Will Your Baby By Covered in an Emergency?
If you are pregnant, it is important to check with your doctor for advice on traveling. However, finding insurance can be a problem, since travel insurance companies see pregnant travelers as high risk group. Most travel insurance providers will insure up to 9 weeks before expected date of delivery , beyond this, it becomes more difficult. Therefore it is important to look at the insurance policy fine prints to understand what is not covered in their exclusions.
Lets look at how Canadian travel insurance companies have their exclusions on pregnancy.
The list they provide seems to be incomplete.
Of course, coverage is important for:
- The mother
- The unborn baby
Most of the Canadian travel insurance companies I checked seem not to cover (1) the mother if within the last 9 weeks, and will not cover (2) the unborn baby at all.
Are we civilized?
Won’t Cover the Baby
Here is the language TD CanadaTrust Insurance uses:
Exclusion: If a Dependent Child is born while the child’s mother is outside of her province of residence, the Dependent Child will not be insured with respect to that trip.
and
Pregnancy
- pregnancy or childbirths within 9 weeks of expected delivery date;
- any complication relating to pregnancy that occurs in the last 9 weeks leading up to the expected delivery date, or after the expected delivery date;
- any child born during a Covered Trip;
TD Visa Travel Center sells another company’s insurance– ironic and confusing right — Canada Life:
16 a) Routine pre-natal care,
b) a child born during your trip,
c) in the 9 weeks before or after the expected date of delivery, complications of pregnancy and/or childbirth.
CoverMe (Manulife Financial – The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company) FAQ:
Unless otherwise stated in the policy, in order to be covered under this plan, children have to be at least 31 days old.
Might?
TIC Travel Insurance Coordinators Ltd:
EHM13 Routine or elective treatment for pregnancy within the first 32 weeks of the pregnancy.
EHM14 Pregnancy, childbirth or complications thereof after the 32nd week of pregnancy.
Will!
Pacific Blue Cross “benefits“:
2. Other exclusions
f. Pregnancy of the Covered person and complications arising from the pregnancy within 8 weeks preceding the expected date of delivery.
g. Premature birth of a child if the anticipated trip is scheduled to take place during the last 8 weeks of pregnancy or during the first 8 weeks following the expected delivery date.
My wife phoned and confirmed the coverage with Pacific Blue Cross.
“Treatment for pregnancy” … such a lovely turn of phrase!
*vomit*
Good luck — I do hope your insurance ultimately only serves peace of mind.
Thanks Jeff. I was hoping someone would notice that, but you’re far too quick!
Thanks for posting this, I’ve been going crazy trying to find an insurance policy that will cover a child born while on travelling. Thought it wasn’t possible until my wife found this!
I am looking to travel out of necessity in my 7th month of pregnancy. I plan to return to Canada well before my 8th month. I am having a lot of trouble finding any insurance companies that would insure me in case of an emergency with me or baby.
I looked up Pacific Blue Cross, but unfortunately, it is only available for BC or Yukon residents. I am from Ontario.
Does anyone have any suggestions of who/where I could turn to?
I found an affordable insurance company in Canada who will cover a mother and her child up to 31 weeks. They are ETFS travel & healthcare solution . If interested, be sure to call as they require your expected date of birth (there’s no option to add this when applying online) 1-800-680-3837. The pregnancy exclusion listed in their policy is as follows:
9. Treatment or hospitalization of mother or child(ren) as a result of pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth or complications of any of these conditions occurring in the 9 weeks before and/or after the expected delivery date.
BTW, I called TIC and they do not cover the unborn child unless the child is born and at least 15 days old.
You are my hero! Thank you for posting this. I had pretty much given up on insuring a potential preemie, but Blue Cross will cover her if she’s born early. Kimberly – Blue Cross has an Ontario section and they have the same policy. http://www.bluecross.ca/en/index.html Yipee!