Travel Insurance

One of the first things you may find out when you are pregnant and planning a trip is that your medical insurance does not cover you overseas.

Even when you are not pregnant, this can be a problem.  Medical insurance that is valid at home may simply not be in force if you leave the country.  Even if your insurance does remain in effect wherever you go, a hospital or medical provider in another country may not be in a position to bill your insurance company.  It is very likely that you will have to pay cash for medical care and then attempt to collect reimbursement from your insurance company.

But the situation becomes much different when you are pregnant.

For reasons that seem unfathomable to most of us, an insurance company that will cover all your medical problems in your host country, even those related to pregnancy, will suddenly exclude pregnancy-related ailments once you leave home.  It is imperative, therefore, that you check on this before you leave.

Finding travel insurance that covers pregnancy-related issues or medical evacuation may be even more problematic.  So can finding an assistance company or medical evacuation company that is qualified to handle pregnancy problems.

Having a miscarriage or other problems with your pregnancy far from home, however, is a major emotional trauma.  You don’t need, added to that, a major financial drain.  And obstetrical emergencies, when they occur, are often sudden and life threatening. 

There are a few companies that handle this sort of problem and do it well.  We have tried to provide links to some of them in our “Links” section.  The premiums may be expensive, but certainly worth the investment if you have a problem.