For new arrivals: the French like insurance; many different scenarios require policies you may or may not have carried back home. Here's how to make sure you are properly insured while living in France.

The French insurance market offers a wide choice of companies and policies to choose from. All the major companies can offer an umbrella policy for all your needs although you can also pay for policies à la carte.

Insurance is a legal requirement for vehicles (assurance automobile),  homes whether you rent or own (assurance pour la maison also called assurance d'habitation), for civil liability (assurance responsabilité civile), and for school-age children (assurance scolaire).

Participating in the state health coverage system is a requirement for residency; private insurance policies that will cover whatever Social Security does not are called mutuelle (see 'A guide to healthcare in France').

If you are an employee of a major firm or institution, it is well worth asking the HR department whether the company has agreement with a particular carrier to offer lower than usual tarifs.

Otherwise, the best plan is to visit the individual insurance company shops. It is worth noting that the major French hypermarket chains, such as Carrefour and Auchan, have also begun offering very competitive insurance rates.

Home

You are legally required to insure your home, whether you rent or own

You are legally required to insure your home, whether you rent or own, and must have your policy in hand before moving in; the policy will cover any damage to your home, such as fire or water damage, and any risks of damage that an accident at your home might cause to someone else's residence. (For example, if your apartment's bathtub leaks into the ceiling of the apartment downstairs.) 

Most policies are comprehensive, insuring you also against theft, assurance multirisques habitation.

You will be asked a standard list of questions about the property, including the number of square meters, but most companies will not require an agent's visit before signing the contract. Fire alarms are not required by either French law or most insurers.

 It is strongly advisable to make sure you understand the small print of any policy, especially regarding what weather risks are covered and for how much.

Recent years have seen an alarming number of natural catastrophes in some regions, particularly fires and flooding in the south of the country, including in urban areas. Don't leave anything to chance.

Any of the major companies are reputable, and the only significant difference in policies will probably be between rates.

Some companies will offer discounts if you choose them for multiple policies.

Vehicle

All vehicles in France must be insured, even if they are not in use. When taking out a policy, you will be issued with a certificate testifying to the validity of your insurance, certificat d'assurance; this must be fixed clearly visible on your vehicle windscreen.

You must at all times carry a document proving your car is insured

Policies are either third party (au tiers) or comprehensive (tous risques). Whenever you drive your vehicle, you are legally required to carry — along with your car registration papers — a document, attestation d’assurance, issued by your carrier proving you are insured.

Don't leave these papers in the glove compartment; if your car is stolen and you cannot produce these papers, even if the reason is because they were in the car at the time it was taken, your insurer may not be required to honour the contract.

Your insurer will also issue you with a nationally standard form, un constat amiable d'accident, to fill in the event of an accident.

It provides space to fill in insurance details, a written and graphic description of the accident, and it must be completed and signed by both you and the other party involved. It is a carbon copy sheet, and both parties send their copy back to their respective insurer to establish responsibility.

French car insurance carries a no-claims bonus system. This can result in some drivers offering to pay directly for damage they cause, so as to avoid an increase in the cost of their policy.

If ever you accept such an offer, you are strongly advised to still fill in the constat amiable for some back-up protection against the other party defaulting on the deal.

Insure your child against injuries at school

Civil liability, school insurance

Under French law, you must carry a civil liability policy to cover any accidental damages you cause to another person or another person's property.

In most cases civil liability is covered with a comprehensive home policy – but always make certain of this.

Likewise, your child must also be specifically insured under an assurance scolaire policy; while not strictly mandatory for school attendence, it is required for any activities outside the official curriculum including field trips of any kind as well as extracurricular sports.

As with your civil liability policy, the assurance scolaire protects against any injury your child sustains as well as any damage they cause to school property, or another child, both at school and during after-school activities and even, according to the policy, on the way back-and-forth to school.

The school will ask you for an attestation d'assurance scolaire when you register them for classes; note that the transport company's insurance covers your child on school buses.

Again, check your home policy to see if assurance scolaire is included.

If not, most insurance companies offer policies running from about EUR 30; the majority of pupils have such a separate policy, which sometimes also provides for private tutoring or other services if a child is sick or injured and cannot attend regular classes for a period of time.

Life insurance

Watch out for a faux-ami here: assurance de vie refers to a savings programme that sets aside and invests money for retirement or other long-term financial projects. Insurance that will pay a premium to your family in case of your death is called, most practically, assurance décès.

If you are employed, you may well be automatically signed up for a policy; check with your HR department.

If you want to research a private policy, there is a huge spectrum of coverage including accident, long-term disability or simply a policy to cover funeral expenses, assurance obsèques.

If you are a home-owner, check with your bank about the mortgage insurance that comes with any sizable home-loan; it is intended to protect both the bank and your family by paying off the outstanding mortgage in case of your death.

Major French insurance companies

AGF

AXA Assurances

AZUR Assurances

GMF

MAAF Assurances

MACIF Assurances (look for English-language version of the site)

MAE

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UPDATED September 2006

© Expatica France

Subject: Living in France, Survival Guide, insurance, assurance