Home insurance in France

Three key guarantees come with several levels, so you can match your protection to your lifestyle.
Theft and vandalism. Level 1: theft inside the home and vandalism. Level 2: adds theft outside the home, valid in France, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway and several other countries.
Broken glass or other items. Level 1: broken glass. Level 2: adds breakage of other items.
Assistance. Level 1: assistance in the event of an accident at home. Level 2: adds everyday-life assistance (moving home, home help, care for a sick child). Level 3: adds assistance for works and diagnostics.

When something goes wrong, the assistance service steps in with practical help, often with no need for you to pay upfront. A few common situations:

• Fire: arranging and covering temporary accommodation if your home is uninhabitable, plus a sum to replace clothing and essential items.
• Storm: temporary accommodation, tarping of roofs, removal and storage of your furniture, cleaning of your home.
• Burglary: securing and guarding your home, and arranging your return if you’re not on site.
• Water damage: a plumber called out to stop the leak, with the call-out and labour covered (parts to be replaced remain at your expense).

The policy covers the policyholder, the co-tenants named on the lease, and for public liability, everyone living in your household as well as your student children who are dependent on you for tax purposes. Cover applies at the insured address shown in your policy, with territorial extensions for some guarantees: theft outside the home (level 2) and travel liability apply throughout the European Union, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, and in the rest of the world for stays of less than 3 months.

A few preventive measures affect your compensation.

• Annual chimney sweeping of chimney flues, wood stoves and inserts, by a professional.
• Frost precautions: if you’re away for more than 15 consecutive days between 15 November and 15 March in an unheated home, you must turn off the water and drain the installations. Otherwise, compensation is reduced by 30% for a main residence, and by 50% for a secondary residence.
• Anti-theft protection: your home must have at least the level of protection stated in your policy, otherwise compensation may be reduced by 50% in the event of a related claim.
• Updating your policy: report any change to your home (a conservatory, a converted garage, the purchase of a work of art) to avoid a reduction in compensation.

It is compulsory for tenants and for owners of flats in a co-owned building. For someone who owns and occupies a detached house, it is strongly recommended: it includes public liability and protects against the main claims (fire, water damage, storm, theft).

Yes. In France, a single home policy covers both the building and its contents, with public liability always included. This is one of the major advantages of the French system compared with the British model.

Yes. The policy adapts to main and secondary residences, to owners and tenants, and to many types of property: house, apartment, chalet, château, mobile home, building.

It covers leaks, bursts and overflows from pipework and water-carrying appliances, infiltration through roofs and façades, flooding from sewer backflow, frozen pipes, and leak-detection costs. Certain costs of repairing the pipes themselves remain excluded.

File a report with the police or gendarmerie (an online pre-report is possible), then declare the claim within 48 hours of discovering the theft. The assistance service can arrange to secure your home.

Simply fill in the online quote request form or call us. We’ll reply promptly with a proposal tailored to your situation.