Zika virus risk and our rights?

jackieblack

strawb_shortcake said:

My Niece had a similar issue but different destination. 
They'd booked with TUI and were allowed to change their destination, could this be an option through your travel provider?

I was going to say broadly the same, friend's son and daughter in law, booked a different destination originally but their travel provider let them change to a 'safer' destination 

MyRealNameToo

35har1old said:

Keep_pedalling said:

I would think that your insurance will not cover this as at the time you took out the policy it was a pre existing condition that would very likely to be showing symptoms at the time you took out the policy. Had you taken out a policy at the time of booking then you would probably be covered. 

Pregnancy is not considered a pre existing condition by most insurance companies unless you develop other conditions due to it

It's not considered a condition full stop. If you go on to develop issues like preeclampsia then that is considered a condition in its own right and its start date will be when you got diagnosis or when you started suffering the symptoms of it not when you got pregnant. 

NoodleDoodleMan

MyRealNameToo said:

noxynova said:

Good afternoon. 

We booked our late honeymoon in Jan 2025, for December 2025 - travelling to Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam.

We unexpectedly found out we are pregnant, and I would be around 19-21 weeks when the travel should occur. 

We have travel insurance (only taken out last week, before we found out we were pregnant). 

We are assuming our midwife will tell us not to travel to the above areas because of Zika virus risk to baby. We have currently only paid our deposit for the holiday, not the remaining balance. 

If we had a letter from a medical professional to state they don't advise the travel, is it potentially likely we might be able to claim the deposit back on our holiday? 

Presumably only one of you is pregnant?

What does the FCDO give as travel advice at the moment on Zika to the areas you are going to? 

What have you committed to pay as a deposit so far (sometimes this more than you have actually paid) and is that total or per person? What is your per person excess on your insurance?

There are a lot of cases on the Financial Ombudsman website about zika and pregnancy. It seems a reasonable proportion of insurers have initially declined a claim given that pregnancy is ultimately a choice and that simply being pregnant doesnt count as a medical condition in itself. The end result has depended on a number of factors but particular focus is given on the FCDO, where they have stated pregnant women should not travel the complaints have almost always been upheld. Where its been more ambiguous then factors like if they were actively trying to get pregnant etc start getting taken into consideration. 

Being pregnant doesnt give you special cancellation rights but sometime people can be sympathetic so it's worth asking if you could defer the holiday if you'd still be up for going after you have a new born. 

Apologies - I did not quite understand - is that complaints from the travellers that have been largely been upheld, or the refusal of the insurers to settle ?

Keep_pedalling

MyRealNameToo said:

35har1old said:

Keep_pedalling said:

I would think that your insurance will not cover this as at the time you took out the policy it was a pre existing condition that would very likely to be showing symptoms at the time you took out the policy. Had you taken out a policy at the time of booking then you would probably be covered. 

Pregnancy is not considered a pre existing condition by most insurance companies unless you develop other conditions due to it

It's not considered a condition full stop. If you go on to develop issues like preeclampsia then that is considered a condition in its own right and its start date will be when you got diagnosis or when you started suffering the symptoms of it not when you got pregnant. 

OK, but I still think it would be regretted, as the insurance company are going to suspect the OP took out rhe policy already knowing they were pregnant just to get their deposit back. 

MyRealNameToo

Keep_pedalling said:

MyRealNameToo said:

35har1old said:

Keep_pedalling said:

I would think that your insurance will not cover this as at the time you took out the policy it was a pre existing condition that would very likely to be showing symptoms at the time you took out the policy. Had you taken out a policy at the time of booking then you would probably be covered. 

Pregnancy is not considered a pre existing condition by most insurance companies unless you develop other conditions due to it

It's not considered a condition full stop. If you go on to develop issues like preeclampsia then that is considered a condition in its own right and its start date will be when you got diagnosis or when you started suffering the symptoms of it not when you got pregnant. 

OK, but I still think it would be regretted, as the insurance company are going to suspect the OP took out rhe policy already knowing they were pregnant just to get their deposit back. 

