Updated June 2026. Assurance habitation is mandatory for tenants in France, who must hold at least a risques locatifs / responsabilité civile policy and show an attestation at the état des lieux. The standard product is multirisque habitation (MRH), bundling fire, water damage, theft, and third-party liability cover (responsabilité civile). Each claim carries an excess / deductible (franchise). Cover is strongly recommended for owners, and you can switch insurer freely after 12 months under the Hamon law (loi Hamon).
Key takeaways
- Tenants must be insured (at least risques locatifs / responsabilité civile); owners are strongly advised to be, and copropriété owners must carry responsabilité civile.
- Multirisque habitation (MRH) bundles fire, water damage (dégât des eaux), theft, and responsabilité civile.
- The attestation d'assurance habitation is required at the état des lieux and can be requested again each year.
- The franchise is the amount you pay out of pocket on a claim before the insurer pays.
- Loi Hamon lets you cancel any time after 12 months; insurers are supervised by the ACPR.
Is home insurance mandatory in France?
For tenants (locataires), yes. Assurance habitation is legally mandatory for anyone renting an unfurnished primary residence, and in practice for most furnished lets too. The legal minimum is cover for risques locatifs, the damage you could cause to the rented property, paired with responsabilité civile. Your landlord can require proof at the état des lieux at move-in and again each year. Insurers offering this cover are supervised by the ACPR.
For owners (propriétaires), home insurance is strongly recommended but not universally compulsory, except that an owner in a copropriété (condominium) is legally required to hold at least responsabilité civile. A landlord who lets out a property is also wise to insure it for responsabilité civile propriétaire non-occupant. General rules are explained on service-public.fr.
What does MRH cover?
The standard product is multirisque habitation (MRH), a bundled policy that goes well beyond the legal minimum. It packages fire (incendie), water damage (dégât des eaux), theft (vol), broken glass (bris de glace), and storm and natural-disaster (catastrophes naturelles) cover, together with responsabilité civile for harm you cause to others. Dégât des eaux is the single most common claim in French homes, which is why MRH is built around it.
Every guarantee carries a franchise, the amount you pay out of pocket before the insurer pays the rest. A higher franchise lowers your premium but raises your cost per claim. Optional garanties such as protection juridique and cover for valuables (objets de valeur) can be added, and contents are insured up to the capital mobilier you declare.
Tenants: don't under-declare your contents
What is the attestation and franchise?
The attestation d'assurance habitation is the certificate proving your home is insured. Your landlord asks for it at the état des lieux when you move in, and can require an updated copy once a year. Without it, a landlord may take out a policy on your behalf and charge the premium back to you, or, after formal notice, move toward ending the lease, so most insurers issue the attestation instantly when you subscribe.
The franchise is the fixed amount that stays your responsibility on each claim. It interacts with your dépôt de garantie (security deposit): if an insured incident such as a dégât des eaux causes damage, your policy can pay for the repair rather than the cost being deducted from your deposit at the final état des lieux.
Which assurance habitation providers should you compare?
The French market includes member-owned insurers (mutuelles) like MAIF, top-rated for customer satisfaction and claims handling, Macif, strong on competitive pricing, Matmut, and GMF, large insurers like AXA, with its large agency network, Allianz, Groupama, strong on rural cover, and Pacifica (Crédit Agricole Assurances), a major mainstream home insurer alongside the Covéa group (MAAF, MMA, GMF). A wave of digital home insurtechs, such as Luko by Allianz Direct, well reviewed for fast online sign-up, Lemonade, Leocare, and Acheel, competes on price and a fully online experience, alongside bank-linked offers from the likes of Banque Postale and the major retail banks. Comparators let you line up quotes side by side, though they show only their partner panels, so it is worth checking a few insurers directly too.
MAIF Assurance Habitation
MAIF is a mutuelle repeatedly cited for top-rated customer satisfaction and claims handling, with comprehensive cover for everyday risks. It offers clear multirisque habitation formules for tenants and owners, with strong responsabilité civile and assistance options.
Why we recommend it: A mutuelle rated top for customer satisfaction and claims handling, with clear multirisque habitation formules for tenants and owners and comprehensive everyday cover.
