Cancelling holiday – insurance not cover it

[florcita]

Hello,

I am 21 weeks pregnant and this is my first pregnancy. My partner and I booked a 3 week holidays to New Zealand and Fiji for a friend’s wedding before finding out that I was pregnant. By the time of the trip I will be 25 weeks and although the pregnancy is going well, I fear that it might be dangerous to fly that far.

Unfortunately we made the booking on traveloworld and they said that we need to cancel the holiday first and then they will check the policies with the airlines before deciding for a refund (they mentioned over the phone that is very unlikely).

Has anyone ever been refunded due to pregnancy concerns? Am I entitled to have the money back? I guess this depends on the travel agency and the airlines (Cathay Pacific + Fiji airlines).
Many thanks!

[MrsHerculePoirot]

We did - we had booked a three week holiday to st Lucia and I was concerned about controlling my diabetes in the heat and being pregnant. Our travel insurance covered it.

[scaevola]

If you are written off by a doctor as unfit to fly, then it should be a straightforward claim on your insurance.

Otherwise, I'm afraid not. You might be disinclined to travel, but WHO guidelines say that for singleton pregnancies it is safe to fly up to 36 weeks. Which means that just changing your mind is unlikely to be sufficient to get your money back.

[WhoKn0wsWhereTheMistletoes]

It would probably be an insurance claim rather than a refund, I'd contact your insurer ASAP and talk to them about it.

[Jenjen86]

I'm not 100% sure about the travel insurance as it would depend on the terms and conditions of that specific policy. I would have a read through and maybe call for some advice?
But most airlines advise that it is safe to fly quite late in your pregnancy (I think around 36 weeks). Most require a signed doctors note to say you are having an uncomplicated pregnancy if you are flying after 28 weeks (fit to fly note - you will usually find it on the airlines website and it will give you the specifics of their policy on flying). I would take one at 25 weeks anyway just in case they ask you for it.
Also, if you booked the holiday on a credit card rather than a debit card you may be able to claim your money back as there is an extra level of protection on purchases over £100 made on crefit cards if all other options fail

[weegiemum]

i flew to Canada west coast at 5 months pregnant and home at 6 months with complications and it was great - health care was fantastic (I did need to see a doctor twice) and it really took me out of my worries about the pregnancy. We also had two toddlers with us.

unless you are medically unfit to fly its unlikely insurance will pay out.

[dementedpixie]

Why would it be dangerous to fly at 25 weeks? ( assuming your pregnancy is without complications)

[EdithWeston]

"Also, if you booked the holiday on a credit card rather than a debit card you may be able to claim your money back as there is an extra level of protection on purchases over £100 made on crefit cards if all other options fail"

I don't think that works for holidays. It's only an extra layer of getting your money back when the goods are faulty or the services not supplied.

There is no suggestion that anything is wrong with the holiday. It's just that florcita has decided she does not want to go.

Without a doctor's note, I think it is highly unlikely that your insurance will pay out or that companies will refund (other than in line with their usual 'changed our mind' policy).

[Jenjen86]

Edith you are right I was typing in a hurry and I meant to add that if the doctor did not sign a fit to fly note for whatever reason and she was unable to fly for reasons that were not her fault it may be an avenue she could peruse if travel insurance didn't cover it but it's possibly clutching at straws haha

[florcita]

Thanks for your comments. I had no real reason to cancel my holidays other than the usual complications that can happen in a standard holiday.

Perhaps I am overthinking but this is my first pregnancy and New Zealand and Fiji are pretty far from the UK.

I will discuss with my partner. Thanks for your responses.

[Jenjen86]

Aw bless.you it is a long way to travel but unless your doc has a reason to say no then it will really just be uncomfortable for the duration of the travel more than anything. I feel for you, I had a 4 hour flight at 27/28 weeks and it's wasn't the best so new Zealand will be tough, but on the bright side I bet you will have a great time and feel much better for a bit of a rest and some sunshine :)

[Inwaiting]

I'm going on a 12 HR flight in two weeks time and will be 20-22 weeks. Doctor has said it's absolutely fine. Be sensible and most of all enjoy it. He said its probably better for me than being at work because I can get up when I want to no commuting or stress etc.