Certainly in the FOS cases I looked at previously there were questions raised, like in one case the couple had IVF after booking the holiday and buying the insurance. They were fortunate and it was successful but they then wanted to claim for cancelling the holiday. 

That case was upheld, but the FCDO said at the time no travel for pregnant women and the outbreak happened after the IVF plus the claimants said it was NHS funded and either they had it then or they lose funding so it wasnt really a choice for them. 

Spikeygran

Congratulations xx

I'm guessing from the dates the insurers are going to try to claim that you likely knew about the pregnancy when you took out the policy, but try anyway.  I know that not all pregnancies follow a standard pattern so it can be a  complete surprise at times.

I personally wouldn't have flown while pregnant unless it was business or some sort of emergency, so not sure that changing country is the best option.  Its not zero risk, you are stuck on a plane and someone is bound to have something infectious. The extra vaccinations, anti malarials and possible stomach bugs would also be a concern.  Pehaps try for some vouchers from the agent with a long enough date to get baby to 3+ months, and pay for the new insurance now. You will need a holiday by then 

MyRealNameToo

Spikeygran said:

I personally wouldn't have flown while pregnant unless it was business or some sort of emergency, so not sure that changing country is the best option.  It's not zero risk, you are stuck on a plane and someone is bound to have something infectious. The extra vaccinations, anti malarials and possible stomach bugs would also be a concern.  Pehaps try for some vouchers from the agent with a long enough date to get baby to 3+ months, and pay for the new insurance now. You will need a holiday by then 

Insurers will consider FCDO saying not to travel if pregnant but there is no general statement of not flying so that would be a disinclination to travel and not covered by insurance. 

NoodleDoodleMan

Spikeygran said:

Congratulations xx

I'm guessing from the dates the insurers are going to try to claim that you likely knew about the pregnancy when you took out the policy, but try anyway.  I know that not all pregnancies follow a standard pattern so it can be a  complete surprise at times.

I personally wouldn't have flown while pregnant unless it was business or some sort of emergency, so not sure that changing country is the best option.  Its not zero risk, you are stuck on a plane and someone is bound to have something infectious. The extra vaccinations, anti malarials and possible stomach bugs would also be a concern.  Pehaps try for some vouchers from the agent with a long enough date to get baby to 3+ months, and pay for the new insurance now. You will need a holiday by then 

Pregnancy is a complete surprise ? 

Spikeygran

NoodleDoodleMan said:

Spikeygran said:

Congratulations xx

I'm guessing from the dates the insurers are going to try to claim that you likely knew about the pregnancy when you took out the policy, but try anyway.  I know that not all pregnancies follow a standard pattern so it can be a  complete surprise at times.

I personally wouldn't have flown while pregnant unless it was business or some sort of emergency, so not sure that changing country is the best option.  Its not zero risk, you are stuck on a plane and someone is bound to have something infectious. The extra vaccinations, anti malarials and possible stomach bugs would also be a concern.  Pehaps try for some vouchers from the agent with a long enough date to get baby to 3+ months, and pay for the new insurance now. You will need a holiday by then 

Pregnancy is a complete surprise ? 

It can be, some dont get the usual "symptoms" and get to full term. 

NoodleDoodleMan

Spikeygran said:

NoodleDoodleMan said:

Spikeygran said:

Congratulations xx

I'm guessing from the dates the insurers are going to try to claim that you likely knew about the pregnancy when you took out the policy, but try anyway.  I know that not all pregnancies follow a standard pattern so it can be a  complete surprise at times.

I personally wouldn't have flown while pregnant unless it was business or some sort of emergency, so not sure that changing country is the best option.  Its not zero risk, you are stuck on a plane and someone is bound to have something infectious. The extra vaccinations, anti malarials and possible stomach bugs would also be a concern.  Pehaps try for some vouchers from the agent with a long enough date to get baby to 3+ months, and pay for the new insurance now. You will need a holiday by then 

Pregnancy is a complete surprise ? 

It can be, some dont get the usual "symptoms" and get to full term. 

Apologies for not being clearer - unintended consequences is not the same as a complete surprise IMO.