Help for those getting hitched over the holidays

Unfortunately, you can’t ignore the possibility of a little heartbreak from time to time

   POSTAGE  by Rob Stamp

Did you know more couples get engaged during December than any other month? It must be the egg nog (or, more likely, it may have more to do with what gets poured with the nog). Otherwise, how else to explain why a reasonable person goes and does something so daring as to ditching a wonderful, single life and getting hitched to a person they hardly know, willing to spend the rest of their life with? I kid how marriage makes us all miserable because, truthfully, getting married was the best thing I’ve ever done. And, of all the deeds I regret doing, tying the knot with Sandy James has never rarely been one of them.

We weren’t engaged during the holidays under the mistletoe, near some sappy tree, in front of a roaring fire, naked on a bearskin rug. No, I chose to propose to Sandy at a bar on her 30th birthday in May and only then did I do it because she bribed me to. She promised certain favors and, even though I knew she could never live up to all of them, I agreed to turn my proposal, one of life’s most private moments, into a (semi-drunken) public spectacle. Let’s just say karaoke ain’t been right since.

We’ve got a few customers planning weddings and, in a couple cases I know of, clients working up the nerve to pop the question this Christmas. As an insurance agent, I remind folks the importance of scheduling an engagement ring on their homeowners or renters policy. That’s how you get the broadest coverage, including for loss by misplacement or mysterious disappearance, and there’s usually no deductible. That’s particularly important knowing how insurance companies keep raising minimum deductibles on property policies, a topic for another discussion. Homeowner policies limit the amount they’ll pay for theft of certain items like jewelry, so it’s always best to schedule valuables. You pay a little extra, but it’s money well spent to anyone who lost a diamond when a prong on their ring broke off. What a great country! Imagine a place where you can remove a ring, chuck it across the room in a fit of rage against that rotten youknowwho,  “accidentally” grind it up in the garbage disposal and, after you kiss and make up, you can “magically” receive a check from the insurance company to replace it.

I saw a report the other day that the average cost of a wedding has risen to $30,000. With our daughter, Victoria, attending college, Sandy and I probably aren’t very far away from finding out exactly how bad it’s going to hurt when she says “I do” to the man of her dreams. The tears will be flowing that glorious day, but I’m not sure what I’ll be crying over more. Will I be a sentimental dad losing his precious daughter, a grumpy old man gaining a son-in-law who isn’t nearly good enough, or some whining father of the bride certain the day’s expenses are leading directly to the poor house?

And now, ladies and gentlemen, we direct your attention to the portion of our presentation universally recognized as a shameless plug. Meadow Park Insurance Agency can help prevent you from absorbing more damage to your bank account if the unthinkable would occur leading up to and during Princess’ big day.

One of our companies, Travelers, offers The Wedding Protector Plan^®. It’s a no deductible policy starting at $160 that is private event insurance which may protect against financial loss from unavoidable mishaps such as catastrophic weather, lost deposits, military deployment, bankrupt venues, ruined photos, and more. It’s recommended for lovebirds taking the plunge to purchase coverage as soon as they sign contracts and place deposits; policies can be issued up to two years in advance.

Find out more here:

https://www.protectmywedding.com/pls/wpp/app_wpp.wpp.Go?p_brokerid=403

If it’s wedding bells you’re hearing this holiday season, don’t forget to add a call to your friendly insurance man (or woman) to the million other things you need to do.

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