Insurer warns of summer wedding implications

The warm weather and availability of annual leave make summer weddings the most popular season of choice.

Brides and grooms, however, are asked to add one additional check to their wedding list - a check that their home contents cover will compensate them if their gifts are burgled whilst they are on their honeymoon.

Senior technical claims manager for Halifax Home Insurance Vicky Emmott comments: "Those looking forward to their big day are likely to have a house stacked full of wedding goodies including presents, bride and bridesmaid dresses, new suits and wedding rings.

"All these items can add up to a princely sum, and with all the planning that goes into arranging a wedding, ensuring that home contents insurance is adequate may not be top of everyone's list. Most insurers offer sum insured policies, which means the onus is on the customer to notify their insurer if the cost of their home contents increases significantly. As many customers fail to do this, they can find themselves underinsured when they come to make a claim."

Engaged couples also need to check that unlimited cover policies do not exclude the value of rings or other jewellery which has family sentimental value. Certificates of valuation need to be forwarded to the insurer, and possibly a photographic record, to try to return the stolen goods to their rightful owners.

01/07/2008 09:29:35