Does travel insurance cover pregnancy?

Can you get travel insurance if you’re pregnant?

Yes, you can get travel insurance if you’re pregnant. In fact, pregnancy might be all the more reason to get travel insurance to give you peace of mind during your journey! While fun, travelling can be a stressful experience sometimes. The right coverage can help make sure expecting moms and dads keep emotional and financial stress levels down throughout the trip.

Some travel insurance companies may have restrictions or specific requirements when it comes to insuring a pregnant traveller. Speak with one of our advisors to check which providers would best fit your needs, and be sure to read the fine print and ask questions if anything is unclear.

How many weeks pregnant can you get travel insurance?

Most travel insurance providers will allow coverage for pregnant travellers up to nine weeks before their due date, or between the 28th and 32nd week of pregnancy. It varies depending on the insurance provider, so be sure to check before you sign up for the policy.

Does pregnancy count as a pre-existing condition?

A normal pregnancy is considered pre-existing for travel insurance if the insured person was pregnant before they bought the policy, or if they became pregnant before their trip starts.

A pre-existing condition is a health issue the traveller had been diagnosed with before they had their insurance policy. It includes health issues like cancer, diabetes, mental health conditions, etc.

Pregnancy is not considered pre-existing if the traveller becomes pregnant after the date their policy starts, which is usually the first day of their trip. For instance, if you’re halfway through your vacation and suddenly find out you’re pregnant, that will not be considered pre-existing and you could be covered for some unexpected healthcare costs if needed.

For normal pregnancies that are pre-existing, no routine care will be covered. You will not be covered for any emergency medical care within nine weeks before or nine weeks after your delivery date.

High-risk pregnancies are also considered pre-existing health conditions, and will not be covered at all.

Does travel insurance cover labour or pregnancy-related issues?

Travel insurance can sometimes cover labour or pregnancy-related issues, but it depends on factors like:

1. Labour

If you travelled within nine weeks of your expected due date, most policies will not cover any care related to your pregnancy or if you go into labour. This is the case whether you’re a travelling Canadian or a visitor to Canada. However, some providers will still cover labour costs if you became pregnant after you had already purchased the travel insurance policy.

If you unexpectedly give birth more than nine weeks from your expected due date, then travel insurance will cover those costs. In this case, it will be treated as a medical emergency. This is the case whether your pregnancy was pre-existing or not.

But be aware that most providers will not cover costs for your child who is born during the trip, whether for travelling Canadians or visitors to Canada. This means that if your newborn baby needs any neonatal intensive care, common with pre-mature birth, this will not be covered.

What might labour exclusions look like on your travel insurance policy?

2. Pregnancy complications

If a pregnant person has complications during their trip, most travel insurance plans will see it as a medical emergency. But this is only if they still have more than nine weeks until the expected due date.

Travel insurance can cover medical expenses related to unforeseen complications like:

• Gestational diabetes (when the mother develops diabetes as a result of pregnancy)
• Preeclampsia (when the mother experiences dangerous high blood pressure and organ damage)
• Hyperemesis gravidarum (a severe form of morning sickness)
• Miscarriage (when the pregnancy prematurely ends on its own)

If there are problems with the pregnancy during the trip and you’re close to your due date (within nine weeks), your travel insurance will not pay for the medical care or expenses related to it.

3. High-risk pregnancy

Most travel insurance plans do not cover pregnancies that have additional risks. But if an expecting mother has pre-existing pregnancy complications, doctors often advise them not to travel at all to keep everyone safe.

What might exclusions for pregnancy complications or risks look like on your travel insurance policy?

Can you cancel your trip due to pregnancy?

Yes, you may be able to cancel your trip due to a pregnancy and be reimbursed for nonrefundable trip costs. It depends on if:

✅ You have trip cancellation coverage or cancel-for-any-reason insurance 

✅ The pregnant person is:

• • You
  • Your spouse
  • Someone you were going to travel with
  • The spouse/family member of someone you were going to travel with

✅ The pregnancy happens after the trip was booked

✅ The pregnancy happens after the insurance policy was bought

✅ The delivery date falls within nine weeks of when the trip was supposed to happen

✅ A doctor tells the pregnant person not to travel

If any of these events happen, your travel insurance policy can help you get back the money you spent on things like flights and accommodation costs. It can cover some or even all of those costs that you can’t get back otherwise.

