Whether it’s your own wedding or that of your adult child, a wedding is a very big deal. And, more often than not, a wedding is a very big investment!

Think about what makes a wedding so unforgettable: the flowers, the photos, the music, the setting, the food. You pay deposits for all those things. You count on them. What if, due to circumstances beyond your control, one of those major aspects of the big event goes missing just days or weeks before the big day?

It seems ridiculous to think that the Legion Club in River Falls or the Kilkarney Hills Golf Course won’t be in business if you’re planning your wedding reception at those popular locations. We certainly don’t mean to imply they will. But stranger things have happened, which is why you might want to consider protecting your big day with wedding insurance.

About one-third of wedding insurance claims are related to vendors or venues going out of business, according to an industry survey. Especially in this precarious economy, there is just no guarantee that one of your wedding vendors won’t go out of business. No matter what type of contract you have signed and how much money you have put down.

Since by its very nature insurance protects against risk, it’s really quite logical to protect yourself against some rare, but exasperating risks associated with all the details of your wedding.

Unique, Affordable Protection for You
Wedding or special event insurance is very affordable. It may cost in the range of a bridal bouquet or an extra tuxedo rental or two. When you consider the amount you’re investing in the big event, it’s really a small fraction of the total cost to protect it.

There is usually cancellation coverage and also liability insurance, which is sometimes required by the venue to protect the hosts in cases of property damage or injuries to guests. Premiums are based on the total cost of the event, and you can add protection for specific things, such as rehearsal dinner, flowers, photography, gown and more.

Things like wedding gifts and the all-important rings may be covered under your homeowners or renters insurance.

Insure Weddings and So Much More

Weddings aren’t the only special events worth protecting, of course. This time of year, you may be planning a graduation party, a family reunion or some sort of fundraiser. These are some of the events Reis Agency has helped customers protect:

• Family reunions
• Graduations
• Hole-in-One contests
• Car or boat show
• Charity fundraiser
• Music concert or festival
• Auction
• Sports tournament
• Holiday event
• And more

Why You May Need Special Coverage
Whenever alcohol and people are together in a big space, there is a chance for injury. Homeowners in 37 states, including Wisconsin, might be responsible for damages following an auto accident caused by their intoxicated guests who choose to drive home.

The insurance industry tracks a lot of data on the products it creates. For instance, we know that half of homeowners believe that party hosts should be responsible for their guests’ safety. But the majority of homeowners don’t understand their current coverage or if there are gaps in what is covered.

If you are hosting a graduation party, family reunion, or an annual hog roast for 50 of your closest friends, you may want to be sure you have adequate insurance protection. It’s safe to assume your guests will act responsibly and the property will remain unharmed, but those assumptions won’t pay the bills in the event of an unforeseen injury.

Stop in and see about any special event you may be planning. We’ll help you decide whether event insurance is necessary and help you find the right coverage.

Our first house was more than 100 years old, so water seepage was a fact of life. Home foundations weren’t sealed airtight until recent years, and in our case the basement was constructed with limestone, which can seep when the ground outside becomes saturated with water.

Before we did some seal-coating on the basement walls and preventive landscaping outside, it seems the basement was always damp, especially during rainy spring months. (We learned from that house, and preventive maintenance at our current home has meant a dry basement for 12 years.)

Replacing the Carpet Twice
Years ago before I was joined the insurance business, I experienced two types of water damage at my first home within weeks of each other. I learned the hard way that insurance coverage relating to water damage all depends on how the water gets in the house.

We had an obsolete fuel tank removed from our back yard, and unfortunately, we didn’t backfill properly afterward. Following the next heavy rainstorm, we ended up with a big mess of water indoors. No sooner had we repaired the damage than a hose burst on our washing machine, and the brand new carpet had to be replaced again!

The backfill problem was not covered by homeowners insurance, but the burst hose was since the water leak originated inside the house. Water is a very common cause of insurance claims, some of which are covered and some are not. Any water seepage from outside your home is typically not included in your homeowners policy – unless you have added a flood insurance policy.

Protect Your Home from Water
Just think for a moment about all the water sources in your home. I already mentioned the burst laundry hose. But consider your toilets. Do you have one that wobbles? It could mean a worn-out seal that could lead to leaks and damage. Outdoor faucets can leak if they are not protected against freezing. (Indoor water pipes freeze during harsh Wisconsin winters too.) Your refrigerator or dishwasher water supply line can cause a big mess before you discover it. Your roof, the hot water tank, you name it. If there’s water, there’s potential for a claim.

Tips to Avoid Water Damage

Many water-related claims are preventable. Here are some home maintenance tips that can help you avoid a claim in the first place:

• Stand in your yard after a spring rainstorm and watch where water collects. Then, find out how to direct that water away from your house with some strategic landscaping that slopes away from your house.
• Keep your down spouts clean and make sure they run away from the house.
• Rubber hoses attached to your washing machine can kink and crack. Replace them about every five years or install stainless steel hoses that last even longer. Also, inspect water lines to ice-making refrigerators and dishwashers since plastic ones become brittle and leak easily.
• Check around toilets for water stains, which can signal the toilet seal is loose or not installed properly. You may need an expert to do the repair, depending on your fix-it skills.
• If the caulk or grout in your shower or tub is cracked, water may leak. This won’t be covered by homeowners insurance since it is a maintenance issue. Fix it sooner than later.
• Water heaters only last so long before they rust and need to be replaced. Inspect the floor around yours for water stains, and consider replacing your water heater about every 10 years.
• Disconnect outdoor hoses before winter so water can drain rather than freeze, expand and crack your pipes.

April Showers May Bring Floods Too
With the Kinnickinnic River running through River Falls, we have many customers who have to worry about much more than a burst laundry hose. Not counting this past mild winter, spring often means rain, frozen ground, melting snow and rising river levels. Your mortgage bank may mandate that you have flood insurance, or common sense may help you decide. It can be confusing with the newer federal regulations about just what constitutes a flood zone.

Standard homeowners insurance does not cover water surges and flooding. We can help you sort out what you may need in terms of flood protection, and help you navigate the government-run flood insurance program. Needless to say, we at the Reis Insurance Agency will be with you every step of the way.