Updated October 2026. In France, life insurance means two different products. Assurance vie is a savings and investment wrapper with a fonds en euros, unités de compte and an 8-year tax milestone; it is not protection. Assurance décès (prévoyance) pays a capital to your family if you die. Published examples start at €6.29 a month for €40,000 at age 35 (MAIF Rassurcap) and €148.33 a year for €100,000 at age 40 (MetLife). Banks push assurance vie because it gathers assets.
Key takeaways
- Assurance vie is a savings and investment wrapper; assurance décès (prévoyance) is protection that pays a capital on death.
- Published death-cover examples: MAIF Rassurcap from €6.29 a month (€40,000, age 35); MetLife €148.33 a year (€100,000, age 40, non-smoker).
- Inside assurance vie you choose between a capital-guaranteed fonds en euros and market-linked unités de compte.
- Assurance vie gains keep 17.2% social charges in 2026, so their flat tax stays 30%, not the 31.4% on other investment income.
- Mortgage borrower cover can be switched at any time under the loi Lemoine (2022).
Top 3 Life Insurance Providers in France
The three insurers below sell both products, but as separate contracts: an assurance décès temporaire for protection and a multisupport assurance vie for saving. None of the three publishes a death-cover price, so ask for a quote, or compare the published MAIF and MetLife prices in the death-cover section below. For assurance vie, compare entry fees, annual frais de gestion, the fonds en euros on offer, and the breadth of unités de compte. Online banks and brokers such as BoursoBank, Fortuneo, and Linxea usually win on fees and fund choice, while large insurers add in-branch advice.
AXA Assurance Vie
AXA is a large insurer with an extensive agency network and English-language support, selling both assurance décès temporaire protection and multisupport assurance vie savings as separate contracts. It suits expats who want face-to-face advice on both from one recognised name.
Why we recommend it: A large insurer with an extensive agency network and English-language support, selling both assurance décès temporaire protection and multisupport assurance vie savings as separate contracts.
Pros
- +Extensive agency network across France
- +English-language support for newcomers
- +Good claims handling and broad coverage
Cons
- −Premiums often run higher than the market average
- −Direct contracts can carry more fees than online brokers
- −No published death-cover price: quote only
- Assurance décès temporaire and multisupport assurance vie
- Tax framing follows the 8-year assurance vie milestone
- Supervised by the ACPR and AMF
Generali Assurance Vie
Generali France is a large insurer with a strong reputation in life insurance and wealth management, offering customizable, flexible contracts across fonds en euros and unités de compte. It underpins many broker contracts and suits assurance vie as part of broader planning.
Why we recommend it: A large insurer with a strong reputation in life insurance and wealth management, offering customizable, flexible contracts across fonds en euros and unités de compte.
Pros
- +Strong reputation in life insurance and wealth management
- +Customizable, flexible policies
- +Both fonds en euros and unités de compte
Cons
- −Direct contracts can carry higher fees than online brokers
- −Wealth-planning focus can suit larger savers best
- Multisupport assurance vie with fonds en euros
- Tax framing follows the 8-year assurance vie milestone
- Supervised by the ACPR and AMF
Swiss Life Assurance Vie
Swiss Life France is an established insurer that ranks highly and is frequently recommended, with premium plans and flexible options across both assurance décès protection and assurance vie savings. It suits people who want a long-standing insurer behind their contract.
Why we recommend it: An established insurer that ranks highly and is frequently recommended, with premium plans and flexible options across both décès protection and assurance vie savings.
Pros
- +Established insurer that ranks highly
- +Frequently recommended for life insurance
- +Premium, flexible plans across cover and savings
Cons
- −Premiums can run higher than online brokers
- Assurance décès temporaire and multisupport assurance vie
- Tax framing follows the 8-year assurance vie milestone
- Supervised by the ACPR and AMF
Providers listed for comparison as of October 2026. AXA, Generali and Swiss Life do not publish death-cover prices; ask for a quote. We do not quote assurance vie returns or guarantee performance; unités de compte can lose value. Confirm current fees, the fonds en euros rate, and terms on each provider's official site.
What Types of Life Insurance Exist in France?
Assurance vie and assurance décès are two different products, and French banks often blur them. Assurance vie is a savings and investment wrapper: the money you pay in stays yours, grows, and can be withdrawn. Assurance décès, part of prévoyance, is protection: it pays a chosen capital to your beneficiaries if you die, and it has no surrender value. Banks earn on the assets an assurance vie gathers, so their advisers push it even when a family needs protection. The difference is set out on service-public.fr.
Name vs reality
Assurance Décès Temporaire (Term Life Insurance)
Assurance décès temporaire is the closest French product to what English speakers call term life insurance. It is a form of prévoyance and is pure protection: you pay premiums and a chosen capital sum is paid to your beneficiaries only if you die during the contract term, with no savings value. If you outlive the term, nothing is paid back. A garantie obsèques is a related product that funds funeral costs specifically. This is what most expats mean when they say they want life insurance to protect their family.
