Travel Insurance Pregnancy

Protecting yourself with travel insurance when you travel is one of the most important things you can do.  But if you're pregnant, then protecting your child is even more critical. 

With the right travel insurance, pregnancy doesn't have to be a deterrant to travel--in fact, it can be a great reason to go visit loved ones or give yourself a much-needed vacation before the madness begins.  Make sure you and your little one are properly covered.

• Make sure that your travel provider will carry you. You may need a letter from a doctor confirming that you are fit to travel.

• Consider how far along you are. Different insurance providers have different rules. However, in general, after the 36th week, pregnant women will not be allowed to fly.

• Always talk to you doctor about your destination if your are traveling overseas. Are there any vaccines you need? Are there any particular health concerns for that location? What is the quality of local care?

Most airlines will carry pregnant women, but only up to the 36th week of the pregnancy. However, some airlines have tighter restrictions, and may make their cut off as early as the 28th week. If you have previously givern birth prematurely, or if you are carrying multiples, this may also affect whether or not you can fly. It is extremely important to check with the airline directly to make sure that you will be allowed to fly.

The end date of your travel is important, too. Make sure that your return flight falls inside of the travel dates allowed by the airline. Make sure that you fly back home well before the 36th week (or earlier, if your airline has a tighter restriction). The last thing you want is to be denied boarding on the way home.

Make sure you visit your doctor before you travel. Talk to him or her about your destination. Depending on where you are going, and what you plan to do, there may be vaccines that you need. Your doctor can discuss the benefits and potential risks of these vaccines. You can also talk about any other health concerns. Some airlines and insurance companies may require a doctor's note confirming that you are fit to fly.

When looking at travel insurance, you will most likely come across two options. These are:

1. Trip Cancellation Insurance

2. Travel Coverage

Trip cancellation insurance will simply give you back your money if you need to cancel your trip. Generally, pregnancy isn't included as part of trip cancellation insurance. It will either be considered as a preexisting condition, or the insurance will have a clause excluding pregnancy-related cancellation.

You can still buy a type of cancellation insurance known as “cancel for any reason” trip insurance. This is exactly what it sounds like—it will reimburse you for your expenses for any reason whatsoever. It may be a bit more expensive, but this is the best option for women looking for trip insurance during pregnancy. If you are worried that you may have to cancel your trip because of your pregnancy, this is the option for you.

The other type of travel insurance offers more comprehensive coverage. This type of travel health insurance usually includes coverage for trip cancellation, lost or damaged luggage. It also gives you coverage up to a certain amount for illness, injury, or other medical emergencies abroad. Since your normal health insurance most likely does not cover you while you are out of the country, this aspect is extremely important.

One further thing that travel insurance should have is medical evacuation. If you are traveling somewhere where you may have difficulty finding quality care, then it is important to have the option to be brought back to your home country for medical care if it is necessary. To find out if this applies to you, make sure you spend some time researching health care in your destination, and talk to you doctor about it.

Travel insurance for pregnant women offers additional benefits. These plans are designed specifically with pregnant travelers in mind, so they will suit your needs much better. With this type of insurance, you can find coverage up to 36 weeks. Some providers even offer coverage for the full term of a normal pregnancy. Pregnancy will not be considered a preexisting condition, premature birth will be covered, and there will likely be the option to add the baby to your insurance policy after he or she is born. Most of these policies are aimed at UK residents and European travelers, though, so if you are looking for USA travel insurance, it may be more difficult to find these features.

Depending on your situation, where you are traveling, and what activities you will be doing during your travels, you can choose the type of coverage that will suit you best. Since different plans have different features, you should compare the details of plans closely to make sure that the one you choose has the features that are most important to you.

In some situations, you will find it difficult to get coverage. Many insurance companies say that pregnancy is a preexisting condition, or exclude it from their policy. Here are some other reasons it might be difficult to find the coverage you want:

• You are very late in your pregnancy.

• You have used assisted reproduction and are expecting a multiple birth

• You have had previous complications in your pregnancy

Different insurance providers have different rules about how late in your pregnancy they will insure you. As noted above, some will provide full-term insurance.

Although normal multiple births are usually not an issue with insurance, women who have used assisted reproduction and are carrying multiples are considered to be a higher risk. Women who have had previous complications, during their current pregnancy or a previous one are also considered higher risk.

Also, since many pregnancy travel insurance plans are aimed at UK and European travelers, US citizens traveling while pregnant can find it more difficult to find coverage.

So, if you can't get coverage, what can you do?

If you are only looking for trip cancellation insurance, then you can go with a “cancel for any reason” policy.

If you are looking for travel insurance that will cover health care, emergency situations, and medical evacuation, then it is a good idea to call insurance providers directly. They may not advertise a plan that will include pregnancy, but it is possible to work something out. It will be more expensive, but well worth it to know that you and your baby will be safe. Make sure that you read the fine print of the new policy, and ask about any specific details that you are concerned about.

Another option to look into is preexisting medical conditions insurance. This will cover you for health concerns related to a preexisting condition.

Finally, if none of these options work for you, then it is still a very good idea to buy regular travel insurance. Even though your pregnancy may not be covered under this insurance, you will still be covered for any illnesses or injury. Some travel insurance policies will cover preexisting conditions in life-threatening situations, as well. So if a very serious complication arises, you are better off having one of these plans.

Be informed! Talk to you airline, talk to your doctor, and find out as much as you can about your destination, health concerns, and the plans you are considering.

Make sure that your plan meets your needs. If you are traveling overseas, make sure that you have a plan that covers all of the potential problems that you might run into.

Don't travel without some sort of coverage, especially overseas.

Finding travel insurance while pregnant can be difficult and confusing. But it is possible to find coverage that will protect you and your baby. With a little time, you can find what you need, and travel with confidence that you are both safe!