Travel Insurance & Pregnancy: What’s Actually Covered

Over the years, we have had many inquiries at our office concerning private medical coverage for pregnancy.  We have fielded similar questions about maternity benefits from different types of travelers, including visitors to Canada, returning Canadians and Canadians traveling overseas. Many people believe that travel insurance can be made available for those who are pregnant.  Unfortunately, this is not exactly the case. Normally, Canadian residents do not have to worry about maternity costs.  Canada’s provincial health-care system provides all residents with medical coverage during pregnancy.  In some cases though, caution is needed.

Visitors to Canada on long-term stays are normally not covered for maternity care by Visitors-to-Canada insurance.  While some policies provide coverage for complications related to normal pregnancies during the first 31 or 32 weeks of pregnancy, the final eight or nine weeks are not covered.  Likewise, there is no coverage for standard prenatal care.  Therefore, if you are a non-Canadian planning on delivering your baby while in Canada, you should try to ensure that you are covered by your foreign government health insurance or private medical insurance.  As government plans tend to be more restrictive, the best option is to seek out private worldwide coverage before becoming pregnant.  Otherwise, you should expect a bill from the Canadian hospital where you deliver your baby of between $10,000 and $20,000.  Of course, complications related to delivery, extended stays in hospital, and care for premature babies can add thousands of dollars to the bill.

Similarly, returning Canadians who have been residing overseas for a number of years are initially in the same position as visitors.  Many provincial medical programs now have a three-month waiting period until you can join, during which time medical bills are not covered.  For those arriving back early in their pregnancy, this is normally not an issue.  A visitor’s policy will normally cover complications that arise during the first and second trimesters, and paying out-of-pocket for an initial private consultation with an obstetrician will usually cost less than $200.  Private prenatal care clinics are also available in many cities for a reasonable cost.  Problems arise when Canadian expats arrive back home with less than three months to go before the due date.  While some provinces may provide immediate access to provincial medical plans, this is only intended for those who are planning to permanently reside in that province. Canadian hospitals often charge lower rates to uninsured Canadians than what they charge to foreigners, but a total bill of $5,000 to $10,000 should still be expected for a normal delivery.  One lower-cost option for those expecting a normal delivery may be to plan on a home delivery with the assistance of a midwife.

Standard emergency medical travel insurance for Canadian travellers generally excludes routine prenatal/maternity care and delivery. A subset will cover emegency complications - up to a certain week - after which benefits will end. If travel isn't essential, avoid travelling during your thrid trimester of pregnancy.

Students and long-term expat plans sometimes include limited maternity benefits, but only if your policy was purchased before conception and after any required waiting periods. Coverage limits and cost-sharing vary per policy, so inspect the fine print closely.

Here are some questions we get asked frequently about pregancy and travel insurance:

If you have any further questions, please call toll-free for assistance at 1-888-888-0510 in North America; 1-604-259-2544, 1-403-800-1582; or 647-799-2032 (outside North America).