Pros
- +Top-rated customer satisfaction and claims handling
- +Comprehensive cover for everyday risks, tenants and owners
- +Instant attestation d'assurance habitation
Cons
- −Premiums above the cheapest online rivals
- −Mutuelle membership model differs from classic insurers
- Fire, water damage, theft, and responsabilité civile
- Franchise and capital mobilier set per contract
- Supervised by the ACPR
Macif Assurance Habitation
Macif is a large mutuelle cited for competitive pricing and a strong balance of value and service, offering multirisque habitation with flexible options for renters. Its tenant formules cover risques locatifs and responsabilité civile with a quick online attestation.
Why we recommend it: A large mutuelle with competitive pricing and a strong value-and-service balance on multirisque habitation, suited to expats who want simple, comprehensive cover.
Pros
- +Competitive pricing with a strong value-and-service balance
- +Risques locatifs and responsabilité civile included
- +Responsive claims handling and quick online attestation
Cons
- −Complex cases can take longer to resolve
- −Mutuelle model differs from classic insurers
- Multirisque habitation for tenants and owners
- Dégât des eaux and theft cover
- Supervised by the ACPR
AXA Assurance Habitation
AXA is one of France's largest insurers, with a large agency network and broad MRH options well suited to larger homes. Add-ons such as protection juridique and assistance can be layered onto cover for owners and tenants alike, and English-language support helps expats.
Why we recommend it: A large insurer with a large agency network and broad MRH options, including protection juridique and assistance add-ons, with English-language support for expats.
Pros
- +Large agency network and flexible policies for larger homes
- +Wide range of optional garanties and protection juridique
- +English-language and expat-friendly support
Cons
- −Premiums often run higher than the market average
- −Add-ons can make quotes harder to compare
- Fire, water damage, theft, and responsabilité civile
- Protection juridique and assistance options
- Supervised by the ACPR
Luko by Allianz Direct
Luko, now part of Allianz Direct, is a digital home insurer well reviewed for fast online setup and competitive prices. Its quick online sign-up suits renters and owners who want a multirisque habitation contract managed entirely from an app, backed by Allianz.
Why we recommend it: A digital home insurer with fast online setup and competitive prices, now backed by Allianz Direct, suited to renters and owners happy to manage cover in an app.
Pros
- +Fast online setup and quick sign-up
- +Competitive prices for everyday home cover
- +Backed by Allianz Direct
Cons
- −Fewer customisation options than traditional insurers
- −Mostly digital support
- Multirisque habitation for tenants and owners
- Dégât des eaux and theft cover
- Supervised by the ACPR
Acheel Assurance Habitation
Acheel is a fully online insurer cited for very low starting prices and low-cost, modular cover. Its flexible formules let you adjust your multirisque habitation to fit a budget, suiting cost-conscious renters and owners who want a straightforward, affordable contract.
Why we recommend it: A fully online insurer with very low starting prices and modular, flexible cover, suited to budget-conscious renters and owners who want an affordable multirisque habitation.
Pros
- +Very low starting prices and low monthly cost
- +Flexible, modular cover you can tailor
- +Fully online subscription and management
Cons
- −Less extensive cover than premium formules
- −Mostly digital support
- Multirisque habitation for tenants and owners
- Dégât des eaux and theft cover
- Supervised by the ACPR
Providers listed for comparison as of June 2026. We do not quote premiums; cost depends on your home, surface area, location, and declared capital mobilier. Confirm current cover and pricing on each insurer's official site.
What matters more than the brand?
Two home policies with the same logo on the front can differ sharply on the terms that decide your payout. Compare the franchise(deductible) per claim, the dégât des eaux (water-damage) limits, and how the insurer handles a catastrophe naturelle, which is triggered only after an arrêté interministériel declares the state of natural disaster. These clauses, not the brand, set what you actually receive.
The valuation basis matters most. Valeur à neuf replaces contents at as-new value, while vétusté déduite reduces the payout for wear and age. For a house, look for reconstruction à neuf, which rebuilds without a depreciation deduction. Check the theft (vol) conditions too, since many contracts require approved locks or limit cover for objets de valeur.
