Wedding insurance comes in two separate pieces that are easy to confuse. Liability covers the hosts if a guest is hurt or the venue is damaged; some venues require it. Cancellation reimburses the money you lose if the wedding has to be canceled or postponed for a covered reason. We read three insurers' pages on October 20, 2026: Markel, Travelers and WedSafe (sold through Aon). Every figure below is theirs, as published.
What it costs
| Insurer | Published price |
|---|---|
| Markel | Lowest event liability premium $75; lowest event cancellation premium $130 (as of September 2025; higher depending on coverage and state). A $50 add-on to liability adds $5,000 of cancellation coverage. |
| WedSafe (Aon) | Aon says the average WedSafe policy costs under $200. WedSafe offers up to a 15% discount when liability is bought with cancellation coverage. |
| Travelers Wedding Protector Plan | No price published; cost depends on "the size and scope of the occasion," quoted through an independent agent. Not available in Alaska, Florida, Hawaii or Louisiana. |
For scale, the median Saturday reception venue rental in our Utah County Wedding Cost Study is $3,450, and two of the venues in our price guide take half the rental as a non-refundable deposit. A cancellation policy in the low hundreds is being weighed against deposits in the thousands.
What cancellation coverage pays for
From Markel's page, covered reasons include:
- Vendor bankruptcy or a vendor who does not show up. Travelers names "bakers, caterers, bridal boutiques and wedding venues that go out of business."
- Extreme weather. Markel says average summer thunderstorms do not count.
- Military deployment.
- Illness, if it is not from a pre-existing medical condition.
Policies also cover property tied to the wedding: attire, jewelry, photographs (Markel excludes photographer errors such as bad exposure), and gifts (at Markel, from seven days before to seven days after the wedding, with cash, checks and gift cards limited to $300). Markel's deductibles are $25 per cancellation coverage area and $1,000 for liability property damage. Travelers excludes cancellations related to COVID-19.
Not on the list: none of the insurers' public pages we read name a change of heart as a covered reason. Assume it is not, and read the policy.
Liability coverage
Liability pays if you, as hosts, are held responsible for a guest's injury or damage to the venue. Markel offers up to $2 million and WedSafe up to $5 million. Both cover host liquor liability (optional at Markel, included at WedSafe), which matters only if alcohol is served. Venues can be named as additional insureds, and both insurers email a certificate the venue can file.
If your venue requires liability insurance, its contract will say so; read the venue's terms before you book. Our vendor contracts guide covers what else to look for, and our reception venue prices guide lists venues' deposits.
When to buy
- As soon as you pay deposits, Markel advises, because cancellation coverage protects money already spent. Travelers says purchases already made are covered if you have the receipts and did not know of a possible claim when you bought the policy.
- Liability can be bought close to the date: up to one day before at Markel, up to the day of the wedding at WedSafe.
- Cancellation has a cutoff before the wedding; Markel's page gives both 14 and 15 days, so confirm it.
- Extreme-weather coverage must be in place at least 15 days before the threatening weather is forecast, at both Markel and Travelers. Buying when a storm is already on the ten-day forecast is too late.
- The rehearsal dinner is included at Markel and WedSafe only if it is within 48 hours of the wedding.
Is it worth it for a Utah Valley wedding?
It depends on how much non-refundable money is at risk, not on the size of the wedding.
Probably not needed: a sealing followed by a small open house in a ward cultural hall, with family providing the food. There is little in deposits to lose. Our civil and non-temple weddings guide explains the meetinghouse option.
Worth pricing: a Saturday reception center rental with a 50% non-refundable deposit, a caterer and a photographer booked months ahead, a destination wedding, or a couple with a parent, sibling or partner who could be deployed.
Required anyway: if your venue's contract requires liability coverage, you will buy at least that piece.
If plans change despite everything, our postponing or canceling guide walks through the temple date, the license and the vendor calls.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does wedding insurance cost?
What does wedding cancellation insurance cover?
Does wedding insurance cover a change of heart?
What is wedding liability insurance?
When should I buy wedding insurance?
Does wedding insurance cover bad weather?
Is wedding insurance worth it for a temple wedding with an open-house reception?
Are gifts covered?
Sources
The facts in this guide were checked against these sources. Hours, fees and rules change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the source before you go. How we make Provo.com.
- Wedding insurance, Markel. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Wedding insurance, Travelers. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Event insurance FAQs, Travelers. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Wedding liability insurance, WedSafe. Checked October 20, 2026.
- WedSafe. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Wedding insurance, Aon. Checked October 20, 2026.
