Your little girl is growing up and has found the man of her dreams. As the father of the bride, that means you get the painful (oops, joyful) privilege of paying for the happy couple’s big day. Whether the bride has chosen to schedule an outdoor wedding during the peak Santa Anas, or you’re worried that your beautiful, yet fickle daughter may get cold feet and cancel the whole affair after you’ve already put down all those non-refundable deposits, we need to talk about Special Event Insurance.
What is Special Event Insurance?
Tell me you’ve heard of special event insurance? No? Okay, I’ll do my best to keep it short. Special event insurance is basically like any other type of insurance. It covers you when things go awry. For example, you’re hosting a wedding reception and Uncle Bill has a little too much to drink, knocks over the candles, and catches the whole place on fire. Without insurance, you’re going to be paying off the venue until baby number two is in college. With insurance — the damage is paid for and the whole incident will just be a reminder to use LED candles the next time you invite Uncle Bill to an event.
Why do I need event insurance?
Don’t have an Uncle Bill? Can’t picture why you’d need special event insurance? Special event insurance isn’t just for the big catastrophes. It covers so much more. Like?
- Served bad fish at Hal’s retirement party? Event insurance will help pay for the doctor’s bills.
- Your dad attempted the splits during the father-daughter dance. Big mistake.
- Walked down the aisle, only to realize you’ve made a horrible, horrible mistake? Sorry, you’re on your own with that one (but we may be able to help you if you cancel the wedding before you say, “I do”).
So how do I know if I need it?
You won’t need special event insurance for every event you host. You’re probably fine skipping the insurance for little Timmy’s sixth birthday party (unless you invite Uncle Bill!) So how do you decide whether you should take the gamble or shell out a few extra bucks for insurance? If you can answer yes to any of the following questions, you probably need insurance.
- Will you be serving alcohol?
- Will there be more than 100 people at your event?
- Are you hiring vendors? Caterers, DJs, set-up and tear down crew.
- Did you invite Uncle Bill? (too much with Uncle Bill?)
- Does the event entail any construction?
- Are you renting out a venue?
Common events where we provide special event insurance include:
- Weddings (and receptions)
- Birthday parties
- Bar Mitzvahs
- Fundraisers
- Retirement parties
- Holiday parties
What else do I need to know?
Special event insurance covers your event when the unexpected happens. It covers property damage, canceled events, unexpected medical costs, and other unforeseen expenses. It’s like your auto insurance, homeowner’s insurance, and health insurance, all rolled into one.
But while special event insurance will cover a lot of things, there are some things that may be excluded, so talk to your insurance broker. You also need to do some planning — you can’t just buy the insurance two days before the event. And if you’re doing anything funny or selling liquor (as opposed to giving it away for free), you may need additional insurance.
You know what to do. Call the Rue Crew.
Have a big event coming up? Figuring out whether you need insurance and what type of insurance you should get can be confusing. That’s why we’re here. We’ll give it to you straight and tell you exactly what type of insurance you need for your next big event. Ready to find out more? Call the Rue Crew at (916) 572-9815 or visit us online for more information.
