By Foreign no-claims in France in 60 seconds
The default reality
- French CRM resets to 1.00 on arrival : your foreign no-claims doesn't transfer automatically.
- Costs you €200-€500 extra per year compared to a maximum-bonus driver.
- Takes 13 claim-free years in France to reach the 50% bonus floor.
What helps
- Get an attestation d'antécédents from your foreign insurer.
- Translate it by a sworn translator (traducteur assermenté).
- Pick a flexible insurer : Direct Assurance, Allianz International, AXA International.
How does the French CRM work ?
The coefficient de réduction-majoration (CRM) is the multiplier applied to your base premium based on your claim history. Article A121-1 of the Code des assurances defines the mechanism :
- Starts at 1.00 for a new driver or new arrival in France ;
- Multiplied by 0.95 per claim-free year (5% reduction) ;
- Multiplied by 1.25 per at-fault claim (25% surcharge) ;
- Floor at 0.50 (maximum 50% bonus, reached after 13 claim-free years) ;
- Ceiling at 3.50 (maximum 250% surcharge for serial offenders) ;
- Follows the main driver, not the vehicle.
Mathematical example for a new arrival paying €600 base premium :
- Year 1 (CRM 1.00) : €600 ;
- Year 2 (CRM 0.95) : €570 ;
- Year 3 (CRM 0.90) : €540 ;
- ...
- Year 13 (CRM 0.50) : €300.
A 50%-bonused 30-year UK driver coming to France can pay twice what they paid back home : purely because the bonus is reset.
Why doesn't the no-claims bonus transfer automatically ?
The CRM is a French regulatory mechanism, not an internationally-shared system. Each country has its own no-claims discount scheme (UK NCD, US safe-driver discount, Italian "bonus malus" Italian-version, etc.) with different rules, scales and thresholds.
Specifically :
- UK NCD uses years (1-9+) ; French CRM uses a multiplier (1.00 to 0.50) ;
- US discount varies by state and insurer ; no national standard ;
- EU directives require recognition between EU member-state insurers, but France implemented this loosely : in practice insurers vary wildly in their interpretation ;
- French insurers aren't legally obliged to recognise foreign records (with exceptions for EU drivers under directive 2009/103/CE).
The result : insurers are free to accept, partially recognise, or reject foreign no-claims records based on their internal policy. Most reject by default ; some recognise selectively.
What to do : the practical steps
1. Get an "attestation d'antécédents" from your foreign insurer
Contact your former insurer (UK, US, etc.) and request a written certificate stating :
- Your name, address, date of birth ;
- Vehicle details ;
- Cover dates (start and end) ;
- Number of years of cover ;
- List of claims (dates, amounts, fault determination) : or "no claims during the period" ;
- Equivalent of a "no-claims bonus" or claim-free record.
In the UK, this document is called a "no-claims discount certificate" or "renewal letter". In the US, an "experience letter" or "driving record". In Australia, "letter of clearance".
2. Translate by a sworn translator
If the document isn't already in French, get it translated by a traducteur assermenté (sworn translator). Cost : €30-€80 per page. Find a sworn translator via the official list of the Cour d'appel.
For UK and English-speaking countries, some French insurers accept the original English document without translation : but a translation removes any ambiguity.
3. Pick a flexible insurer
Some French insurers are more open than others. From most to least flexible :
- Direct Assurance (AXA) : explicit policy on foreign no-claims, partial recognition based on years ;
- Allianz International : expat-focused, often recognises foreign records ;
- AXA International : similar to Allianz International ;
- GAN Eurocourtage : niche broker, accommodating ;
- Generali, MMA, MAAF : case by case ;
- MAIF, Matmut, GMF : almost never recognise foreign records ;
- Mutuelles in general : strict on member status, less flexible.
4. Negotiate the discount
When subscribing, present the attestation upfront. Some insurers will :
- Apply a commercial discount equivalent to a CRM bonus (e.g. start at 0.85 instead of 1.00) ;
- Recognise the years partially (e.g. 5 years credit for a 10-year UK record) ;
- Apply a flat discount on the first-year premium ;
- Refuse but offer a competitive base price.
