Veiled threats

Frances Hedges examines how Hiscox wedding and private party insurance helps couples get hitched without a hitch

A procession of horse-drawn carriages heading for Buckingham Palace, a congregation of up to 2,200 people at Westminster Abbey, a champagne reception for 800 guests and an intimate evening reception for 250 friends and close relatives. These are just the highlights of April’s long-awaited royal wedding, which will see Prince William wed long-term girlfriend Kate Middleton.
Few weddings involve quite this level of pomp and circumstance – but most nonetheless turn out to be a costly affair. All the more reason, then, for couples to insure themselves against circumstances beyond their control, such as cancellation, property damage and public and employers’ liability.
Hiscox wedding and private party insurance covers all these eventualities and, more importantly, enables couples to tailor their policy to specific needs. As Martin Linfield, Underwriting Manager for event insurance, explains: “Our customers are buying a service, not a product. We provide cover on a case-by-case basis, which sets us apart from our competitors, as does 25 years of experience in insuring these events.”
Take the case of the Premier League footballer who decided to hire a private island in the Caribbean and fly out 200 friends on a private jet. “With £1m worth of cover, this was the biggest wedding that Hiscox has insured in the past three years,” says Martin. “We covered not only hotel booking costs, travel expenses and food, but also the costs of moving the whole wedding elsewhere in the event of a hurricane.”
This attention to detail also characterised Hiscox’s coverage of a Greek ‘High Society’ wedding held at Blenheim Palace in 2009. The policy’s standard cancellation cover provides reimbursement for the non-appearance of the bride, the groom, a member of the wedding party and the official photographer. In this case, however, Hiscox was able to provide cover for the non-appearance of 44 family members.
“The couple was so pleased with the policy we offered that, thanks to word of mouth, the broker subsequently received several requests for wedding insurance,” says Martin. The policy can also cover the non-attendance of a majority of guests due to a common cause such as illness or an accident.
Whether the event is taking place in the UK or abroad, the aim is to do everything possible to make it go ahead. “We employ the best claims adjustors in the business to prevent looming problems from occurring,” explains Martin. “During the snowfall last December, for instance, we called all our customers to identify any problems they might be facing.”
The royal family is no doubt hoping that Prince William’s nuptials will go smoothly, but there’s no harm in planning for the unexpected. “Our job is to prepare for every eventuality,” says Martin, “because every wedding is unique.”