Can you end your trip early because of a pregnancy? 

Trip interruption coverage may kick in if you’re already on your trip but want to end it early and go home because of a pregnancy. But it depends on your specific situation and your insurance provider’s rules.

Let’s say you’re on vacation when you realize you’re pregnant, so you want to go home immediately. Your travel insurance may not cover this if the pregnancy is not yet formally diagnosed or if it’s considered normal. And unless you’re travelling for months, you likely won’t be that heavily impacted.

On the other hand, if your babymoon to the Caribbean goes south and you start experiencing pregnancy complications, travel insurance could help cover both emergency medical costs and trip interruption costs. It can cover the costs of returning home early, as well as any unused portions of your trip.

Speak with an advisor

The type of travel insurance coverage that would be best for you and your family depends on your unique needs. While there’s no specialized plan for pregnant travellers, a licensed advisor can help you find the perfect policy to make your babymoon a dream come true! Schedule a call with one of our travel experts today to get personal advice.

Frequently asked questions

Will travel insurance cover if you deliver a baby in Canada?

No, if you are a visitor you should not come to Canada to deliver your baby. Healthcare costs will not be covered and your travel insurance will not cover your medical expenses or any expenses incurred by your newborn baby.

The same applies for Canadian citizens and residents who deliver babies abroad. Travel insurance does not cover normal deliveries in any circumstance.

How many months pregnant can you travel?

In general, you can travel up to 36 weeks of pregnancy. This is whether you’re travelling by airplane, by boat, or by car. But note that:

• Not all travel insurance providers will cover you that close to your expected due date
• Some airlines may not allow you to travel that close to your expected due date
• Your doctor may advise you to hold off on travel

It can be tempting to just hop on the next plane out of here if you’re far out from your due date, but you should consider factors like this before making a decision.

Can you cancel your flight if you get pregnant?

Whether you can cancel your flight because of being pregnant depends on the company you booked with. Check with the different airline pregnancy policies or with the travel agency you booked with to find out their rules.

However, trip cancellation insurance or an all-inclusive travel insurance plan will allow you to cancel your flight and get reimbursed for the cost if:

Even if the airline isn’t forthcoming in this situation, a comprehensive travel insurance plan will have your back!

When should you avoid travelling during pregnancy?

Generally speaking, people avoid travelling during pregnancy in these circumstances:

❌ You have a high-risk pregnancy

❌ You’re experiencing pregnancy complications

❌ Your doctor tells you not to travel

❌ It’s close to your due date — within eight to nine weeks

❌ Your destination has limited access to quality healthcare

❌ There are travel advisories (such as to destinations with high rates of Zika virus, which is especially harmful to pregnant people and may cause birth defects for the fetus)

You should speak with your health care provider before making travel plans when you’re pregnant. It’s not just your due date you have to consider, but also things like health risk for you and your baby.

Which Canadian insurance providers should pregnant travellers consider?

If you’re looking for insurance with pregnancy coverage, we can recommend the following Canadian insurers:

• GMS
• Destination Canada
• Tugo
• Allianz Global Assistance
• Manulife

You can compare the best travel insurance quotes from these providers and others right here on PolicyAdvisor.com! Our free online tool lets you customize coverage, compare plans, and apply in minutes!

The information above is intended for informational purposes only and is based on PolicyAdvisor’s own views, which are subject to change without notice. This content is not intended and should not be construed to constitute financial or legal advice. PolicyAdvisor accepts no responsibility for the outcome of people choosing to act on the information contained on this website. PolicyAdvisor makes every effort to include updated, accurate information. The above content may not include all terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions, termination, and other provisions of the policies described, some of which may be material to the policy selection. Please refer to the actual policy documents for complete details. In case of any discrepancy, the language in the actual policy documents will prevail.  All rights reserved.

If something in this article needs to be corrected, updated, or removed, let us know. Email content@policyadvisor.com.