Best Travel Insurance Covering Pregnancy in Singapore
While travel insurance may not be obligatory for certain destinations, opting for coverage is still advisable especially if you are an expectant mother, regardless of pre-existing conditions.
Medical emergencies can arise unexpectedly during your trips and expectant mothers may be even more vulnerable to unforeseen natural disasters, flight disruptions or other situations.
Thus, assessing available plans in accordance with your pregnancy stage, health status, and travel requirements is essential. Let’s take a look at the importance of travel insurance coverage for pregnant travellers and what are the best options available at the moment.
Why Is Travel Insurance Important For Pregnant Travellers?
There are many reasons why travel insurance is so vital in terms of financial protection against sudden accidents or unpredictable weather conditions and here’s a brief overview of the key ones.
Fundamental medical coverage when travelling
Travel insurance provides essential medical coverage for pregnant travellers, ensuring access to medical care in case of unexpected complications or emergencies during the trip. This coverage can include expenses related to prenatal care, childbirth, and any unforeseen medical issues that may arise.
Moreover, various travel insurance options cater to pregnancy and related pre-existing conditions, ranging from those which are better known for affordable premiums, to comprehensive coverage tailored to specific needs, and it helps to have knowledge of these options to pick a suitable one.
Trip cancellation and disruption protection
Pregnancy can be unpredictable, and complications may arise that necessitate cancelling or interrupting travel plans. Travel insurance plans can provide coverage for trip cancellation or interruption due to pregnancy-related issues, such as medical complications or advisories from a healthcare provider.
Given that there is such a wide variety of plans to choose from, you would want to pick wisely to avoid overpaying for unnecessary coverage or getting inadequate coverage, and this includes consideration of the length of your trip, the activities that you’ll be doing there, and other factors.
Lack of international health insurance coverage
Travel insurance with pregnancy-related coverage becomes particularly important if you do not have an international health insurance plan. While travel insurance with pregnancy-related benefits may cover some aspects of pregnancy-related care abroad, it's often limited in scope and may not provide comprehensive coverage for all potential situations, especially emergencies related to pregnancy.
International health insurance is often specifically tailored to pregnancy, and can offer additional protections such as coverage for unexpected medical expenses, trip cancellations due to pregnancy complications, or emergency medical evacuation if necessary. Therefore, having travel insurance with pregnancy-related coverage can provide peace of mind and financial protection during your travels, especially if you lack an international health insurance plan.
Airline and immigration regulations
Being refused service by an airline because of normal pregnancy is often not a covered reason for trip cancellation, and ticket change fees and penalties usually cannot be waived for pregnancy. Here are some examples of some common airline pregnancy policies that require paperwork from your end.
- Medical certificates are sometimes required by the airlines so that you are eligible to fly within four weeks of your delivery date in a normal, uncomplicated pregnancy.
- Travel is not often not permitted within seven days of your due date on domestic flights under five hours, or within four weeks of your due date on international flights, unless you get a medical certificate and clearance from the airline staff (via email or in-person at the airline ticket/customer service counter).
- To fly in or after your 36th week of pregnancy, you must provide the original and two copies of an obstetrician’s certificate, dated within 72 hours (which is about 3 days) prior to your flight departure, that states clearly that you’re fit to fly.
- Certain countries have specific regulations regarding pregnant visitors, including restrictions on entry at certain stages of pregnancy or requirements for additional documents.
Best Travel Insurance With Pregnancy Coverage Benefits
| Best for | Travel insurance plan | Estimated premium rate* |
|---|---|---|
| Affordable coverage for overseas medical expenses as a result of pregnancy-related illness | MSIG TravelEasy® Elite Pre-Ex, Premier Pre-Ex plans | $66 - $89 |
| Early pregnancy emergency complications i.e pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes or hyperemesis gravidarum, etc., coverage (within the first trimester of pregnancy) | Allianz Travel Basic, Silver and Platinum plans | $48 - $102 |
| Unlimited emergency medical evacuation coverage (including for pregnancy-related conditions) | Singlife Prestige Plan | $74 |
| Abnormal pregnancy or vital complications of pregnancy which endangers the life of the mother or unborn child | Tiq Entry, Savvy and Luxury plans | $31 - $54 |
*Estimated premium rates are based on a 5D4N single-trip plan to a country in Southeast Asia, all data are accurate at the time of writing as per 7 May 2024.
Best Travel Insurance With Pregnancy-related Coverage
MSIG TravelEasy Pre-Ex Standard
- Med. Coverage (Overseas)
- S$75,000
- Trip Cancellation
- S$5,000
- Loss/Damage of Baggage
- S$3,000
- Total Premium
- S$38
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Singlife Travel Prestige
- Overseas Medical Expenses
- Unlimited
- Trip Cancellation
- S$20,000
- Loss/Damage of Baggage
- S$8,000
- Total PremiumTotal Premium
S$60.5925% Off - S$45.44
[GIVEAWAY | Receive your cash as fast as 30 days*]
• Enjoy 25% off your policy premium
• Get S$30 Revolut cash reward and an Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM with every policy purchased.