Just got to make sure I get up and walk every half hour and wear flight socks. We've upgraded just for the extra comfort I'm sure H2B will make use of the free champers!

Go and enjoy :) long as your doctor says so first though!

[Everythinggettingbigger]

Not sure about insurance sorry but I fly to Cuba at 19 weeks for nearly 3 weeks so was coming up to 22 weeks on the flight home. Only bit of advice I was given was to wear flight socks and avoid things like ice incase it's made with their water, sensible things to avoid getting sick but not once was I told it wasn't safe to go! It seems such a shame to miss a trip like that!

[cece]

New Zealand and Fiji do have doctors and hospitals . Or is it the actual flight you are worried about?

[florcita]

well. I worry about the flight and all the complications that might happen when I am abroad. I guess there is not much difference if I am in the UK close to my mid wife or abroad. I guess I am just a worrier since I will be a mum for the first time!

[honeysucklejasmine]

I would go, because NZ is an amazing country. I went in 2008 and desperately want to go back and see the parts we didn't manage the first time.

I really wouldn't worry, if you're having a straight forward pregnancy.

[Junosmum]

It would be an insurance claim rather than refund, though you may be able to get a refund on hotels / transfers etc, but not flights.

The insurance won't pay out unless there is a medical reason (or possibly a close family bereavement) which it sounds like you don't have.

If I were you, I'd go. Just make sure your insurance covers pregnancy and repatriation.

[cece]

I went to the states when pg - it was fine.

I think you should go and really enjoy your last holiday where you can have a lie in! LOL

[Blu]

It's natural to speculate about the great unknown , but you are healthy and pregnant, bring pregnant is not an illness !

It isn't usual to develop complications during the weeks you will be on hol, though of course anything can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere.

Have a chat to your midwife, and if re-assured, just relax and enjoy your trip. It will be a long time until it is so easy again!

[Youremywifenow]

I was due to go to California when I was 9 weeks but felt so grotty that it just felt wrong. I'd had a really bad migraine (couldn't take my normal meds) and was being really sick so couldn't face a long haul flight then being ill on holiday. My dr wrote me a note and we contacted the insurance who would have paid out if needed but the airline let us change the flights. This was a few days before we were due to go. Think we went when I was 16 weeks and the worst of the sickness was over. Check with your insurance that you are covered and decide nearer the time.

[uhoh2016]

I flew later in pregnancy than that although it was only 5hr flight. I found the holiday was very relaxing and Just what I needed. Have you been advised not to travel??? Keep your fluids up and keep getting up for a walk up and down the cabin there's no reason unless medically advised for you not to go. 25 weeks into pregnancy is generally a nice time of pregnancy no more morning sickness not yet too big too move etc.

[hotcrossbun83]

I've just successfully claimed for a cancelled holiday when I was 31 weeks - a week before we were due to go I was hospitalized and was at risk of pre term labour. Obviously the Drs signed me off travel.

To cancel you will need a dr to certify you as unable to travel. That probably won't be that hard for a flight that long - you could play on normal pregnancy symptoms like a bad back, hip problems etc.

But if it was me I would go, I was gutted to miss my holiday.

[Nicky333]

Bookmarking as we're about to try to claim on the travel insurance for flights booked before we found out we were pregnant.

The form is with my doctor at the moment but we were due to fly to America the day before my due date...

[Quodlibet]

Don't cancel! It could be YEARS til you get to go on a holiday like that again as long-haul is expensive and impractical with a toddler... And as others have said, good healthcare in both countries so your worries aren't really proportionate.

[SomebodySedateMe]

I went away at 8 weeks and ended up hospitalised with hyperemesis. I wish we'd gone away at the 24 week mark instead! It's such a better time health wise. You'll be fine.

[frangipani13]

I was due to travel to India when I found out I was pregnant and got a refund from the airline less an admin fee of around 150. I didn't go through insurance but directly via airline and STA who I broke with