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Travelling with childrenInsurance and contacts

Insurance

A pregnant mum sitting on the beach with a young child

Some insurers won’t cover you if you travel while pregnant

If you have an annual insurance policy check it carefully as some insurers won’t cover you if you travel when pregnant, particularly in the latter stages of pregnancy. You also might find that you need a statement from your doctor to say your pregnancy isn’t high risk before a company will insure you. 

Check that your policy covers you for expenses relating to premature birth or post-birth care and medical care as a consequence of pregnancy, and cancellation or incurred losses in connection with pregnancy.

Try the following brokers:

  • Brunsdon LLP will ensure women up to the 32nd week of a single pregnancy under their standard terms.
  • Bureau Insurance Services. This broker will insure you up to the end of the 36th week of pregnancy.
  • PHA Travel Club (Tel 0870 770 0942) – this broker will insure you up to the end of the 36th week of pregnancy by using separate policies for travel and pregnancy.

Useful books and websites

Books

  • Lonely Planet’s Travel With Children by Cathy Lanigan, £8.99 (ISBN 0-86442-729-8), contains practical suggestions for maximising everyone’s enjoyment of travelling with children or when pregnant, and gives advice about what you can expect in individual countries.
  • Cadogan’s Take the Kids England by Joseph Fullman, £14.99 (ISBN 1-86011-994-8), has listings of family-friendly days out, restaurants and accommodation throughout England.

Websites

  • www.babycentre.co.uk An informative and detailed website, including topics such as airport security machines, the impact of airbags and how to minimise stress.
  • www.babygoes2.com On this website you can book family-friendly holidays, with a focus on younger children. It also has tips and equipment lists for certain types of holiday, a countdown checklist and information about travelling with children in specific countries.
  • The US government's Centres for Disease Control and Prevention site contains a wealth of detailed information, particularly relating to health issues.
  • www.family-travel.co.uk This is a subscriber-based website for choosing and booking family-friendly holidays, but has lots of relevant information about practical issues on its non-subscriber pages.
  • www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk A question and answer format on this NHS website provides lots of accessible, sensible advice about travelling while pregnant and child health on holiday.
  • www.takethefamily.com This is essentially a travel agency website specialising in family holidays, but it has sing-along song lyrics and games suggestions, as well as discussion forums where parents pass on their tips and advice.
  • www.tinytotsaway.com This company provides anything your baby needs on holiday, delivered direct to your hotel. It’s not cheap though – shipping a single packet of nappies to Mallorca costs £48 in postage alone.
  • www.travellingwithchildren.co.uk A good website for specialist areas, such as travelling with children of different ages, travelling as a single parent family and holidays for children with special needs.

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