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8B Daily News – Tuesday, January 21, 2014 Wedding insurance expands as nuptials get pricier HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Worried about the groom getting cold feet? There's an insurance policy for that. With the cost of the average American wedding reaching about $26,000, insurers have been selling a growing number of policies to protect against losses from extreme weather, illness and, in one firm's case, even a sudden change of heart. Cheryl Winter spent $500 for Hartford-based Travelers Cos. Inc. to cover her daughter's $50,000 destination wedding last October in New Orleans, where her biggest concern was a potential hurricane. The weather cooperated, but the limousine never showed up. Her daughter took a taxi cab to the church, and they used the insurance policy to claim the deposit money they couldn't get back from the limo driver. ''No one wants to be walking in the French Quarter in a long gown and high heels,'' said Winter, who lives in the Houston area. The insurance is offered by a small number of U.S. companies. Insurers declined to provide data on the number of customers beyond saying they are growing steadily. It can cover losses from issues ranging from bankrupt wedding halls to cancelations forced by unexpected military deployments. Travelers says issues with vendors account for about a quarter of the claims, with most of those related to issues with photographers or videographers. For Travelers, an insurance giant with annual revenue of $26 billion, the policies will not make or break the bottom line. But the wedding insurance it began selling in 2007 is also a way to connect with a couple who might later think of the company for home insurance and other life milestones. ''It could be the beginning of a relationship with a young couple,'' said Ed Charlebois, a Travelers vice president for personal insurance. Wedsafe, backed by Aon, also offers wedding insurance, which differs little from the specialty insurance that firms may offer for other kinds of AP photo This Oct. 12, 2013 photo provided by Julia Bailey shows Shannon and Justin Peach, riding in a carriage after their wedding in New Orleans. Shannon's mom, Cheryl Winter, spent $500 for Hartford-based Travelers Insurance to cover her daughter's destination wedding, where her biggest concern was a potential hurricane. The weather cooperated, but after the limousine failed to show they used the insurance policy to claim the deposit money they could not get back from the limo driver. events and celebrations. For parents concerned about a relationship souring before the exchange of vows, Fireman's Fund Insurance Co. offers change of heart insurance. It's been available since 2007, but the program administrator said the fraud rate soared in the early years as policies were bought for couples who were known to be fighting. That coverage now applies only if the bride or groom calls off the wedding more than nine months beforehand. ''Coverage does not exist once you hit the altar,'' said administrator Rob Nuccio of R.V. Nuccio & Associates. ''The only ones who were buying it were the ones who knew they would have a claim.'' Kyle Brown, director of the Bakersfield, Calif.based Bridal Association of America, said he recommends wedding insurance, but he estimates policies are taken out for less than half of 1 percent of the more than 2 million weddings held annually in the U.S. ''Nobody likes to think about the bad side,'' he said. Winter said some people told her insurance would be a waste of money for her daughter's wedding, but she read various reviews and decided it was worth protecting the investment. She's planning to buy a policy for another daughter's wedding in 2015. Silicon Valley sees shortage of EV charge stations PALO ALTO (AP) — An increasing number of Respecting People. Impacting Business Call us. And get back to work. electric-vehicle driving employees at Silicon Valley companies are finding it hard to access carcharging stations at work, creating incidents of ''charge rage'' among drivers. Installation of electric vehicle charging ports at some companies has not kept pace with soaring demand, creating thorny etiquette issues in the workplace, the San Jose Mercury News reported. Peter Graf, chief sustainability officer for Ger- Call us any time for: • An extensive network of recruiting sources • Testing and training • Experienced recruiters • Full-time employees • HR expertise and support services • Temporary Workers • Evaluation hire • Carefully screened candidates • Dedicated service LIC# OH89548 530-527-0727 243 So. Main Street www.expresspros.com HOURS: Working for our neighbors and yours! 1115 MAIN ST. RED BLUFF Mon-Fri 9am-5:30pm SAT-SUN 10-2 Evening Appts. Available 530-527-5158 TEHAMAINSURANCEBROKERS.COM FAST FREE PHONE QUOTES man software company SAP, says the company's 16 charging stations are now not nearly enough for the 61 employees who drive electric vehicles. Graf says cars are getting unplugged while charging, creating animosity between employees. A charge can take as little as 30 minutes. ''Cars are getting unplugged while they are actively charging, and that's a problem,'' Graf told the newspaper. ''Employees are calling and messaging each other, saying, 'I see you're fully charged, can you please move your car?''' The company is drafting guidelines for EV-driving employees. ChargePoint, which operates a large EV-charg- Amazing Finds NEW & USED FURNITURE & MUCH, MUCH MORE! 50% Red Tag Sale Antiques, Unique Fall Sale 530-366-3166 RED BLUFF 530-917-1138 REDDING 530-917-7797 545 Adobe Rd., Red Bluff, CA 22660 Antelope Blvd. amazingfindsredbluff.com 9am – 7pm Sun.-Fri. 3351 S. Market St. amazingfindshome.com 9am – 7pm Sun.-Fri. www.redbluffdodge.com Two Locations - 30,000 square feet ing network, says companies should provide one charging port for every two of their employees' electric vehicles. Companies everywhere will probably begin facing similar problems. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. expects 800,000 electric vehicles to be on state roads by 2020 — there are only 20,000 now — creating a high demand for charging stations. Currently, there are about 5,000 public and workplace charging stations in California and 20,000 nationwide. ''Having two chargers and 20 electric cars is worse than having no chargers and 20 electric cars. If you are going to do this, you have to be willing to continue to scale it,'' said Pat Romano, CEO of ChargePoint. Adding chargers can be expensive, especially at sites where companies are leasing space and don't want to invest in permanent charging infrastructure. Some Valley companies have already taken steps toward alleviating charge rage in the workplace. About 10 percent of Infoblox's 260 employees have electric vehicles, with only six charging stations. So, the company set up an EV user distribution list and a shared calendar for booking time at the charging stations. ''You can only book for a two-hour window. But Rule No. 1 is: No one touches anyone else's car without permission,'' said David Gee, the company's executive vice president of marketing.