If you already have critical illness insurance with Vörður, the new additional protection is automatically included.

If not, you simply need to apply for critical illness insurance with us to receive the protection.

You can receive a payment for each pregnancy if a serious incident occurs during pregnancy or childbirth. The incident can be reported via My Pages on Vörður’s website.

The protection applies to those who have critical illness insurance and covers incidents that occur after 15 October 2025, when the change took effect.

If you do not have critical illness insurance with Vörður, you can apply as soon as you know you are expecting a child.

If you already have critical illness insurance, the add-on automatically takes effect from 15 October 2025. If an event covered by the protection occurs after that date, you may be entitled to compensation or counseling sessions with our advisors.

If you were declined critical illness insurance, we also offer a combined life and health insurance for young people, specifically designed with the needs of young people in mind.

The insurance is available to all young individuals without requiring a health declaration. It is valid up to age 39 and has standardized benefit amounts.

The new additional protection for expectant parents is also included in this insurance.

The protection provides compensation if serious incidents occur during pregnancy or childbirth, such as preeclampsia, severe bleeding during childbirth, or pregnancy loss after week 14.

Parents may also receive support counseling from a professional if traumatic events occur during pregnancy or childbirth, for example due to a difficult birth experience or postpartum depression.

The protection applies during pregnancy, childbirth, and until the child reaches 1 year of age.

We recommend that once the child reaches 1 month of age, the child is insured separately with our Child Insurance.

The protection covers incidents specifically listed in the terms of the critical illness insurance. Pregnancy- and childbirth-related incidents include:

• Preeclampsia

• Ectopic pregnancy requiring surgical intervention

• Pregnancy loss after 14+0 weeks and termination of pregnancy following a confirmed fetal abnormality

• Severe morning sickness (hyperemesis gravidarum)

• Severe postpartum hemorrhage

• Severe perineal tear

• Placenta accreta

• Placental abruption

• DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation)

Congenital health conditions of the child include:

• Cerebral palsy (CP)

• Hydrocephalus

• Spina bifida

• Congenital heart defects

• Cleft palate and cleft lip

• Severe congenital structural defects of the abdominal wall or diaphragm

• Chromosomal abnormalities

• Clubfoot and severe limb abnormalities

• Severe oxygen deprivation during childbirth

• Other rare diseases that meet specific conditions

Pregnancy and Parental Protection provides financial protection for various incidents that may arise during pregnancy, childbirth, or if a child is diagnosed with a congenital health condition.

• Compensation for pregnancy- and childbirth-related incidents: ISK 1,000,000

• Compensation for a child’s congenital health condition: ISK 1,000,000

• In addition, the company provides insured parents with support counseling from a professional, up to a maximum of 5 sessions.

Compensation for pregnancy- and childbirth-related incidents is paid once per pregnancy. If a child is diagnosed with a congenital health condition, benefits are paid for each affected child.

The new add-on is free of charge and does not increase the premium of the health insurance.

The protection applies to everyone insured with critical illness insurance at Vörður—regardless of age or family status.

Support counseling includes up to five sessions with a service provider contracted by Vörður.

The service aims to support the insured in processing difficult events related to pregnancy or childbirth.

These sessions can be crucial when a family faces trauma or challenging circumstances. The sessions are covered by the protection and give parents the opportunity to work through their experiences with professional support.

Support counseling includes up to five sessions with a service provider contracted by Vörður.

Support counseling is the part of Pregnancy and Parental Protection that focuses on mental and emotional support offered to parents if traumatic events occur during pregnancy or childbirth. These include:

• A compensable pregnancy- or childbirth-related incident or a diagnosis of a congenital health condition in the child

• Pregnancy-related or postpartum depression

• Pregnancy loss before 14+0 weeks

• Difficult or traumatic birth experience

• Emergency cesarean section

• Intimate partner violence

• Complications from cerebrospinal fluid leakage following spinal anesthesia (e.g. spinal headache)

• Very preterm birth, i.e. a child born before week 32 of pregnancy

• Multiple pregnancy involving more than two children

• In the event of pregnancy loss, the insured may also request support counseling for their children, taking into account age and circumstances.

If illness or serious incidents occur during pregnancy, childbirth, or after birth, parents may be entitled to support from various parties such as the state, trade unions, or employers. Your rights depend on whether you are an employee, self-employed, or a student.

Pregnancy and Parental Protection provides financial and psychological support for specific serious incidents that may occur during pregnancy, childbirth, or after birth—events that can significantly affect parents’ physical or mental well-being.

Payments from the protection are in addition to any other rights parents may have, for example from an employer, trade union, or public authorities. It does not matter whether you are entitled to full benefits under a collective agreement; the protection is based on the incident itself and provides support regardless of other payments.

More information about general rights can be found on island.is, including:

• Sick leave rights during pregnancy  As an employee, you are entitled to sick pay according to your collective agreement, regardless of whether you are pregnant. If you have fully used this right, your trade union may provide additional support.

• Extended parental leave due to illness  If the parent carrying the child becomes unable to care for the child during parental leave due to serious illness related to pregnancy or childbirth, parental leave or parental benefits may be extended.

• Bereavement benefits  Parents who lose a child under the age of 18, including stillbirth after 22 weeks or pregnancy loss after 18 weeks, are entitled to bereavement leave or bereavement benefits.

• Sick leave due to a child’s illness  If a child becomes seriously ill or has a long-term illness, collective agreements ensure the right to paid leave for childcare.

  • Please note that rights under collective agreements apply only to employees, not for example to self-employed individuals or students.

• If you contribute to a trade union sickness fund, you may be entitled to payments from it due to a child’s illness.

• The State Social Security Administration may also provide care allowances if a child becomes seriously ill or has a long-term illness.