Contrat Mixte / Assurance-Vie (Endowment & Savings)
Assurance vie is the tax-advantaged savings and investment wrapper: you pay money in, it grows inside the contract, and you can withdraw (rachat) at any time, with succession advantages on death. Inside it your money sits in a fonds en euros (capital-guaranteed, modest growth) or unités de compte (market-linked, not guaranteed, can lose value), often blended in a multisupport contract. An endowment-style contrat mixte combines both worlds: it pays out a capital sum either on death (décès) or at maturity if you survive (vie), blending protection with saving. On death, assurance vie capital passes to the named beneficiaries (clause bénéficiaire) generally outside the standard estate route (hors succession), which makes it one of the most popular inheritance-planning tools in France. Watch the fees (frais): entry fees, annual frais de gestion, and arbitrage fees; online contracts from BoursoBank, Fortuneo, and Linxea typically charge less over the long holding periods assurance vie rewards.
Which Death Cover Policies Can You Compare in France?
Four death-cover products stand out in the October 2026 research, and two publish a price. MAIF Rassurcap and MetLife show tariff examples on their sites; APRIL and Alptis sell on quote only. All four pay a capital on death and build no savings.
| Product | Who carries it | Capital | Published price | Key condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAIF Rassurcap | MAIF (mutual insurer) | From €20,000 | €6.29 a month (€75.48 a year), age 35, €40,000 | Medical questionnaire above modest capitals |
| MetLife Assurance Décès | MetLife Europe, French branch | Up to several hundred thousand euros | €148.33 a year, age 40, non-smoker, €100,000 | Steep smoker loadings |
| APRIL Tempo Décès | AXERIA Prévoyance, sold by broker APRIL | Essentielle from €15,000; Intégrale up to €1,000,000 | Quote only | Intégrale doubles the capital on accidental death |
| Alptis Garantie Obsèques | Carrier not shown on public pages (unverified) | €3,000 to €10,000 funeral capital | Quote only | 12-month carence on natural death |
Published examples and product structures from maif.fr, metlife.fr, april.fr and alptis.org, captured October 2026. Prices are examples for the stated profile, not quotes.
Every policy here excludes suicide in the first year, the market standard. APRIL acts as broker for a carrier in its own group, so there is no independent placement; you can check the broker on orias.fr (no. 07 002 609). Alptis covers funeral costs only, so its capital cannot replace an income, and natural death in the first 12 months returns only the premiums.
Do Expats Need Life Insurance in France?
Whether you need life insurance depends on which product you mean. If your goal is to protect dependants against loss of income, then assurance décès temporaire (prévoyance) is worth considering, especially if you have a mortgage, young children, or a partner who relies on your income. It is not legally required for most people.
Mortgage borrowers face one exception in practice. Lenders effectively require borrower cover (assurance emprunteur), but you may take it from an insurer other than the bank (délégation). Since the loi Lemoine of 28 February 2022 (loi 2022-270), you can cancel and switch borrower cover at any time, with no waiting period and no reason needed.
If your goal is long-term saving and inheritance planning, an assurance vieis the wrapper most French households use. Many hold one as a flexible savings and succession tool rather than as protection. What matters for the tax clock is the contract's opening date, not each payment, so it can pay to open one early and let it age even with a small initial deposit. You can hold both products at once: décès cover for protection, assurance vie for saving.
Start the 8-year clock early
Which Death Cover Fits a Single-Income Couple With a Baby?
A single-income couple with a baby needs income protection, which is assurance décès, not assurance vie. If the earning parent dies, the household loses its only salary, and a savings contract opened last year holds little. The research pick for this case is MAIF Rassurcap, scaled from its published €40,000 example to a capital of €200,000 to €300,000.
MAIF wins on payout ethics: it is a mutual with no shareholders to satisfy at claim time, and its décès contract builds no savings, so the whole premium buys cover. Expect a medical questionnaire at that capital, and ask for a quote: the €6.29 monthly price (October 2026) applies only to €40,000 at age 35.
The runner-up is APRIL Tempo Décès Intégrale, which goes up to €1,000,000 and doubles the capital on accidental death. Two options to skip: a bank-pushed assurance vie is savings, not protection, and Alptis obsèques pays a funeral capital of €3,000 to €10,000, far too small to replace a salary. Both recommended products are described on maif.fr and april.fr.
How Much Does Life Insurance Cost in France?
The two products are priced in completely different ways. For assurance décès temporaire, you pay regular premiums (cotisations) based on your age, health, smoking status, the capital sum insured, and the term length. The premium buys protection only and builds no savings value. Two published examples let you compare the cost per unit of cover.
| Product | Profile | Capital | Published annual premium | Cost per €10,000 of cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAIF Rassurcap | Age 35 | €40,000 | €75.48 | €18.87 a year |
| MetLife Assurance Décès | Age 40, non-smoker | €100,000 | €148.33 | €14.83 a year |
Our calculation: published annual premium divided by the capital in €10,000 units (€75.48 ÷ 4; €148.33 ÷ 10). Different ages and capitals, published examples captured October 2026, not quotes.
