Key takeaways

Insurance in France in 60 seconds

What's mandatory

  • Car: third-party (RC obligatoire) for any vehicle on the road. Loi du 27 février 1958.
  • Home: multirisque habitation for tenants of unfurnished rentals. Loi du 6 juillet 1989.
  • Health: optional but strongly recommended (mutuelle covers what Sécurité sociale doesn't).

For expats

  • Most insurers operate only in French. Selected English-speaking partners listed in our hub.
  • Loi Hamon: switch home or car insurance any time after 12 months, no fee, no penalty.
  • Foreign no-claims discount rarely transfers to France : your CRM resets to 1.00.

Types of insurance you'll need in France

As a newcomer to France, three contracts will likely top your to-do list : one mandatory by your bailleur (landlord), one mandatory by the highway code, one optional but socially expected. They are signed locally with a French insurer and attached to a French RIB (bank details).

Home insurance (multirisque habitation)

If you rent an unfurnished property, the law (article 7 g of the loi du 6 juillet 1989) requires you to insure against risques locatifs (fire, water damage, explosion). The standard product that satisfies this : and adds theft, glass breakage, civil liability : is the multirisque habitation, MRH for short. Owners aren't legally bound but every condominium charter (règlement de copropriété) requires civil liability cover. Expect to pay between €100 and €350 per year for a flat. Full home insurance guide.

Car insurance (assurance auto)

Driving without insurance is a criminal offence in France (article L324-2 of the Code de la route): up to €3,750 fine, possible licence suspension and vehicle confiscation. The legal minimum is third-party (RC obligatoire); most drivers upgrade to tous risques (comprehensive) for newer cars. The bonus-malus (CRM) starts at 1.00 for new arrivals and is rarely transferred from a foreign no-claims record. Full car insurance guide.

Health insurance (mutuelle)

France's public Sécurité sociale reimburses 70% of GP visits and a variable share of specialist care, hospital stays, dental and optical bills. The remainder : the ticket modérateur : is what a mutuelle santé covers. It's optional but most employees receive one through their employer at 50% off. For independents, retirees and students, a private mutuelle costs €20–€80 per month depending on age and cover level. We don't yet have a dedicated health hub on this site : for now, our English-speaking insurers list includes mutuelle providers used by expats.

Other useful products

Beyond the big three, expats often subscribe to:

  • Travel insurance (assurance voyage) : bundled with most premium credit cards (Gold Mastercard, Visa Premier).
  • Pet insurance (assurance chien-chat) : useful if you bring a pet from abroad ; covers vet bills and third-party damage.
  • Loan insurance (assurance emprunteur) : mandatory when taking out a French mortgage. Resiliable any time under the Loi Lemoine (2022).
  • Schengen travel insurance : required for visa applicants from non-EU countries.

Choosing your French insurer

The French insurance market includes 24 active retail insurers, broadly grouped into four families. Knowing which family fits your profile helps narrow the field before you compare quotes.

Traditional insurers (assurances historiques)

AXA, Allianz, Generali, Groupama, AGIPI, GAN, MMA. Physical agency network, full product range, more expensive but offer claim assistance in person. Useful if you prefer a face-to-face contact and rarely switch contracts.

Mutuelles (member-owned)

MAIF, Matmut, MACIF, GMF, MAAF. Owned by their policyholders, no shareholders, profit reinvested in lower prices and better claim handling. Often top customer-satisfaction surveys but membership conditions can apply (profession, sector).

Online insurers (assureurs en ligne)

Direct Assurance, Eurofil, L'olivier Assurance, Lovys. No agencies, lower operating costs, prices typically 20–30% cheaper than traditional. Subscription, claim and customer service entirely online or by phone.

Neo-insurers (insurtech)

Luko (home), Lemonade (home, EN-friendly), Acheel (multi-product), Leocare (auto + home), Friday (home). App-first, instant quote, monthly billing, no commitment. Often the most expat-friendly: app and FAQ in English, simplified onboarding, modern claim flows.

Bancassureurs (bank-owned)

Crédit Agricole Assurances (Pacifica), BNP Paribas Cardif, Banque Postale Assurances, Caisse d'Épargne (BPCE). Convenient if you bank with them : single-app management, possible loyalty discount, but rarely the cheapest option.

How we recommend choosing : price first (use our live comparators on the home and car pages), then language support if your French is shaky, then claim-handling reputation. The cheapest contract is often pointless if you can't read the fine print.

Switching insurers : what the law says

French law makes switching home and car insurance painless once your contract is older than 12 months : and the new insurer typically handles the cancellation for you.

Loi Hamon (2014)

After your first 12 months, you can switch your home or car insurance at any time, no fee, no justification needed. The new insurer must take care of the resignation letter to the old one. Switch effective within 30 days. Article L113-15-2 of the Code des assurances. Full step-by-step guide for home.

Loi Châtel (2005)

Your insurer must notify you of the deadline to refuse the upcoming renewal at least 15 days before the end of the notice window. If they fail, you can resign at any time and get a refund of the unused premium.

Mutuelle résiliation infra-annuelle (2019)

Since December 2020, the same after-12-months rule applies to your complementary health insurance. Article L113-15-2 of the Code de la mutualité.

Legitimate motives (any time)

You can resign immediately, even before 12 months, in case of: change of address, marriage / divorce / PACS, change of profession, retirement, sale of the insured asset, or : useful for expats : departure from France with proof of new residence abroad.

Specifics for expats

Five things newcomers learn the hard way :

  1. Your home insurance attestation must be ready before the keys are handed over. The bailleur can refuse to release the property without proof of MRH. Subscribe the day before signing the lease, not after. How to get the attestation.
  2. Foreign no-claims discount rarely transfers. Even with a 30-year clean UK record, most French insurers will start you at CRM 1.00. Direct Assurance, Allianz International and AXA International are the most accommodating. Full breakdown.
  3. Foreign driving licences must be exchanged within 12 months if you become a French resident (and the country is on the reciprocal-exchange list). Failing to do so invalidates your car insurance after the deadline. Driver-licence guide.
  4. Most subscription forms are in French only. Even insurers with English customer service often have French-only quote forms. Plan to either work with an English-speaking advisor (Selectra service is free) or translate the form yourself.
  5. Cash-deposit clauses are common. Some traditional insurers ask for the first year up-front by direct debit on your French RIB. If you don't yet have a French bank account, open one first : neobanks like Boursobank or Revolut work as a stopgap.

Frequently asked questions

Which insurance is mandatory in France ?

Two only : car (third-party at minimum, by the law of 27 February 1958) and home (multirisque habitation for tenants of unfurnished properties, by the law of 6 July 1989). All others : health, life, travel, pet : are optional, however strongly recommended.

Can I find insurance in English in France ?

Some : but not most. Luko, Lemonade, AXA International, Allianz Worldwide and a handful of brokers (April International, Fab French Insurance) offer either English customer service, English quotes, or both. The full list is on our English-speaking insurers page.

Will my UK or US no-claims bonus transfer ?

Rarely automatically. Some insurers accept a translated no-claims discount certificate ("attestation d'antécédents") but most will reset you to CRM 1.00 for the first year, then drop 5% per claim-free year. The 50% bonus floor is reached after 13 years.

How do I cancel a French insurance contract ?

After 12 months, simply tell your new insurer to handle the cancellation under Loi Hamon : they take care of the registered letter and the timing. Before 12 months, you need a legitimate motive (change of address, sale of the asset, departure from France, etc.) with proof.

What to read next