by dissatisfied clients, there are many hazards that could put a severe strain on your business. It’s a good idea to purchase a broad range of insurance policies to financially protect you from these risks.
What insurance coverage do I need as a wedding planner?
There are many types of insurance coverage to consider, but these policies are particularly relevant to wedding planners:
General Liability Insurance
General liability insurance provides coverage for incidents of accidental third-party bodily injury and property damage. Since weddings are held at various third-party venues and attended by many guests, this is a particularly crucial coverage for wedding planners. If one of your employees accidentally damages property at a venue or causes a wedding guest to injure themselves, you could be held liable. No matter how careful you are, there’s always a chance that an accident will happen, and it’s wise to be prepared.
General liability insurance can provide funds to defend and address any lawsuits claiming injury or property damage. General liability insurance also includes a personal and advertising injury component, which can cover third-party non-physical injuries and reputational damage from libel, slander, copyright infringement, and more.
Example:
- Bodily injury: A wedding guest trips over the wire for a video projector your employee has set up and falls, breaking his hip. General liability insurance will cover the guest’s medical bills and provide funds for legal defense and settlement if he sues.
- Property damage: One of your employees accidentally spills soup onto a wedding guest’s expensive DSLR camera. General liability insurance would pay for the damages.
Professional Liability Insurance
When you work as a wedding planner, you take responsibility for a highly significant event in your clients’ lives. Although you endeavor to meet their expectations, it’s important to be prepared for the possibility that a disappointed client could sue you—even for incidents that were out of your control. Professional liability insurance can step in to protect your company from lawsuits brought on by dissatisfied clients alleging failures in your professional work or advice.
Example:
- You arrange for a photographer and videographer to cover a wedding, but the photographer does not show up on the day of the event. The couple is furious and sues you as well as the photographer. Your professional liability insurance would cover your legal fees and any settlements.
Commercial Auto Insurance
Wedding planners often rely on vehicles to travel or transport equipment to wedding venues and other locations. If your business owns or leases vehicles for business purposes, it’s important to make sure you’re covered with commercial auto insurance.
This coverage will pay for damages if you or your employees are at fault in a collision while driving a company vehicle. It will cover medical costs if the other vehicle’s occupants are injured as well as paying for damages to the other vehicle. Commercial auto insurance also covers your company vehicles if they are physically damaged or lost due to theft, vandalism, collisions, or other hazards.
If you and your employees drive personal vehicles for business purposes, you will likely need hired and non-owned auto insurance to provide coverage—personal auto insurance may not be sufficient if you are at fault in an accident while driving for work purposes. Hired and non-owned auto insurance can be purchased as an endorsement on a commercial auto policy or obtained separately.
Example:
- While leaving a venue, you accidentally back your work van into a parked car. Your commercial auto insurance would cover the damages to both vehicles.
Commercial Property Insurance
If your wedding planning business operates from an office or retail location, you’ll likely need commercial property insurance. This coverage can help protect the value of your business property, providing funds to replace or repair damaged property in the event of a fire, storm, explosion, or other covered peril.
Commercial property insurance covers the following:
- Buildings belonging to or leased by your company
- Contents of the building, including equipment, furniture, and tools
- Property of others while it is under your care, custody, or control
Example:
- A faulty microwave in your office causes a small fire that sets off your fire sprinklers. The water damages several computers as well as a selection of wedding decorations waiting to be transported to a venue. Your insurer would pay for them to be replaced.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Workers’ compensation insurance covers employees’ medical expenses and lost income if they suffer an occupational injury or disease. Workers’ comp also provides financial benefits for an employee’s dependents in the case of a work-related employee death.
Wedding planning can involve physically demanding work and requires employees to drive to and work at many unfamiliar locations, which could lead to injuries. It’s important to secure workers’ compensation coverage in case an employee is hurt. In almost every state, workers’ compensation is a required coverage, and there may be serious fines and penalties for companies that do not secure adequate coverage.
Example:
- One of your employees is on a ladder placing decorations when another employee trips on a step and falls into her. The employee on the ladder falls and injures her back. Workers’ compensation insurance would cover her medical costs and a portion of lost income while she is unable to work.
Additional Coverages
- A business owner’s policy (BOP) can be a good choice for small or midsize wedding planning businesses. This type of policy combines general liability, property, business income, and extra expense coverage into a single package, helping you obtain a wide range of coverage. Premiums for a business owner’s policy are typically cheaper than the cost of buying each coverage separately.
- Employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) protects your business against lawsuits by prospective, current, or former employees accusing your business of wrongful treatment such as discrimination, harassment, or other employment-related issues.
- Business income coverage will reimburse you for lost income and operating expenses if your business is forced to close temporarily due to a covered peril, such as fire, storm damage, or other property damage.
Pricing and Quotes
Pricing for wedding planner insurance will vary based on the type of insurance coverage and the risk profile of your business. Insurers consider factors such as:
- Business size
- Industry
- Location
- Number of employees
- Claims history
Businesses with higher risks will have higher premiums than those deemed lower risk. For example, a wedding planner with a history of frequent claims will face higher premiums. Premiums also rise as you increase the limits of insurance. Different insurance companies have different models for rating risks, so it is worth comparing pricing across different insurers.
In order to get an accurate estimate on pricing, it’s best to get a quote from a reputable insurance company. Below we’ve highlighted a few of our trusted partners who offer coverage for wedding planners:
| Provider | General Liability | Professional Liability | Business Owner's Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embroker | ?? | ?? | ?? |
| CoverageSmith | ?? | ?? | ?? |
| CoverWallet | ?? | ?? | ?? |
| Hiscox | ?? | ?? | ?? |
| Thimble | ?? | ?? | ?? |
Business Insurance and Coronavirus
COVID-19 has had a major impact on wedding planners, as many weddings have been postponed or canceled during the pandemic. Wedding planners may be wondering how insurance can provide coverage during these unprecedented times.
It’s important to understand that you cannot purchase a new policy to cover coronavirus-related losses that have already occurred; insurance policies will not cover losses that have already been discovered.
In the majority of cases, business interruption insurance policies you have in effect will not cover losses caused by coronavirus. These policies typically only cover losses caused by a direct physical loss or damage, like a fire or theft. Some business interruption policies will include coverage for losses caused by “communicable or infectious diseases,” but this is rare.
How workers’ compensation insurance handles coronavirus cases varies widely depending on the state. If you have employees who contract coronavirus on the job, they may be eligible for workers’ compensation payments in some states.
If your business continues operating and a client or other third party sues you claiming that they contracted coronavirus from your business, some commercial general liability policies will provide coverage, depending on your individual policy and the laws of your state.
Consult our FAQ on coronavirus and business insurance for more information.
Final Word
Purchasing the right insurance coverage can protect your wedding planning business from a variety of major risks. It’s a good idea to consider your business’s individual needs as you choose insurance policies. In addition to common risks like property damage and injuries, you could be sued if clients are unhappy with how their weddings turned out. Ensuring that your company has a wide range of insurance coverage can give you, your employees, and your clients’ peace of mind, knowing that if an unexpected disaster or lawsuit occurs, your business will be financially protected.
