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Does Insurance Cover Surrogacy? What Is Covered, What Is Not, and What It Costs

Written by Pooja Patel, MD — MBBS (Seth G.S. Medical College & K.E.M. Hospital); Fellowship in Embryology; Manager, Surrogacy4All. Dr. Patel manages surrogate screening, matching and journey coordination at Surrogacy4All’s New York program. Medically reviewed by Rashmi Gulati, MD — Board Certified, Internal Medicine; Medical Advisor, Surrogacy4All; privileges at Mount Sinai Hospital.
Last updated: 27 August  2026
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Summary

Health insurance covers surrogacy only in part. The surrogate’s own plan may cover her pregnancy, may exclude surrogate pregnancies explicitly, or may require a rider; the intended parents’ plan almost never covers the surrogate. IVF and embryo transfer are covered only where the intended parents have fertility benefits. Insurance for the pregnancy typically costs $5,000–$10,000 within Surrogacy4All’s program totals of $120,000–$180,000; a purchased policy is quoted separately. Surrogacy4All is NYS-licensed (GSP220903), physician-led, operating since 2006.
Fact Value
Surrogate's pregnancy Covered by her plan if no surrogacy exclusion; otherwise a policy is purchased
IVF / transfer Covered only by the intended parents' fertility benefits
Newborn Intended parents' plan from birth (add within 30 days)
Typical insurance cost in program $5,000–$10,000
Purchased exchange policy Quoted separately; premiums + deductible
Program cost From $120,000; totals $120,000–$180,000
License / registration GSP220903; FDA FEI #3021544308
Locations New York, Toronto, Accra
Insurance is the line in a surrogacy budget that intended parents most often get wrong, because it involves three different people’s coverage and none of them was designed with surrogacy in mind. This guide separates the three questions — who covers the surrogate’s pregnancy, who covers the IVF, and who covers the baby — and explains how we settle the first one before you match.

Does the surrogate's health insurance cover a surrogate pregnancy?

Sometimes. Employer plans and exchange plans cover maternity care as an essential benefit, but many now carry an exclusion for pregnancies carried under a surrogacy arrangement, and some go further and claim a lien on the surrogate’s compensation for any maternity costs paid. Other plans have no exclusion and cover the pregnancy like any other. The only way to know is to read the plan document — not the summary, the full certificate of coverage — for surrogacy language.

 

At Surrogacy4All we obtain the surrogate’s policy documents during screening and have them reviewed by a surrogacy insurance specialist before we present her to intended parents. You are told, before you match, whether her plan covers the pregnancy, excludes it, or is ambiguous, and what the budget consequence is.

What if her plan excludes surrogacy?

A surrogacy-friendly policy is purchased for the pregnancy. Options are an ACA exchange plan in her state that has no surrogacy exclusion (bought in open enrollment or, if she qualifies, a special enrollment period), or a specialty surrogacy maternity policy from a carrier that writes them. Costs vary by state and plan and are quoted separately from program totals: premiums for the coverage period plus the deductible and out-of-pocket maximum, which the intended parents cover. Our state table shows where exchange plans are cheapest.

Does insurance cover IVF and the embryo transfer?

Only if the intended parents have fertility benefits — through an employer plan, a state mandate that applies to their plan, or a fertility benefits provider. Nineteen states have some form of infertility coverage mandate, but most exclude gestational carrier cycles or exempt self-funded employer plans. Employer fertility benefits are the more common route: hundreds of US employers now cover IVF and, increasingly, surrogacy reimbursement; our fertility benefits database lists them. Without benefits, the transfer cycle is paid directly: $6,000–$12,000 per frozen embryo transfer including the surrogate’s medications.

Does the intended parents' insurance cover the surrogate?

No. A health plan covers its members; the surrogate is not your dependent. Some intended parents’ plans reimburse surrogacy expenses as a benefit (this is the employer benefit above), but they do not insure the surrogate’s pregnancy directly.

Who covers the baby?

