Key takeaways

• • You can typically buy life insurance while pregnant if you aren’t experiencing health complications.
  • If you are further along in your pregnancy or have complications, like gestational diabetes, your insurer may postpone your application until after you’ve given birth.
  • Once your child is born, you can purchase life insurance coverage for them to help make sure they’re able to qualify for life insurance later on.

Can I get life insurance while pregnant?

Of all the reasons people buy life insurance, providing for a child is one of the biggest and most important. Research shows that becoming a new parent means you’re twice as likely to buy life insurance within the next year – and for good reason.

Having a baby comes with new financial responsibilities, from everyday needs, like feeding and clothing, to big goals, like saving for college or buying a larger home to fit your growing family. Your child is depending on you, so ensuring their long-term financial security is critical, no matter what happens to you in the future.

Life insurance can help make sure the money is there to support your child each step of the way, and to help your partner provide for them. In case of your death, a life insurance policy provides a tax-free payout that your family can use to pay for whatever they need, including replacing your income, paying day-to-day expenses, covering the mortgage, or paying down debt.

So when is the right time to buy coverage? Can you get covered while you’re pregnant? While it’s possible to buy life insurance during pregnancy, the best time to buy is early on in your pregnancy or even before you’re expecting. Here’s how it works.

How to Buy Life Insurance While You’re Pregnant

When you apply for life insurance, your health is one of the biggest factors life insurance companies consider to determine your eligibility and rates for coverage. A major medical event, like pregnancy and childbirth, can have a big effect on whether you qualify and the price you’ll pay.

In general, the earlier it is and the fewer complications you have, the better chances you’ll have of getting coverage. During the application process, insurers will look at:

• The stage of pregnancy. Generally, you’ll be able to better qualify early on in your  pregnancy. If you’re further along in your pregnancy, the life insurance company may decline to cover you until after the baby arrives. While this doesn’t prevent you from getting covered later, it does mean you won’t have life insurance coverage during your pregnancy and birth. Applying sooner if you can not only means better rates, but also more peace of mind – so you can focus on all those other exciting to-dos as a parent-to-be.
• Your weight. Anytime you apply for life insurance, insurers consider your weight to help determine your life expectancy and the potential for future health problems. If you apply while you’re still pregnant, many insurance companies will use your pre-pregnancy weight, if you’re still in your first trimester. If you’re in the second or third trimester, or you’ve gained more weight than average, that may factor into your insurance rates or eligibility.
• Health complications. Pregnancy can come with medical issues, even if you were perfectly healthy before. Around 8% of pregnancies involve some form of complication that may harm the baby or mother if left untreated. When you apply, your insurance company will ask if you’re experiencing any complications or had issues during a previous pregnancy. These can include pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, childbirth complications, postpartum depression, or advanced maternal age. If any of these apply to your situation, your insurer may ask you to delay your application until after you’ve given birth, or you may have to pay higher rates.

If you’re thinking about starting a family, the best time to apply for life insurance is before you’re pregnant. Life insurance premiums go up as you get older, and getting covered lets you sidestep issues that may arise once you’re pregnant. In some cases, gestational diabetes or postpartum depression can mean higher rates or difficulties getting covered for several years afterward.

Buying life insurance earlier also ensures that you’re covered during childbirth. While maternal death rates are low in the U.S., it’s still helpful to be protected, just in case.

If you’re already pregnant, it helps to work with a life insurance company that offers a wide range of options. Fidelity Life has a variety of plans based on your individual needs and budget.

Can my life insurance company tell if I’m pregnant?

During the application process, your insurance company will ask you about whether or not you’re pregnant. It’s important to be upfront about this: While the company won’t give you a pregnancy test during the medical exam, it could mean trouble later if it comes out that you weren’t truthful about a pregnancy.

Finding out that you lied could lead to your application being cancelled – or worse, that your family doesn’t get the payout they’re depending on if you die after the policy is approved. If you’re concerned about how pregnancy will affect your eligibility, don’t worry. Fidelity Life is here to help you find a solution that fits you and your family’s needs.

What should I do if I get turned down for life insurance while I’m pregnant?

If medical issues or other complications prevent you from getting covered during or after a pregnancy, you have options. In some cases, you can wait a few months and try again. For example, issues like elevated blood pressure often clear up shortly after childbirth.

If you have a complication that affects your eligibility long-term, like postpartum depression, no medical exam life insurance may be a better fit. Fidelity Life offers a variety of no medical exam options, like simplified issue or guaranteed issue life insurance.

Do my partner and I both need coverage?

Even if you’re a stay-at-home parent, it’s important for both you and your partner to have life insurance once a baby is in the picture. You may not bring in income, but a life insurance payout can help pay for all the things you manage for the household, from childcare to household upkeep. If you died, your spouse would likely need financial support to manage on their own, from paying for daycare to taking time off work for bereavement.

Most insurers will approve you for a coverage amount based on your partner’s income, so talk to an insurance agent about how to best balance coverage between you and your spouse.

Can I get life insurance for my unborn child?

Wondering if life insurance for your child should be part of your financial plan? It’s not possible to cover a child before birth, but buying coverage for a child after they’re born can help ensure they’re able to qualify for their own policy later in life. A life insurance policy can also be a source of savings to help your child achieve long-term financial goals, like paying for college.

Fidelity Life offers a child rider that you can add to a new or existing term life insurance plan. It’s able to cover your newborn baby once they’re at least 15 days old. As far as your own individual plan, think carefully about who to name as beneficiary, or the individual that will receive the payout from your policy. Most people name their partner or spouse, but you may also want to name a secondary beneficiary, in case something happens to the both of you.

Be advised that naming your baby as the beneficiary might not be in their best interest, as most states won’t allow the child to accept the payout until they turn 18. You would need to set up a fund of some kind, such as a trust, to legally manage that money until they were old enough to receive access to it. Another option is to name the potential guardian as the beneficiary until your child is old enough to receive the payout. You can learn all about the beneficiary selection process here.