Maternity Insurance Strategies

Health insurance plans that cover maternity are often much more expensive than otherwise similar individual health insurance plans that do not provide pregnancy insurance. For this reason you we suggest two strategies to lower your costs.

Two Health Insurance Policies May be Cheaper

When you find the best health insurance for maternity you may find that the policy is not the best one for the rest of the family. This may mean that you it is in your best interests to have one policy for the woman seeking to get pregnant and another for the rest of the family. We typically see savings of $100 to $300 a month using this strategy.

Maternity Insurance Benefit Timing

I’m constantly asked “can you get insurance while pregnant?” Usually the answer is “no.” There may be a governmental mandate in your area or a state-sponsored program that will cover you. Even if this is the case, chances are your choices will be much more limited, if you have any choices at all if you find yourself pregnant with no insurance.

Because of this, it is important to get the coverage in place before you conceive. With some policies, you must purchase the coverage long before you conceive. With others you will only need to be insured just before conception.

Since insurance that covers maternity is so expensive ideally, you would get the coverage just before you need it and drop it right after. While this is a recommended strategy to lower your costs it comes with an obvious risk and one that isn’t so obvious.

Pregnancies aren’t always planned. By trying to save money by going without maternity until you need it you may wind up paying more because you got pregnant before you purchased the additional coverage.

If your health declines, you may not be able to qualify for a maternity insurance plan. Something as unrelated as a broken leg can keep you from getting another policy until you are released by your doctor. Health issues that are more serious, such as diabetes, can keep you from changing your coverage at any time.

With the medical costs associated with pregnancy increasing each year it is important to have the maternity coverage when you need it. However, since this coverage is so expensive to purchase as part of an individual health insurance policy, thought must be given to the process as you look for the best health and maternity insurance for your family.