Insurance
In France, there are two general types of insurance: 1) property insurance, which covers potential risks to your housing, vehicle, and phone, for example, and 2) personal insurance, which covers potential risks intrinsic to daily life (e.g., illness, hospitalisation, situations of personal liability). Having insurance is essential for everyone.
Health insurance
France’s public health insurance system (l’Assurance Maladie) partially covers your health care expenses. However, you can bump up the reimbursement rate, sometimes to nearly 100%, by signing up for private complementary health insurance.
Personal liability insurance
Personal liability insurance (assurance responsabilité civile) covers harm and/or damage experienced by third parties due to any of the following:
- carelessness or negligence on your part
- the actions of your children, if they live with you (normally, adult children living in your home are also covered)
- the actions of any older relatives living with you
- the actions of household employees
- the actions of any pets you own or care for
- the use of objects you own, have borrowed, or have rented
- the state of your residence (e.g., because of poor maintenance or a construction defect)
If you sign up for a multirisk home insurance policy, personal liability coverage is included.
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Home insurance
Before moving into a house or apartment, you must obtain home insurance. Most people choose multirisk home insurance, which includes a range of coverage types. It protects against losses due to property damage (home and furniture), whether or not you are at fault. It also covers damage to your home as well as to your neighbours’ homes.
If you are renting, the lessor will ask for proof of insurance before handing over the keys. This type of insurance must be renewed annually (a process that is often automatic).
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Car insurance
Mandatory vehicle insurance: This type of insurance, also known as third-party liability insurance (assurance au tiers), is the minimum amount of coverage that you need to have if you take a motorised vehicle out on the road (e.g., a car, a motorbike, a motorcycle, a quad, or a riding lawn mower). It covers any injury or damage that the vehicle causes to third parties, such as passengers, pedestrians, other vehicles, or buildings. Damage to your own vehicle is not covered.
Driving without insurance is illegal. If you are stopped by the police and found to be driving uninsured, you will be fined €3,750. There may also be additional penalties.
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Comprehensive car insurance: Comprehensive car insurance (tous risques) offers more complete coverage. For example, you may be fully covered in the event of any bodily injury/property damage you experience due to an accident in which you are at fault.
There are two key advantages to this insurance type:
- regardless of whether you are liable or not, all injury and damage is covered (for you and for any third parties)
- in the event of a natural disaster or terrorist attack, any damage to your vehicle is fully covered
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