The baby is added to the intended parents’ health plan from birth, usually within 30 days, under the parentage order and birth certificate. In pre-birth-order states this is routine; in post-birth-order states the surrogate’s plan may be billed for the first days and reconciled afterward. NICU care in the first days can be billed to either plan depending on state and timing, which is one reason the hospital is notified of the parentage order before delivery.

What is complications insurance for the surrogate?

A separate policy that pays the surrogate for medical complications arising from the pregnancy after her health coverage ends, and covers loss of reproductive organs. It is standard in a gestational carrier agreement, is purchased before transfer, and costs a few hundred to a few thousand dollars depending on the limits. A life insurance policy for the surrogate is purchased at the same time.

What does surrogacy insurance cost in total?

Scenario Surrogate's plan Purchased policy Complications + life Deductible/OOP covered by IPs Typical total
Her plan covers, low deductible Yes — $1,000–$2,000 $2,000–$4,000 $5,000–$6,000
Her plan covers, high deductible Yes — $1,000–$2,000 $6,000–$8,000 $8,000–$10,000
Her plan excludes No Quoted separately $1,000–$2,000 Per plan Program total + quote
Within Surrogacy4All’s program totals, insurance is typically $5,000–$10,000 when the surrogate’s own plan covers the pregnancy (deductible, out-of-pocket, complications and life policies). When a policy must be purchased, the premiums and deductible are quoted separately at consultation, because they depend on her state and the plans available in the enrollment window.

How do we check a surrogate's insurance before matching?

  • Obtain the full certificate of coverage and the summary of benefits.
  • Specialist review for surrogacy exclusions, liens on compensation, and network restrictions near her OB and hospital.
  • Written determination: covers · excludes · ambiguous.
  • If excludes or ambiguous: identify the purchase option, its enrollment window, and cost.
  • Result stated in the match profile and reflected in your budget.

Frequently asked questions

A: Specific requirements for surrogates in California include being between 21-40 years old, having a BMI within a healthy range, being a non-smoker, having at least one healthy child, and passing medical and psychological evaluations.

A: Partly: the surrogate’s plan may cover her pregnancy; IVF is covered only with fertility benefits; the baby goes on the intended parents’ plan from birth.

A: If her plan has no surrogacy exclusion, yes; otherwise a policy is purchased.

A: Typically $5,000–$10,000 within program totals; a purchased policy is quoted separately.

A: No; she is not your dependent.

A: Only through fertility benefits or a state mandate that applies to your plan and includes gestational carrier cycles.

A: Only through fertility benefits or a state mandate that applies to your plan and includes gestational carrier cycles.

A: Plan language excluding maternity coverage for pregnancies carried under a surrogacy agreement, sometimes with a lien on compensation.

A: No, surrogates on public assistance are not accepted, and Medicaid must not be used for a compensated surrogacy.

Related pages

Talk to a physician-led team

Free consultation with our medical and matching team. Call (212) 661-7673, email info@surrogacy4all.com, or request a call back.

    Apply to become a surrogate
    Written by Pooja Patel, MD — MBBS (Seth G.S. Medical College & K.E.M. Hospital); Fellowship in Embryology; Manager, Surrogacy4All. Dr. Patel manages surrogate screening, matching and journey coordination at Surrogacy4All’s New York program. Medically reviewed by Rashmi Gulati, MD — Board Certified, Internal Medicine; Medical Advisor, Surrogacy4All; privileges at Mount Sinai Hospital.
    Last updated: 27 August  2026
    Meet our team

    Surrogacy4All · DGA, Inc. · 1148 5th Ave 1C, New York, NY 10128 · (212) 661-7673 · info@surrogacy4all.com · NYS Surrogacy Program License GSP220903 · NYS Tissue Bank License ID 1570 · FDA-registered (FEI 3021544308) · Clinics in New York, Toronto and Accra.

    Begin Your Journey to Having a Baby with Us and Our Affiliated Physicians at Surrogacy4All

    Our job is to listen, to connect the dots between your needs, and to determine how we can best help you have your baby. If you’re asking how much does it cost for a surrogate, we’ll walk you through every step of the process to ensure there are no surprises.

    To make an appointment with one of our counselors or physicians, please call (212) 661-7673 or email info@surrogacy4all.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

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