Can I get life insurance while pregnant?

Why should I have life insurance while pregnant?

Buying life insurance while pregnant offers your growing family financial support in case you pass away. If you were to die during or soon after your pregnancy, having your closest family members as your life insurance beneficiaries can help them with your end-of-life expenses and even replace the loss of your income while they're grieving.

When is the best time to buy life insurance while pregnant?

If you begin the life insurance buying process before pregnancy or during the first trimester, you may be more likely to secure better rates and get coverage in case complications develop later in your pregnancy.

Will a high-risk pregnancy impact my insurance rate?

If you already have a life insurance policy, your premium won't increase because of a high-risk pregnancy. However, if you're getting a new policy and you or your baby are at risk for health complications during pregnancy, it could increase your life insurance premium and/or delay your application process.

Common high-risk factors like weight gain and high blood pressure could impact your premium, though some insurers may use your pre-pregnancy weight in your application. For the best rate, consider adding a life insurance policy in your first trimester or before you're expecting. However, if you develop gestational diabetes before getting life insurance, waiting until after pregnancy when it's likely to resolve can help you secure a lower rate.

Choosing a death benefit when buying life insurance for pregnant women

When deciding how much life insurance to get, understand the potential financial needs your family would have if you weren't here. If you work, how would the loss of your income affect your family? If you're a stay-at-home parent, what's the cost of childcare and household tasks? How long do you want to support your family financially after you've passed? Other expenses to consider include:

• Your children's education costs
• Your funeral and other end-of-life expenses
• Your outstanding debt

Pregnancy insurance riders you can add to an existing life policy

There's technically not a "pregnancy insurance rider," but there are spouse and child riders that can provide you with support in case your closest loved ones pass away. If you already have life insurance, it may be possible to add one of these life insurance riders to your policy while you're pregnant. However, some insurers may require you to have added the rider when you purchased the policy.

A child rider can be added to your policy to provide you with a small death benefit in case your child dies while they're covered by the rider, typically until they're 26. A spouse rider works the same way, providing you with a death benefit if your spouse were to pass away. Both riders are typically less expensive than purchasing standalone policies.

How to get life insurance to support your family