Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton

Wedding Insurance is a viable part of wedding plans in the UK. Along with the bridal gown and formal wear, florist, caterer, limousine service, and photographer, wedding insurance is an item on the checklist of weddings in the UK. With wedding costs averaging £17,000, an economical wedding insurance plan gives ease of mind, knowing that in the case of some foul up which would make the wedding day anything less than perfect, or in the case of a total foul up of the day, the financial outlay is recoupable for another day of celebration, to be announced.

The most frequent claims in wedding insurance are;

-Damage to the wedding dress, jewellery, or bridal and groom attendant(s) outfits
– Suppliers problems – caterers, limousine service, photographer
-Cancellation by bride, groom, guests
-Problems with venue

These are common problems for the commoners of the UK; imagine the problems of a royal wedding in a global society. Wedding insurance is a definite plus, especially during the economic hard times experienced throughout the world today.

The Royal Family and the Middletons are sharing the expense of the Royal Wedding April 29th, 2011, meeting UK resident criteria of wedding insurance, but their expected expenses far exceed the coverage of most wedding insurance plans. According to news media sources the cost of the Royal Wedding will be around £24.4 million. The maximum limit of wedding insurance at £70,000 using Debenhams Diamond Plus policy would be a start on recouping costs in the event of a glitch, but not necessary. William and Catherine and their families have something that most bridal parties do not have-a monarchy to back them up with all the trappings of contingency plans, disaster relief, and hostage negotiators if needed.

In one instance of the wedding plans, actually the proposal and engagement ring were possibly something wedding insurance could have been a viable option. While William and Kate were touring in Kenya, William brought the engagement ring worn by his mother, Diana, with him to Kenya to present to Kate when he proposed marriage to her. William told reporters afterward, “I had been carrying it around in my rucksack for about three weeks before (the proposal). Everywhere I went, I was keeping hold of it, cause I knew if this thing disappeared, I’d be in a lot of trouble.” Not with wedding insurance – if lost in the wilds of Kenya for the much awaited proposal, it’s covered, that is up to more than £70,000. In 1981 when Charles gave the ring to Diana it was worth £30,000, surely the ring has not increased that much in value in the last 30 years?

Informed estimations of the cost Kate’s wedding gown will be double Diana’s £71,000 gown in 1981 . The dress Kate wore when she caught Prince William’s attention was made for around £30, but was recently auctioned off to Nick from Jersey for £77,000 ($125,000). The gowns and formal wear of the wedding attendants –groomsmen, maids, and ushers being less costly and insurable up to £70,000. Wedding insurance would cover perhaps two of the attendants’ attire, in the case of damage or loss of the items. And that is if the items were not inadvertently left unattended and open to theft or mayhem. Not much chance of that happening at this celebration with thousands in attendance, hundreds of thousands thronging the processional and recessional routes, plus media coverage from start to finish prying into every hall and closet possible.

Royal brides traditionally have travelled to Westminster Abbey for their weddings in horse-drawn carriages, but Kate Middleton will be chauffeured to her wedding in a 1977 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI. This is the same vehicle, Prince Charles and Lady Camilla were motoring in when student protestors damaged the car with sticks and bottles during riots in December, 2010. The repair of damage to paintwork and windows is underway to put it back to full service and sheen. As for transportation of the newlyweds from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace, a 1902 State Landau horse-drawn carriage, an open carriage, is the primary transport with the Glass Coach with a fixed roof for rainy days, is secondary or in case of rain. All the options are covered here, but the possibility of the horses going on strike April 29th, which is not an option of wedding insurance in the UK.

A possible contingency covered by wedding insurance is coverage for loss of deposits in the event of cancellation or postponement. If the venue suddenly goes out of business or sudden illness prevents a member of the wedding party to attend, then coverage is available to reimburse deposits lost. With Westminster Abbey being steadily open for business since the 11th century, the venue is secure. As for the unexpected illness of a wedding principal resulting in the cancellation of the wedding and a loss of deposits, let us consider who we are dealing with. A staid group of individuals who when they mourn the passing of one monarch do so with the praise of the heir as their new monarch, it is evident the show will go on.