The two profiles differ in age and capital, so read the figures as orders of magnitude, not a ranking. For assurance vie, the cost is about fees on your savings: entry fees on payments (often zero on online contracts), annual frais de gestion, and arbitrage fees when you switch supports. Over long holding periods these fees matter more than headline returns, which is why BoursoBank, Fortuneo, and Linxea are popular.
Tax on assurance vie gains did not follow the 2026 rise. The flat tax (PFU) on most investment income rose to 31.4% on 1 January 2026, because social charges went to 18.6%. Assurance vie gains keep the 17.2% social charges, so their flat tax before the 8-year mark stays at 12.8% plus 17.2%, or 30%. After 8 years, a lower income-tax rate and a yearly allowance apply; check current figures on impots.gouv.fr and service-public.fr.
Term Life vs Endowment Life: Comparison
Protective term cover and the endowment or savings wrapper solve different problems. This table sets them side by side so you can see why the French distinction matters.
| Feature | Assurance décès temporaire (Term Life) | Contrat mixte / Assurance vie (Endowment & Savings) |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Protection: payout if you die during the term | Saving, investment, and inheritance planning |
| Savings value | None; premiums buy cover only | Yes; capital builds inside the contract |
| Payout trigger | Death during the contract term only | Withdrawal anytime; on death or maturity for contrat mixte |
| Cost basis | Premiums by age, health, capital, and term | Fees: entry, frais de gestion, arbitrage |
| Price example | From €6.29 a month (MAIF, €40,000, age 35) | Entry fees often €0 on online contracts |
| Tax angle | Prévoyance framing; no 8-year milestone | 30% flat tax before 8 years; 8-year milestone plus succession advantages |
| Best for | Protecting dependants and covering a mortgage | Long-term saving and passing on capital |
Sources: service-public.fr and impots.gouv.fr (assurance vie tax and succession framing), maif.fr, ACPR, AMF, and France Assureurs, October 2026. Verify current rates, thresholds, and terms before subscribing.
Life Insurance in France: Frequently Asked Questions
Is assurance vie life cover or savings?
Savings. In France assurance vie is a tax-advantaged savings and investment wrapper, not death cover. You pay in money that grows inside the contract, choose between a fonds en euros and unités de compte, and benefit from favourable tax and succession rules. Protection that pays a capital if you die is a separate product called assurance décès, part of prévoyance, and it has no surrender value.
What is protective term life insurance called in France?
Protective term cover is assurance décès temporaire: you pay premiums and a chosen capital sum is paid to your beneficiaries only if you die during the contract term, with no savings value. This is the closest French product to what English speakers usually mean by term life insurance. A garantie obsèques is a related product that funds funeral costs.
How much does assurance décès cost in France?
Published examples in October 2026: MAIF Rassurcap from €6.29 a month (€75.48 a year) for a 35-year-old with €40,000 of cover, and MetLife €148.33 a year for €100,000 at age 40, non-smoker. That works out at about €18.87 and €14.83 a year per €10,000 of cover. APRIL Tempo Décès and Alptis Garantie Obsèques sell on quote only.
What is the 8-year advantage of assurance vie?
Assurance vie carries a well-known 8-year holding milestone. Once a contract has been open for 8 years, withdrawals (rachats) benefit from a lower income-tax rate on the gains than earlier ones, on top of a yearly allowance. You can still withdraw before 8 years, but the tax framing is less generous. Always confirm current rates and thresholds on impots.gouv.fr.
Is the flat tax on assurance vie 30% or 31.4% in 2026?
30% for assurance vie gains taxed at the flat rate. The flat tax (PFU) on most investment income rose to 31.4% on 1 January 2026 because social charges went from 17.2% to 18.6%, but assurance vie and property income keep the 17.2% rate. So assurance vie gains before the 8-year mark pay 12.8% income tax plus 17.2% social charges. After 8 years, a lower rate and a yearly allowance apply; confirm on impots.gouv.fr.
Does assurance décès have a waiting period?
Term death cover pays from the start for most causes, but suicide is excluded in the first year, the market standard. Funeral policies differ: Alptis Garantie Obsèques applies a 12-month carence on natural death, with only the premiums refunded in that period, while accidental death is usually covered at once.
Can I change my mortgage borrower insurance in France?
Yes, at any time. The loi Lemoine (loi 2022-270 of 28 February 2022) lets you cancel your assurance emprunteur whenever you want, with no waiting period and no reason needed. Lenders effectively require borrower cover, but you may take it from an insurer other than the bank (délégation).
What is the difference between fonds en euros and unités de compte?
A fonds en euros is the capital-guaranteed portion of an assurance vie: your capital is protected and earns a yearly return, but potential growth is modest. Unités de compte (UC) are units invested in funds, shares, bonds, or property, which can grow more but are not capital-guaranteed and can lose value. Many contracts are multisupport, mixing both.
Who regulates life insurance in France?
Insurers and contracts are supervised by the ACPR (Autorité de contrôle prudentiel et de résolution). Because assurance vie has an investment dimension, the AMF (Autorité des marchés financiers) oversees the financial-product aspects, and France Assureurs is the industry body. You can check any broker on the ORIAS register at orias.fr. General tax framing is set out on impots.gouv.fr and service-public.fr.
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