It's worth getting 3-5 quotes with the attestation included to see who offers the best treatment.
For EU drivers : a slightly better situation
EU directive 2009/103/CE requires French insurers to recognise the no-claims record of drivers from other EU/EEA member states. In practice :
- You can request the recognition of your EU no-claims record ;
- The insurer can apply their own scale for converting it to a French CRM ;
- Most insurers convert at partial value : e.g. 10 years EU = CRM 0.70-0.80 instead of 0.50 ;
- You'll need an attestation from your former EU insurer in French, English, German or Spanish.
Brexit changed this for UK drivers : the directive no longer applies, but the bilateral UK-France 2021 agreement maintained partial reciprocity in practice.
Which insurers accept a foreign no-claims record ?
There is no public list of insurers that "accept foreign CRM" because the answer is not binary : every insurer applies its own internal rules and these rules depend on your country of origin (UK, US, Australia, etc. — see our country-by-country moving-to-France guides) (UK, US, Australia, EU member state…), the type of attestation you can produce, the vehicle and the driver's age. The same insurer may give a 30% discount to a UK driver with a translated NCD certificate and zero discount to an Australian driver with the same paperwork.
The only reliable way to find out is to call several insurers with your specific profile in hand. The Selectra advisor service does this in your name :
- Speaks English, knows the underwriting rules of the partner panel.
- Pre-qualifies your CRM acceptance with each insurer before generating a quote (saves you 5+ phone calls).
- Returns the actual final premium across the panel — including the partial CRM credit when the insurer grants it.
If your insurer refuses to recognise your bonus
If no flexible insurer offers a meaningful discount, your options :
- Negotiate the base premium directly : focus on the absolute price, not the CRM. Some insurers offer welcome discounts that compensate for the CRM gap.
- Pick a third-party tier initially to lower the absolute premium, switch to comprehensive after 2-3 years when your CRM has dropped.
- Use pay-as-you-drive if you genuinely drive less than 8,000 km/year : bypasses the CRM impact.
- Add an experienced French driver as the main driver of the contract (if a spouse, family member or partner has bonus). The CRM follows the main driver.
- Build the bonus over time : 13 years of claim-free driving in France gets you to 0.50. Patience pays.
Impact of foreign claims on your French CRM
The flip side : foreign at-fault claims usually DON'T transfer either. So a UK driver with one at-fault claim in the past 5 years often arrives at French CRM 1.00 (no recognition either way), not 1.25.
However, if you provide the attestation d'antécédents proactively, the insurer may apply the foreign at-fault history. Strategy :
- If your record is clean : provide the attestation, hope for partial recognition of the bonus ;
- If you have at-fault claims : weigh whether providing the attestation helps (partial bonus) or hurts (recognised at-fault penalty). Get quotes both ways.
Frequently asked questions
What CRM do I get as a new arrival ?
By default, 1.00 (no bonus). Some insurers apply partial discount with foreign no-claims certificate.
How much extra will I pay ?
Compared to a 50%-bonus driver : €200-€500 per year for the same vehicle and cover. The gap closes by 5% per claim-free year.
Does the EU directive help ?
For EU drivers : yes, French insurers must recognise EU no-claims (directive 2009/103/CE). In practice : partial recognition, varying by insurer. UK drivers post-Brexit : no longer covered by the directive but a 2021 bilateral agreement applies.
Which insurers are flexible ?
Direct Assurance, Allianz International, AXA International, GAN Eurocourtage are the most accommodating. Mutuelles (MAIF, Matmut, GMF) are typically strict.
How much does the attestation cost ?
From your foreign insurer : usually free or a small fee (£5-£20 in the UK). Sworn translation in French : €30-€80 per page.
How fast does the CRM drop ?
5% per claim-free year. After 3 years : 14% bonus. After 5 years : 23% bonus. After 13 years : 50% bonus (the floor). Provided no at-fault claims.