Travel insurance and health cover abroad when you’re pregnant

Healthcare abroad can cost thousands, and pregnancy adds extra things to check. Here’s what to look for in a policy and what the UK’s Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) covers.

Tell your insurer you’re pregnant

Fit for Travel, NHS Scotland’s travel health service, says failing to tell your travel insurer you’re pregnant is likely to invalidate your policy. It also says to make sure your policy covers both you and your unborn child.

What to check in the policy

The NHS says to make sure your travel insurance covers you for any eventuality, including:

pregnancy-related medical care during labour
premature birth
changing your return date if you go into labour

TravelHealthPro adds that cover should include care of a premature baby and, if needed, repatriation (being flown back to the UK).

Also check:

Gestation limits. Many insurers set their own limits for how far into pregnancy they will cover you, so check yours. Airline rules differ, and most won’t carry you after about 36 to 37 weeks (earlier with twins). Travel insurance can also be harder to get at that stage. Check the limit against your due date, including the date you’ll fly home.
Cancelling or changing your trip. Ask what happens if you have a pregnancy complication before you travel, or if you can’t travel.
Activities. GOV.UK says to confirm cover for all the activities you’ll do. Standard policies often exclude some sports. See holiday activities in pregnancy.
Existing conditions. GOV.UK says to declare existing conditions and any pending treatment or tests.

Policies differ a lot, so ask the insurer to confirm things in writing if anything is unclear.

What a GHIC covers

A UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) is free and lasts up to 5 years. The NHS says it covers state-provided healthcare in some countries at the same cost as people who live there. It lists the EEA countries, Montenegro, Australia, Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man and some other places, and Switzerland for certain people. The list changes, so check the NHS page before you travel.

For pregnancy, the NHS Business Services Authority says:

The card covers all medical treatment linked to the birth if your baby is born unexpectedly while you’re away.
The GHIC does not cover you if you travel abroad specifically to give birth. If you plan to give birth in an EU country or Switzerland, you need to apply for the “Giving birth abroad” (S2) form before you go, and send it with your MAT B1 certificate.

Even for a short trip, carry a valid card. In Northern Ireland, you apply with your Health and Care number. Ireland is in the EEA, so it is on the list of countries.

What a GHIC doesn’t cover

GOV.UK and the NHS both say a GHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance. It doesn’t cover:

being flown back to the UK (medical repatriation)
private treatment
ski or mountain rescue

It also doesn’t cover countries outside its list. Watch out for unofficial websites that charge a fee, because applying through the NHS is free.

If you need care while you’re away

Contact your insurer’s emergency helpline early, and keep receipts and any medical notes. Ask for copies of any scans or results to bring home to your midwife.

When to get help

If you’re pregnant and you have any bleeding or spotting, contact your maternity unit, an early pregnancy unit (if you’re under 20 weeks) or NHS 111. Call 999 if the bleeding is heavy or the pain is severe, or if you have a sharp, sudden, intense pain in your tummy and feel very dizzy or faint, feel sick, or look very pale. If you’re abroad, use the local emergency number and ask for medical help.

If your baby’s movements slow down, stop or change, call your midwife or maternity unit straight away, day or night. Don’t wait until the next day, and don’t use a home doppler to check the heartbeat, because hearing a heartbeat doesn’t mean your baby is well. If you’re abroad, go to a local maternity unit or hospital.

Questions people ask

Do I need travel insurance if I have a GHIC?

Yes. GOV.UK says the GHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance, because it doesn’t cover private healthcare, repatriation or extras like mountain rescue.

Will my insurance cover a premature baby?

Only if the policy says so. The NHS and TravelHealthPro both say to check that cover includes premature birth and the care of a premature baby.

Can I give birth abroad on my GHIC?

Not on the card alone. If you plan to give birth in an EU country or Switzerland you need the “Giving birth abroad” (S2) form and your MAT B1 certificate. Speak to your midwife and the NHS Business Services Authority well before you go.

What if I didn’t tell the insurer I was pregnant?

Fit for Travel says this is likely to invalidate your policy. Contact the insurer, tell them, and ask whether the cover can be updated.