Travel insurance for pregnant women

Congratulations to all expectant mothers out there who will be starting a new chapter in life. Naturally, you would like to have a relaxing trip with your other half to create some fond memories before your baby arrives. Regardless of whether you are looking to go on a shopping spree in Osaka, or a romantic hideaway in Paris, there are a lot of preparations you will have to make as a mom-to-be. Other than obtaining medical advice, receiving necessary vaccinations, and booking flights and accommodation, travel insurance is among one of the most important items on your list since it can cover almost any pregnancy-related expenses during your trip. Thus, it is worth the effort finding the right insurance policy so that you are protected while you are away.

With this in mind, our specialists at Kwiksure Singapore have prepared this feature to answer some of the most common questions regarding pregnancy travel insurance.

Do I need pregnancy travel insurance?

First and foremost, if you have already secured an international health insurance plan with maternity benefits, you won’t need to buy a standalone pregnancy travel insurance policy. This is because international health insurance is already adequate enough to cover expenses related to childbirth and newborn care in virtually any part of the world. The only thing that you should be aware of, however, is the area of coverage of the plan since some international health insurance plans do not include the U.S. due to its exorbitant healthcare costs.

However, if you don’t have international health insurance and are traveling with a bump, it is best that you purchase a pregnancy travel insurance plan.

What does pregnancy travel insurance cover?

Simply put, pregnancy travel insurance covers the same things as standard travel insurance, such as lost and stolen luggage, flight delays and cancellations, emergency medical expenses, and medical repatriation.

Yet, pregnancy travel insurance usually provides medical benefits that are more suitable for pregnant women, as long as their situation fulfills the following criteria:

• Complications that arise are unexpected, not for routine treatments or a normal birth
• The trip for which the policy is being taken out for ends on or before you’re 26 – 32 weeks pregnant (the exact week will vary depending on the policy)
• The trip does not arise out of treatment associated with reproductive programs such as IVF

A well-structured travel insurance policy can cover areas such as pregnancy-related complications, premature birth, emergency cesarean section, and additional expenses if you give birth abroad accidentally and need to delay your return. However, not all insurance policies are the same so it is crucial that you compare different policies to find the one that best matches your needs and covers every possible eventuality for extra peace of mind.

Is pregnancy covered by travel insurance?

Insurance principle forbids to cover foreseeable expenses, so insurers do not cover normal childbirth since it is not an unforeseen event or illness. Instead, they are reasonably anticipatable and hence are automatically excluded from travel insurance policies.

What these insurance plans do cover is unexpected medical expenses arising from emergencies and complications associated with pregnancy up to the policy date restriction, such as miscarriage, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and placenta previa.

Date restrictions in coverage

Most policies only cover emergency medical expenses for pregnancy and childbirth from week 0 to week 28 – 36.

In Singapore, if you are within the 28th week of pregnancy, you will not need any medical certificate to travel as there is a rather slim chance that you will go into labor midway. However, some women prefer not to travel in the first 12 weeks owing to nausea and tiredness brought by pregnancy.

As for pregnancies between 29 weeks and 36 weeks, expectant mothers will have to provide a medical certificate to the airline, stating their fitness to travel, the number of weeks of pregnancy, and the estimated date of delivery.

If you are traveling after week 29 (or week 36, depending on the insurance policy), you will be on your own for any medical situations and cannot make any claims related to childbirth and trip cancellations.

The above date restrictions serve only as general advice and vary between different insurance plans and pregnancy conditions. For example, for expectant mothers who conceived with the help of fertility treatment, or are pregnant with multiple babies, the date restrictions in coverage may be even shorter, if not entirely excluded.

Additionally, some airlines have separate restrictions as to when pregnant women are allowed to fly. The restrictions can range from 32 to 36 weeks, depending on the flight companies so it is imperative that you check beforehand so that you won’t be prohibited from boarding the plane after you have secured a valid insurance plan.

A final word of advice

While it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to go on a babymoon before your newborn arrives, you should definitely seek medical advice to ensure the safety of both yourself and the baby’s before you set off. When seeking the ideal travel insurance plan, you should also compare their coverages, and look out for any exclusions and limitations in the terms and conditions. Most travel insurance plans in Singapore offer reimbursement on medical expenses of SGD 2,000 to SGD 10,000. If you think your plan is not enough, you may consider increasing the coverage limit and the number of benefits (with more premiums, of course) to cater to your needs.

As an established insurance brokerage with 18 years of experience, Kwiksure Singapore specializes in a range of insurance products such as motor insurance and travel insurance. Leveraging our close relationships with major insurance providers on the market, our well-trained experts are on hand to match you with the plan that best matches your needs. Contact us today for impartial insurance advice, a no-obligation quote, and/or a plan comparison!