Insurance in France
Public health cover comes from CPAM and your health insurance card (carte Vitale), but most residents add complementary health insurance (mutuelle) to cover the gap. Car (assurance auto) and home (assurance habitation) insurance are legally required, and the Hamon law (loi Hamon) lets you cancel most policies after one year. French insurers are supervised by the ACPR. The guides below walk through each type of cover and how to compare providers.
Jules
Founder, How to France, the complete guide for living or visiting France
Updated: July 8 2026 | Found helpful by 8 others
How Does the French Insurance System Work?
Insurance in France mixes public and private cover. Health starts with affiliation to l'Assurance Maladie (PUMa, protection universelle maladie), which reimburses part of your care through the carte Vitale; most residents add a private mutuelle santé to cover the remainder. Everyday risks like your car and home are handled by private insurers (assureurs). The sector is supervised by the ACPR (Autorité de contrôle prudentiel et de résolution), and the trade body France Assureurs publishes market data. Official rules and reimbursement rates are on service-public.fr. The loi Hamon lets you cancel most policies at any time after the first year.
What Insurance Is Mandatory vs. Optional in France?
Mandatory (Assurance Obligatoire)
Car liability cover (assurance au tiers) is required for every vehicle. Tenants must hold home insurance (assurance habitation, the multirisque habitation or MRH). And everyone who lives in France on a stable, regular basis must be affiliated to l'Assurance Maladie (PUMa) for health cover.
Strongly Recommended
A mutuelle santé (complémentaire santé) covers what the public system does not. Responsabilité civile, usually bundled into your MRH, protects you if you accidentally harm someone or their property. Protection juridique (legal protection) helps with disputes and legal costs.
Optional
Life insurance (assurance vie), pet insurance (assurance animaux), standalone legal protection, and dental top-ups are optional. They can be worthwhile depending on your situation, but no law requires them.
What Should Expats Know About Insurance in France?
New arrivals affiliate to l'Assurance Maladie through PUMa once they are settled, then receive a carte Vitale. Until cover is active, private or international health insurance bridges the gap, and it is often required for a visa. Landlords will ask tenants for proof of home insurance (attestation d'assurance habitation) before you get the keys, and you cannot register a car without at least assurance au tiers. Many contracts and provider sites are in French only, so use the loi Hamon to switch once you have compared offers.