Will my travel insurance cover me if I cannot fly?

[Buddywoody]

I booked a holiday in January and I have just found out I am pregnant (was not pregnant at the time of booking). I am due to travel within weeks of my due date, I am wondering would my travel insurance company pay me out because I cannot travel.

I have spoken to our travel company, they cannot change our dates or destination as it was a group booking and everyone within the group would have to change also, they cannot split the booking. I am having a nightmare.

Any advice would be appreciated

Phone your insurance company and ask.

No one can answer that without knowing your insurance policy.

Either they’ll pay out (less any excess) in which case happy days, or they won’t. But there may be ways to soften the blow for you if they won’t. Would funding any difference in price and costs of a cancellation and rebook by the whole group (apart from you) be cheaper than losing the cost of your holiday? Or can your booking be transferred to someone else for a cost?

Depends where you're flying and what the air carrier says surely? I get that going on holiday at 35wks may not be what you planned but if you can fly up until the end of your 36th week (for example) then you may not be able to claim.

You need to read the travel insurance policy and I suspect it's one of those 'some will, some won't' conditions.

From their point of view, it's not just flying, it's the extra risk of you going into labour in another country and the potential extra cost to them of you giving birth and you and/or the baby needing an extended hospital stay.

Some time ago, I read about a family who were stuck abroad somewhere because the mother had gone into premature labour, and their insurance didn't cover the baby, who required intensive care so they were racking up medical bills at an alarming rate.

Did you take out the travel policy at the time of booking? I hope so, if so usually a travel policy will pay for cancellations costs, due to pregnancy. But policies vary. Check the t&c’s. Many congrats OP.

This one doesn't say whether or not the travel insurance paid out, but the family had to stay abroad for two months, until the premature baby was fit to fly.

uk.style.yahoo.com/babymoon-couple-get-stuck-abroad-after-wife-goes-into-labour-six-weeks-early-122002371.html

You need to talk to your Travel Insurance company rather than the holiday company and also check with the airline whether that will allow you fly there and back at x number of weeks (ensure you check the return flight).

I would also be checking whether your baby would be entitled to free care wherever you are going if they are born prematurely as I doubt your travel insurance would extend to them. I probably would consider not going anyway

Just had a look in my most recent policy (which was with LV) and it has the following:
If you need to cancel a trip before it begins because of one of the reasons shown below, we’ll pay up to £5,000 if you have an Essential policy or up to £10,000 if you have a Premier policy, for your part of personal accommodation, transport charges and other trip expenses which you’ve paid or agreed to pay, but have not used...

3. If you or a travelling companion become pregnant after booking a trip and after the policy cover start date, and are advised by your doctor not to travel.

Obviously it will differ from policy to policy so you really need to check with your own insurance.

The caveat in mine though is the "advised by your doctor not to travel".

When you say within weeks of edd is that before or after? Given it must be some time off you should be able to cancel according to the terms of the booking, perhaps forfeiting % of the cost.

All policies are different. At the risk of asking the bleeding obvious, is there are reason you're asking on here and not asking your insurers?

Thank you for your messages everyone, I will give my insurers a call and see what they say. i am not entitled to a refund, and the whole group would have to reschedule their trip which they are not wanting to do. I would not take the risk and travel, it is certainly not worth it.

Thank you for your help everyone.