Pregnant women experience all sorts of things. Some of these concerns are pregnancy-related; others are not. The growing bump does not make them immune to other things such as cavities or sprained ankles. Unless the fetus has special healing powers, an expecting mom with a broken bone will need medical attention and she will need disability insurance to cover for that. Unlike other insurance that shy away from currently pregnant women, disability insurance is fairly easy to get even if one is presently carrying a baby. However, most of these have riders that specify that the only coverage an applicant would get is for a disability that is not related to her pregnancy. If she experiences tremendous morning sickness (and every pregnant lady knows that this does not only happen in the morning) and could not go to work because of that, her disability insurance will not cover for it.
A working expecting mom is advised to discuss with her employer the disability insurance that the company offers. This should include coverage for pregnancy and other pregnancy-related disabilities. She has the right to be treated like any other co-worker who happens to be disabled at the time. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act is a federal law that prohibits employers from treating pregnant women differently from any other employee. If the company offers compensation to a disabled employee while on a disability leave, then the company is required to do the same for a pregnant woman with a pregnancy-induced disability on leave. This equal treatment can also mean holding an expecting mom’s job for her while she is on leave.
The best time to get a disability insurance for pregnancy (or any other insurance for that matter) is before one gets pregnant. This is because a lot of complications could arise from a pregnancy so a woman in such a situation is considered high risk and can therefore be legally turned down by most insurance companies. This might not be a helpful statement but it is true. One is better off prepared than get desperate when a time of need comes. A lot of companies out there prey on women in such a situation. They claim to offer discounts (not insurance) on medical bills and some other pregnancy-related fees. Examples of such scams are Maternity Advantage by Affordable Healthcare Options (AHCO) and Ameriplans. These claim to have the biggest network of healthcare providers yet when a member uses the card, she gets turned down and ends up paying for everything herself plus the membership fee.
Disability insurance for pregnancy is very helpful to pregnant women. Since not all companies offer compensated maternity leaves, and a pregnancy-related disability like mandatory bed rest orders from a doctor could start a maternity leave early, this insurance will cover at least part of the lost income. A pregnant working mom needs all the monetary support she could get with all the essential doctor visits and the fees that go along with those. It should be noted though that company-sponsored pregnancy disability insurance may need some documentation like doctor’s signature or note before the coverage could take effect.