Your profile changes the right cover. A renter needs risques locatifs and responsabilité civile plus contents; an owner-occupier needs building cover and reconstruction à neuf; an apartment in a copropriété shifts some structural risk to the building policy, while a house puts it all on you. The mandatory-cover rules are set out on service-public.fr.
How do you switch with loi Hamon?
Under loi Hamon, once your contract has run for its first 12 months you can cancel at any time with no penalty and no need to wait for the renewal date. In practice your new insurer handles the résiliation for you, so cover continues without a gap. Separately, loi Chatel requires insurers to send a renewal notice (avis d'échéance) ahead of tacit renewal, giving you a window to decline.
- Step 1: Compare quotes for the same cover (risques locatifs and responsabilité civile, or full multirisque habitation).
- Step 2: Declare your surface area, number of rooms, and capital mobilier accurately.
- Step 3: Subscribe to the new contract and let the insurer file the loi Hamon cancellation.
- Step 4: Confirm your start date so there is no gap in cover.
- Step 5: Save your new attestation d'assurance habitation for your landlord.
What do you do after a claim?
A claim (sinistre) must be declared to your insurer quickly, generally within five working days, and within two working days for a theft. For a dégât des eaux shared with a neighbour, a joint accident report for water damage (constat amiable dégât des eaux) records the circumstances so insurers can assign costs. Keep photos, receipts, and any police report (dépôt de plainte) for theft. Your franchise applies before the insurer pays the balance.
If you disagree with how a claim is handled, you can escalate to the Médiateur de l'Assurance after exhausting the insurer's internal complaints process. The sector is represented by France Assureurs, and general rules on mandatory cover are explained on service-public.fr.
Sources: service-public.fr (assurance habitation obligatoire pour les locataires), ACPR, France Assureurs, and the Médiateur de l'Assurance, June 2026. Verify current rules and cover with your chosen insurer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is home insurance mandatory in France?
Yes for tenants. Anyone renting an unfurnished primary residence (and most furnished lets) must hold at least a risques locatifs / responsabilité civile policy and show an attestation d'assurance habitation at the état des lieux, then on request each year. For owners it is strongly recommended, and condominium owners in a copropriété are legally required to carry at least responsabilité civile.
What does multirisque habitation (MRH) cover?
Multirisque habitation is the standard bundled home policy. It packages fire (incendie), water damage (dégât des eaux), theft (vol), broken glass (bris de glace), and storm and natural-disaster cover, together with responsabilité civile for harm you cause to others. Cover applies to the building where relevant and to your contents, subject to a franchise per claim.
What is the attestation d'assurance habitation for?
The attestation is the certificate proving your home is insured. Your landlord asks for it at move-in during the état des lieux and can require an updated copy once a year. Without it, a landlord may take out a policy on your behalf and charge it back, or, after notice, move toward ending the lease.
How do you switch home insurance with loi Hamon?
Under loi Hamon, after the first 12 months you can cancel your assurance habitation at any time with no penalty. Your new insurer usually handles the résiliation so cover continues without a gap. Loi Chatel separately requires insurers to send a renewal notice (avis d'échéance) before tacit renewal, giving you a window to decline.
Does home insurance relate to my dépôt de garantie?
Indirectly. The dépôt de garantie (security deposit) is held by the landlord against unpaid rent or damage, while home insurance covers sudden accidental events such as a dégât des eaux. If an insured incident causes damage, your policy can pay for repairs rather than the cost being deducted from your deposit at the final état des lieux.
Should renters and owners buy different home insurance in France?
Yes. A renter's legal minimum is risques locatifs plus responsabilité civile, and most renters add contents cover through a multirisque habitation. An owner-occupier needs cover for the building itself, ideally with reconstruction à neuf, and a copropriété owner must legally hold at least responsabilité civile. A landlord letting a property can add propriétaire non-occupant cover. Apartment versus house also changes the right formule.
What is 'reconstruction à neuf'?
Reconstruction à neuf is a guarantee that rebuilds or repairs your property to its as-new value, without the insurer deducting for wear and age (vétusté). It contrasts with valeur à neuf on contents and with vétusté déduite, where the payout is reduced for depreciation. For houses it is one of the most important clauses to check, since rebuilding costs can far exceed a depreciated valuation.
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