zkornhauser

I posted a general question about trip insurance in another thread, but started this thread for a related, more specific insurance question.

I booked a trip to Italy with my wife, who will be 6.5 months pregnant at the time. I anticipate everything being OK, but I want to purchase medical insurance for her just in case. Does anyone have recommendations for this?

mules

I'm going to suggest that you go to Insuremytrip, put in your parameters, and read everything very carefully. Also check your own health insurance for coverage abroad.

You should know how many weeks pregnant she will be as you return. There may be some sort of cut off.

I found this page from Allianz regarding coverage from their products:
https://www.allianztravelinsurance.c...-insurance.htm

I traveled at roughly that much pregnant when young and didn't even think about coverage. You're smart to be looking into this.

mules

Here are a couple of sites that aggregate products. I have used Insuremytrip in the past.

http://www.moneysupermarket.com/trav...nce/pregnancy/
https://www.insuremytrip.com

Often1

OP - Where do you reside now? Is it the US? Do you have coverage in the US? Does your US coverage provide coverage in Italy? If so, what does it cover?

Are you looking for medical while in Italy, air evacuation back to the US or to elsewhere in Europe?

Lots and lots of options and it's important to understand what you already have before you start looking.

zkornhauser

Thanks for the responses.

I currently reside in NYC, and our insurance is through Empire. My wife works at a hospital that is part of a very large network, and the way it works is that any visit within the hospital system is very cheap, however it becomes quite expensive once we leave the system. I've yet to call Empire, but my strong suspicion that there will be very little coverage in Italy.

For Italy, since we will be staying in major cities, I think we would just need coverage for any possible medical procedure that may take place there, and that an air evacuation would probably be unnecessary. Do you agree?

Often1

Your wife should speak with her medical team about how they feel about treatment alternatives in your travel areas. Do bear in mind that air evacuation isn't just about an air ambulance ($120K+ back to the US), but also about the cost of walk-up tickets to fly home if you suddenly do need to return, but she can fly commercial.

I also find that full coverage is well worth it, although I haven't needed it but know numerous people who have, even from Western Europe, because bad things happen to healthy people all the time.

It can be really hard to recuperate and astonishingly expensive to do so in a hotel if you can't travel for 30 days or more, while you could be back home with help. One bad fracture or the like can make things really problematic.

zkornhauser

Those are really good points, @Often1, thanks for sharing. Her medical team isn't too worried at the moment about her situation, but her medical history has been fairly checkered so I do agree that it probably makes sense to purchase really premium insurance for this trip. If there's any other considerations that I'm missing here, please let me know.

cargo13

See rating & reviews of travel insurance companies: http://travel-insurance-review.toptenreviews.com/

We booked CSA #1.


RE: Coverages: which impact pricing
1. medical & evacuation: given--this is your wife's requirement
2. whether you want the trip protection coverage depends on probability of changes/cancellation given your wife's status. Look for CFAR (Cancel For Any Reason).

IflyfromABE

Talk to your insurance company first. You might be covered already.

NoStressHere

You bring up a main issue.

Small to minor procedures might be not so large that you can cover it. Few hundred to $1,000 or so. Air evacuation would break the bank. Rare, but a lifestyle killer. Then again, i carry a $1500 deductible for car, and $6,500 deductible for health insurance. Saves lots of money, but covers me for the big stuff.

gqZJzU4vusf0Z2,$d7

I do not agree. If the child is born early, it may need several (many?) weeks or months in a neo-natal ICU. Does your insurance cover a newborn born abroad?

Mom will not leave a hospitalized child. Can your budget absorb the expense of your wife spending (many?) weeks or months in Italy?

Can your relationship survive such a stressful separation?

If your Plan-B is not solid gold, you have the wrong Plan-A ... Med evac insurance seems like a bargain compared to the life-crushing financial and relationship risks of a premature delivery. It could be the difference between getting a premie home in 10 days vs. 10 weeks vs. 10 months.

dtsm

As others suggested, speak with your insurance carrier to see what they cover and what they don't cover (out of network usually has super high deductions).

One very reliable carrier that offers travel medical is HTH Worldwide, call them and get their advice. Another option you might want to see if Medijet -- they don't offer medical but only evacuation services.

Congrats and good luck!

traveld16

Hey zkornhauser,
I saw your post while I was randomly searching for something else and signed up for flyer talk just so I could tell you my experience as a traveling pregnant lady who had her baby on vacation. And guess what? I'm also an obstetrician. What a combo. Well, if it was going to happen to anyone, it might as well be me.

So I guess I have some unique advice- and that is to be sure you have very good evacuation insurance in addition to medical. While my baby was born prematurely in the US, it was still hell to be apart from my husband and the rest of the kids for six weeks. Get medivac insurance that will take you not just back to the US, but all the way back to your hometown. Ever since then, I've carried it continuously as it covers the kids now that they're away at summer camp & college, too.

Now, having said all that, the chance of your wife actually having a problem is quite low if her doctor thinks she's okay to travel. Be sure she drinks a lot of water and doesn't overstress herself, and have fun. But you're very wise to think of the what ifs. But let me reassure you that in all my years of practice, I've never seen it happen to anyone else but me.

zkornhauser

Thank you all for your replies- they gave me a lot to think about. I was just on the phone with someone from Insure My Trip, and he informed me that none of their policies cover pregnancy. I also called HTH worldwide, but they only cover direct medical costs; if we had to stay in Italy for an extended period of time due to health reasons that would not be covered. I'm very afraid of purchasing something that does not cover what I need it to, and, as I'm not the most legally minded person, I fear that if something does happen it somehow won't be covered due to something in the fine print.

So, I am wondering if anyone has specific recommendations of comprehensive policies that I should also consider. Or, is it best to couple medical treatment from HTH with something like Medjet? I should also add that the tickets for the trip were purchased with vouchers, so even if we were to cancel the trip we would not recoup much.

gqZJzU4vusf0Z2,$d7

Sometimes you have to cobble together coverages and self-insure the gaps ... or cancel. Me? My primary health insurance will supposedly cover international medical, but not medevac to home. I buy that coverage for my family from MedJet Assist. I self-insure the costs to remain abroad. There may also be visa issues if you remain in Italy for XX+ days ... i.e. Need to hire an immigration lawyer.

Do you have the savings or cash flow to cover several weeks/months in a big-city, Italian hotel during prime travel season? Your family? Wife's family? Friends?

First kid? If not; who can step-in and handle the spawn, if:when you are unavailable for a lengthy period?

How experienced of an *international* traveler are you? Your wife? Do the collective "you" enjoy disruption and uncertainty? Or; do you become frustrated? It wasn't until I had my first ~10 countries under my belt that I felt that I was an experienced international traveler (able to easily roll with things going differently than anticipated). When you cannot speak the language or read the signs, and must trust/rely on unknown others ...

Cancelling will result in regrets. A medical catastrophe abroad (or aloft) could alter the rest of your lives. In the big cities, you can GET TO medical care. Aloft is another matter entirely. Don't count on a medical diversion. The first time you hear the cabin annc, "If there is a doctor on board, please press the FA Call button" ... <Gulp>