Last updated on February 4th, 2020
We get plenty of inquiries about private medical insurance that will include pregnancy for women, who do not have provincial health coverage in Canada. These women are typically visitors to Canada, returning Canadians or new immigrants who have a few months of waiting period before they are eligible for provincial health plans. Because the cost of delivery in Canada is quite high, many are looking for any type of insurance that could help them lower the financial load of paying for the delivery of a child.
Unfortunately, no insurance company in Canada covers delivery and routine pre-natal care. This is mostly because insurance companies rely on risks and since pregnancy is considered a high risk, they are not willing to take the chance. Paying for a delivery would most definitely surpass any insurance premium and therefore is not in the best interests of the insurance companies. In fact, most travel policy wordings clearly state that “expenses incurred as a result of pregnancy, abortion, miscarriage, childbirth or complications of any of these conditions” are excluded.
With that said, not all hope is lost. For many of our clients, who are expecting or anticipate they might become pregnant in the near future, we strongly suggest going with a company that covers pregnancy emergencies for up to 9 weeks before the due date of the mother. This type of insurance is a regular visitors-to-Canada plan, but unlike all others it does not exclude pregnancy.
In other words, if you are visiting Canada and are in early stages of the pregnancy, it is highly recommended that you get an insurance plan that will include emergencies that are also related to pregnancy. Although this plan does not cover expenses for routine prenatal care, you will still be protected against the cost of unexpected emergencies that may occur during your stay in Canada.
For detailed information about this insurance plan, please contact our office by email at [email protected] or by phone at 1-877-211-4301. We will be happy to help!
