Pregnancy and Travel Insurance

[thunderandsunshine01]

Hi! We’ve just booked a hol to Mexico for Feb 2021 as something to look forward to for next year . We have been TTC for over a year and do not plan to postpone this, and have even started the conversation about getting on a waiting list for IVF once Covid-19 restrictions are removed.

As I was getting quotes for holiday cover it dawned on me that we are pretty much exactly 9 months away from our holiday start date! I’ve read that travel insurance does not cover you if your due date coincides with your travel, and will only cover for complications due to pregnancy.

Does such a policy exist that you will let me cancel if I do happen to fall pregnant within the next 3 months? I really don’t want to do an 11 hour flight heavily pregnant! But also don’t want to postpone an already long TTC journey. I just want to be able to cancel the hol in the unlikely event I do fall! Eeeek, please help wise people

It's almost impossible to buy any holiday insurance at the moment whatever your circumstances. Believe me, I've tried, and they're either not selling, or they are, but there are so many caveats it made my head hurt.

I think you are going to have to accept that the holiday isn't insured for cancellation, then try and get insurance just before you go, so you're at least covered for medical emergencies whilst on holiday - you'll know by then whether you're pregnant or not anyway.

If you do fall pregnant now, and the due date is when you're due to fly, chances are the holiday company will let you move the dates (for a fee). I'm assuming you've only paid a deposit so far, so that's all you'd lose for now?

Thanks for your reply! We’ve paid it in full! Was this a mistake?!

You insure against something happening ie against damage to your car, so to ask an insurance company to be prepared to pay out because you have gone ahead intending to get pregnant but don’t want to loose the cost of your holiday is completely wrong. You might find a broker who can find something for you but be prepared to pay an arm and a leg for it especially now as insurance companies are taking such a hit.

Lose, not loose. Thank you iPad!

I was due to fly to New York but was going to be 38 weeks pregnant. Got the full thing refunded from the holiday company due to them being unable to accept me to fly.

I never pay in full, until the day before the due date for the balance.

@mimbleandlittlemy I guess my point is since I’m not pregnant currently, how would they know if a pregnancy is intentional.. surely this is the point of insurance.. for the unpredictable?

I feel like I may have made a mistake paying in full I’ve never booked such a pricey hol before and as just a wanted the expense out of the way. Eek

True but I still don’t think you will find that insurance. You were asking about a specific type of insurance that would cover you if you became pregnant. If you went to a broker - or with any Insurance company - and you have started ivf, you would need to declare that in the medical section.

As Astuz said, your holiday company may move it but I doubt you will find cover to cover the whole holiday.

10 years ago I had an annual policy. After 3 months in i told them I was pregnant. They told me I didn't need to inform them as it didn't affect the policy.

I travelled on my annual insurance when I was pregnant and it was fine but it was well before term (11 weeks) and it was in Europe so then also had EHIC card. OP was asking about a policy that would cover her if she became pregnant in the next 3 months. What I am saying is that you would have to go through a broker who might well ask if you are intending to get pregnant in the next 3 months at which point no one will much like the terms of the insurance except at a cost.

OP - even if you have paid in full you might well get money back up to the point where the full balance was due?

Normal insurance in normal times covers you for things that happen that are outside your control e.g. illness, death, strikes, accidents etc. IVF treatment is very much in your control. If you have specific circumstances that you want to insure against then you would need to speak to a broker. In theory you can insure against anything but the more likely you are to cancel then the costlier it is. It could be hundreds or even thousands of pounds - and that’s in normal times. Right now you can’t buy a travel insurance policy full stop.....

Mexico is also a risk country for Zika virus. If you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant or get pregnant after travelling then it could have devastating consequences.

So, you have a trip booked and paid for in full for which you cannot insure for at the moment. You want to actively try to get pregnant in the meantime and want to be able to cancel the holiday if you do fall in the next three months. And you want to travel to a country that carries warnings about travelling if pregnant or trying to conceive.

I’m not sure it was the smartest move booking right now to be honest.

It’s a shame you didn’t consider this before paying for your trip.

You are right OP, travel ins is to cover you for an a number of unexpected events that may prevent you from traveling, becoming pregnant by IVF, may not be considered unexpected.

Two choices here really either have the holiday and put TTC on hold, or be prepared to lose the money if you become pregnant in the meantime.

Only you can decide what option would be best. Good luck.

I traveled at 32 weeks pregnant, we have travel insurance through the bank, I called them before we went to let them know and they didn't need to know and it didn't affect the policy. Although obviously this was pre-Covid days.