• Additionally, receive up to S$30 via PayNow with eligible premiums spent. T&Cs apply.
PLUS, score S$100 Revolut cash reward in our giveaway on top of existing rewards when you are the 8th and 88th person to sign up for a Revolut Account each week. T&Cs apply.
Allianz Travel Platinum
- Med. Coverage (Overseas)
- S$1,000,000
- Trip Cancellation
- S$10,000
- Loss/Damage of Baggage
- S$5,000
- Total PremiumTotal Premium
S$8457% Off - S$36.12
[GIVEAWAY | Receive your cash as fast as 30 days*]
• Enjoy an exclusive 57% off your policy premium
• Get S$30 Revolut cash reward and an Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM with every policy purchased.
• Additionally, receive up to S$40 via PayNow with eligible premiums spent. T&Cs apply.
PLUS, score S$100 Revolut cash reward in our giveaway on top of existing rewards when you are the 8th and 88th person to sign up for a Revolut Account each week. T&Cs apply.
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Tiq Luxury
- Med. Coverage (Overseas)
- S$1,000,000
- Travel Cancelation
- S$10,000
- Loss/Damage of Baggage
- S$3,000
- Total PremiumTotal Premium
S$3840% Off - S$22.80
[GIVEAWAY | MoneySmart Exclusive]
• Enjoy 40% off your Single Trip policy premium and 80% off Covid-19 add-on for Annual Plans. T&Cs apply
• Get S$30 Revolut cash reward with every policy purchased. T&Cs apply.
PLUS, score S$100 Revolut cash reward in our giveaway on top of existing rewards when you are the 8th and 88th person to sign up for a Revolut Account each week. T&Cs apply.
[Etiqa's 10th Year 2024 Grand Draw]
Stand a chance to win S$10,000 cash or a Singapore Mint Lunar Dragon 1 gram 999.9 fine gold medallion (worth S$173) with eligible Etiqa/Tiq by Etiqa plans purchased. T&Cs apply.
Compare travel insurance plans in Singapore
Visit MoneySmart to find the best travel insurance plans with coverage for lost baggage, medical emergencies, flight delays, pre-existing conditions, pregnancy claims and more.
Frequently Asked Questions About Travel Insurance When Pregnant
What other insurance can cover pregnancy expenses overseas?
- It seems apparent that travel insurance policies do not cover pregnancy-related expenses very extensively. However, if you are concerned about emergency medical treatments or unforeseen pregnancy complications during this crucial period, you may consider buying international maternity insurance (usually available as an add-on to your existing health or maternity insurance plan) which would cover the contingencies more comprehensively.
Besides pregnancy, you may also obtain international maternity insurance if you are receiving fertility treatments. By taking these precautions, you can then ensure that you and your baby are well-protected while you're away from home. Purchasing a policy with worldwide coverage, however, can cost more upfront. For this reason, it's generally advisable to postpone your travel plans until after the baby is born. Can pregnant women travel?
- It depends on what stage the pregnancy is at. Generally, it's safest to travel during the second trimester, since women usually experience more discomfort (e.g. morning sickness) in the first trimester. During the third trimester, you can fly without a medical certificate up to the 28th week of pregnancy (though we recommend speaking to your doctor about any travel plans anyway). From week 29 onwards, the airline will probably require you to show a medical certificate. Pregnant women are usually not allowed to fly from week 36 onwards (week 32 for multiple pregnancy).
Can you get travel insurance when pregnant?
- Yes, you can buy travel insurance while pregnant. Your plan does cover all the other travel risks and incidents that are not related to pregnancy, such as lost luggage, flight delays and so on. If you incur any medical costs from pregnancy-related illness (e.g. morning sickness), it will fall under a separate claim limit. However, you most likely won't be covered during your first trimester (0 to 12 weeks). Generally for pregnant ladies, it is best – and also safer to travel – with your doctor's endorsement, otherwise you may run the risk of having your claims denied.
Besides travel insurance covering pregnancy, you can also take a look at our senior travel insurance comparison if you are going overseas with elderly relatives. How do I get pregnancy-related coverage benefits with my travel insurance?
- There are a few ways to get suitable pregnancy-related coverage benefits in your travel insurance plan. One of the ways is to tap on your preferred travel insurance mobile app, purchase it directly through an airline or travel insurance company's website, or contact your insurance agent. Alternatively, if you prefer a self-directed approach, you can use a comparison platform like MoneySmart to quickly compare the best rates available for you.
