I have already registered for BlogHer ’08. I am so excited to go to San Francisco and meet all of the bloggers I read and love. I have been looking forward to this trip for about three years (yes, I’m a nerd). There’s just one eensy, weensy little catch, however. I am going to be about 34 weeks pregnant at the time. Assuming I get the OK from my (irritatingly slim) doctor I think I’ll be just fine to fly and I doubt that I would go into premature labour. I was overdue with Avelyn and I am sure that at 34 weeks my cervix will still be tighter than my skinny jeans and I would pose no risk. But try telling that to the insurance company. I have spent the better part of this afternoon talking to different insurance providers and most of them have an exclusion that states if you are 9 weeks within your due date, you cannot be covered for any expenses incurred for you or your unborn child.
We were originally going to wait until January to start trying for a baby, but when December rolled around we were too lax to use any real preventative measures, thinking, “As IF it would happen in the first month.” Well, happen it did. I am not complaining about our high fertility; it truly is a blessing. But, it kind of puts a damper on my travel plans!
This is my desperate plea: if there be anyone out there who knows where I could wrangle some travel medical insurance that would cover me for a trip to the US while hugely pregnant, please let me know! I am desperate to make it. (Obviously, the health of this baby is the priority and I am not going to take any chances that would put it in danger.)
Any advice or input is helpful.
26 Comments
We travelled across the country when I was 36 weeks pregnant with Susannah and nowhere would give me insurance. I was fortunate that we were staying within our own medical care country. I wish you lots of luck, Amanda. Pregnancy is considered a “previous condition”. When I travelled to Seattle airport (overnight trip to pick up my Mom and sis) at 32 weeks pregnant with Hunter I could not get insurance. You could lie… that’s the only thing I can think of… sorry.
Elizabeth stole my lying suggestion. You is there a Blog Her forum where you can post the question?
Good luck..I have flown only two times in my life and would be of no help..But I wish you tons of luck!
I have nothing constructive to suggest – just want to wish you good luck. I have had my fair share of angst with insurance companies and have concluded that they are all Evil with a capital E.
YOU HAVE TO COME! WHO WILL I ROOM WITH???
OK. Totally selfish of me. But you NEED to be there! I’m praying that somebody has an answer!
Lots of woman travel pregnant, so I’m sure there’s a place to get it.
Good luck in your search, sorry I couldn’t help!
Sorry I can’t help but a girl I know travelled at 30wks to California for a wedding and ended up delivering while down there. The medical bills, they weren’t pretty! I was under the notion that you could get coverage but just the baby wouldn’t have any. Good Luck!
I’m pretty sure I know the same girl mentioned above (or it’s a really strange coincidence). Surely there must be something available. There must be.
Ok, are people suggesting that you lie about being pregnant? I certainly hope you won’t be needing to apply in person. It might be a little difficult to, um, hide that at 15 weeks, let alone 34! (I can say that. I was bulging at 12 weeks with my 2nd.)
Maybe if you deliver in SF, you could pass the hat at BlogHer to cover medical expenses. And at least you’d be surrounded on all sides by some awesome women.
I’ve got it! You could hitchhike! Shouldn’t need travel insurance for that. I mean, who would feel OK about not picking up a very-pregnant woman hitchhiking on the side of a highway?
Then, if your water breaks during whatever keynote address there might be–or better yet, during the closing remarks (that way you won’t miss much of the conference), just think of what you’ll be doing for the blog-her community. Who wouldn’t blog you!? you’ll be famous…more famous than you already are.
Plus, two words: dual citizenship. eh?
I’m sorry, I don’t have any advice for you. Good luck though!
I haven’t got anything either, but hope you figure something out!
I’m flying after 30 weeks within the UK and we can’t get any sort of cancellation insurance, but we’d just be out the cost of the flights so I’m okay with that. But the problem is health insurance for while you’re down there isn’t it, not the flights – and I think you’d have to look hard to find a company that doesn’t exclude women after 32 weeks. Bummer. Hope this is the only downside to your entire pregnancy :)
I’m sorry to say, I’ve traveled while pregnant and there is no travel insurance/temp. medical insurance that I’m aware of to cover the costs. The good news is, that second baby is usually easier to deliver…but they can come at any time…every pregnancy is unique. After 32 or 34 weeks, you could have that kid on the plane! Well, I hope not. But you have time to plan, so good luck!
I know how badly you want to go Amanda so I hope you figure something out!
You can give birth in our hot tub if you need to. We will have clean shears on hand for any umbilical cutting that may be necessary.
You HAVE to come.
There’s got to be an OBGYN among the women at the conference, right? They could just have a room reserved (next to the childcare room, of course) for maternity services.
I’ve been reading your blog for awhile now… I’m friends with Becky Fletcher (Christy’s sister) so that’s how i came across your wonderful stories.
My husband works for an insurance company so i just called them, but like all the others they don’t have any coverage they could offer you. Have you checked with the CAA provider in BC?
Not to be a downer, but I would highly caution you against traveling without it. Even if you did lie (as has been suggested), it wouldn’t do any good… if the baby did decide to arrive and you needed coverage for the medical bills, the insurance company would deny your claim based on fraud… but good luck! I really hope you are able to work something out!
As much as you want to go I would honestly tell you to err on the side of caution, especially if you aren’t able to find any coverage. I had a fairly smooth pregnancy up until 33 weeks and then shit hit the fan and I was in and out of the hospital for the duration. I can’t even imagine what the cost would have been without insurance coverage.
I hate to be such a downer. I can tell how badly you want to go, but there is always next year (how lame do I sound?).
No advice..you may just have to wait for me in ’09. You will be 9 weeks due and I will have a 9 week old. Look at all these 9’s….crazy. Hope things work out how you hope.
Most gold and platinum credit cards have emergency medical insurance for the card holder and immediate family, provided you used the card to purchase the travel tickets/hotel/etc. You could check with the cc company that issued your card. They may have you covered already.
I never buy insurance when I travel because my AB Health will cover some and my Visa the rest.
MK
Oooo, I so want to go,,,,I could go for you if you can’t find coverage ;)
I know how you feel about wanting to go SO badly to something while pregnant. I had a Stampin’ Up regional conference downtown around the time when I was due (that’s right DUE!!) LOL. My due date was suppose to be Sept 16, then they weren’t sure and changed it to the 19th. My conference was the 16th and I was VERY determined to go. So, I took my friend (a.k.a. driver) and my hospital bag and away I went. Luckily everything was ok. But, my water broke at 7:30am the next morning and I delivered that afternoon. My son was being very good to me and had perfect timing. Geesh, what I do for stamping I tell ya!
Another thing to look into in addition to trying to get insurance is the policy of the airline you’re flying with.
Here is a really good article about things to consider when traveling pregnant and different airline policies:
http://airtravel.about.com/cs/safetysecurity/a/pregnantflyer.htm
Here is one for Air Canada:
http://www.aircanada.jp/en/young-travellers.htm?cLoc=jp
Good luck!
I may be totally off base, but don’t some premium credit cards offer Universal travel insurance? I am pretty sure my Visa Gold card does…maybe you can look into getting one of those? Also, I may be on glue. Check it out just in case, maybe.
Even credit card travel insurance seems to have the disclaimer for pregnancy though – or at least mine does…
Hey Amanda,
I don’t know all their policies, but I use WorldNomads when I travel. Check out their website, and read all the fine print. Whatever you do, don’t get caught without coverage in the states, it’ll bankrupt you if something happens. Love you.
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