Paying the Excess

You should remember that when you make a claim on your wedding insurance, the insurance company will ask you to pay the 'excess'. This is the amount of money that you are required to pay if you make a claim. The exact amount will vary from provider to provider. Often, the excess will increase in line with the level of cover provided. For example, excess on a basic policy offering £5,000 of wedding cancellation cover might be £25, whilst a policy which offers £30,000 of cover might have an excess of £50.

Insurance companies use excess to discourage people from making too many claims. It is worth considering the excess when deciding whether or not to make a claim; if you must pay excess of £25, and a repair to your wedding dress will cost only £30, it may not be worth making a claim for only five pounds. On the other hand, if repairs will cost £150, it may be worth claiming £125 from your insurance provider.

You will be required to pay the excess for every claim you make. If your wedding dress is damaged three months before the wedding and you make a claim for repairs, and your wedding cake falls over just before your reception and you later claim for the cost of re-icing it, you will be required to pay excess for each claim. If you only claim for the cancellation of your wedding, you need only pay excess once.