Of all the different clauses under health insurance coverage, the pregnancy clause deserves a special mention. At present, there are several agencies which do not offer to cover this clause while those that do have strict guidelines. This has lead to a number of frequently asked insurance questions related to pregnancy. Some of them have been discussed below.


Should pregnancy insurance be bought?

Every health insurance agency knows that only those who wish to become parents in future would apply for a pregnancy insurance cover. Under these circumstances, the cover becomes more of a repayment scheme in which the policy holder would actually end up paying the same amount which the agency would have to reimburse at the time of delivery. Any complication that might arise is covered under the general health insurance plan and hence is not a cause of financial worry. It can be bought as an investment so that sudden financial burden does not befall the family.


What is the waiting period?

The waiting period is the time period during which pregnancy is assumed to be a pre-existing condition. If the woman does get pregnant during this period, the agency does not provide any financial support and the policy is nullified on account of breach of contract. The duration of this period varies from agency to agency. Some would pay for the bills only after a year of issuing the policy which would mean the woman may get pregnant after the 3rd month while some would require her to wait for a minimum of 12 months before she may chose to get pregnant, effectively making it a total duration of 21 months.


What should be done if a woman is pregnant but without insurance?

No insurance agency is going to cover an already pregnant woman and knocking on their doors would be useless. Those who can afford to bear the expenses would not find it a reason of worry while those who belong to the low income group may contact the state authorities for assistance. The state provides special insurance coverage options for people who pass the qualifying requirements. The third option is to call the hospitals and ask about any pre-payment plans. By signing these, one may get significant discounts. The only constraint is that there are not many hospitals which offer this service.


Precautions that should be taken while buying a policy?

There are several precautions that should be taken before buying a pregnancy insurance policy. Ensure that the policy not only covers the physician’s service charges but also of any other medical personal that one might want to prefer. Reconfirm the waiting period duration so as not to face any problems in the future. Calculate the total amount that would have to be paid to the agency during the complete cover period. Based on the terms of the contract, if the amount is greater than $20,000 (average cost excluding complications), it would be better not to buy the policy at all.