Home Insurance in France 2026: Expat Guide

Q: Is home insurance mandatory in France?

Yes, for tenants and condo owners. Article 7g of the Loi du 6 juillet 1989 makes a tenant insurance certificate compulsory. The Loi ALUR (2014) requires every condo owner to hold at least civil liability cover. Owner-occupiers of detached houses are not legally required to insure unless a mortgage contract says so.

Q: Can I get home insurance in France with English-speaking support?

Yes. AXA, Allianz, Britline (Crédit Agricole), FAB French Insurance, Feather and April International all run English processes for quotes, contracts and claims. Britline and FAB are the most expat-specialist; AXA has the widest network.

Q: How much does home insurance cost in France?

For a main residence, expect €90–170 per year for a studio, €160–280 for a 2- to 3-bedroom flat, and €260–520 for a house. Holiday and second homes typically cost 30–60 % more. Always request three quotes.

Q: Does my UK home insurance cover my French holiday home?

Almost never. UK domestic policies stop at the British border for property cover. You need a French résidence secondaire policy or a specialist UK broker (Schofields) that places French risk with French insurers.

Q: How do I cancel my home insurance in France?

After the first year, the Loi Hamon (Code des assurances art. L113-15-2) lets you cancel any time, with one month's notice and no penalty. The Loi Châtel forces renewal reminders 15 days before the deadline. Outside those, you need a legitimate reason (move, marriage, divorce, job change abroad, death).

Q: What is the difference between MRH and PNO insurance?

MRH (multirisques habitation) is for the person living in the home. PNO (propriétaire non-occupant) is for landlords whose property is rented out: it covers periods between tenants and gaps in the tenant's policy.

Q: Do students need a separate home insurance?

Students need standard tenant home insurance; there is no separate legal regime. Several insurers run student-priced products (assurance étudiante, often €3–8/month). Parents' civil liability sometimes extends to a student child but does not replace a tenant policy.

Q: What happens if I don't insure my rented flat?

The landlord can take out a policy on your behalf (adding the cost plus a 10 % fee to rent), or send a formal notice and terminate the lease one month later. Both options are in article 7g of the Loi du 6 juillet 1989.

Q: How fast does cover start after I sign?

Same day or next day for most online subscriptions. Fire and water damage start immediately. A carence (waiting period) usually only applies to theft (3–10 days).

Q: Can I insure a furnished short-term rental I list on Airbnb?

Yes, but you need a location saisonnière extension or a dedicated short-stay product (Allianz Hôte, Luko Saisonnier, Smart Flats). A standard owner-occupier policy will void cover during paid stays.

If you have just moved to France, signed a lease, or bought a second home near Bordeaux, the words assurance habitation will land in your inbox quickly. Home insurance in France is a legal obligation for tenants and condo owners, a near-mandatory product for mortgage holders, and a contract that comes with rules tighter than what many newcomers are used to. This guide explains how it works, what it costs, who insures English-speaking residents, and how to cancel a policy without paying for the privilege.

Key takeaways

Tenants must insure rental risks (Loi du 6 juillet 1989, art. 7g). Condo owners must hold civil liability cover (Loi ALUR 2014).
"Multirisques habitation" (MRH) is the standard package: fire, water damage, theft, glass, civil liability, natural disasters.
Several insurers serve English speakers in France: AXA, Allianz, Britline (Crédit Agricole), Feather, FAB French Insurance, April International.
Holiday and second homes need a specific policy with occupancy limits; a UK contract usually does not cover a French property.
You can cancel any time after the first year under Loi Hamon (Code des assurances, art. L113-15-2).

Who legally needs home insurance in France

The rules depend on your status. Three situations cover almost everyone.

If you rent (tenant, locataire)

Article 7g of the Loi du 6 juillet 1989 makes home insurance a tenant obligation. You must hold cover for risques locatifs (fire, explosion, water damage to the property) and provide your landlord with a certificate (attestation d'assurance) every year. You can find the law text on Légifrance and a plain-language summary on Service-Public.fr.

If you fail to insure, the landlord has two options under the law:

Take out a policy on your behalf and bill it back through the rent (with a 10 % handling fee maximum).
Send a formal notice and terminate the lease if you do not comply within one month.

Furnished short-term rentals (location meublée touristique) follow the same rule. Student rentals do too.

If you own and live in your home (résidence principale)

There is no general law forcing owner-occupiers of detached houses to insure their property. In practice, three things still push almost everyone to buy MRH:

Mortgages: French banks require home insurance for the duration of the loan. It is written into the offer (offre de prêt).
Civil liability: if a fire spreads to your neighbour's property, you owe compensation. A standalone civil liability policy is rarely sufficient.
Reality: a flooded living room costs €5,000 to €30,000. Replacing furniture, electronics and renovations after a fire can run into six figures.

If you own in a condominium (copropriété)

Since the Loi ALUR (Loi n° 2014-366 du 24 mars 2014, art. 58), every condo owner, whether they live in the apartment or rent it out, must hold at least a civil liability policy. The building itself is insured by the syndicate, but your private apartment is your responsibility. Most condo owners take a full MRH for the obvious reasons listed above.

If you rent your apartment to a tenant (you are a propriétaire non-occupant, or PNO), you need a PNO insurance, a separate product that covers the period between tenancies and gaps in the tenant's policy.

What MRH actually covers

A standard French multirisques habitation (MRH) bundles several guarantees. The names sound formal but the contents are practical.

Mandatory in any policy

Civil liability (responsabilité civile) pays third parties if you cause them damage. Required for tenants and condo owners.
Fire and explosion covers structural damage and contents from fire, lightning, smoke, gas explosions.
Water damage (dégâts des eaux): leaks, burst pipes, infiltration from a neighbour, washing machine failures. The single most-claimed peril in France.

Standard inclusions

Theft (vol) and vandalism, usually with a sub-limit on jewellery and electronics, and a security clause (the door must be locked, windows shut at night).
Glass breakage (bris de glace): windows, mirrors, ceramic hobs in some contracts.
Natural disasters (catastrophes naturelles): flood, drought-related ground subsidence, storms. Activated only when a state-of-emergency arrêté is published in the Journal Officiel.
Acts of terrorism and attacks, mandatory inclusion under article L126-2 of the Code des assurances.

Optional add-ons

Garden and outdoor furniture
Bicycles and mobility scooters outside the home
Valuables and art over a certain value
Electrical appliance breakdown
Legal protection (defence in disputes, see our legal protection insurance guide)
Holiday rental income protection (if you list on Airbnb or Abritel)

What it costs in France

Prices vary by surface, location, contents value, and chosen excess. The figures below come from public quote tools published by France Assureurs and the LeLynx 2025 study. They are indicative ranges, not quotes; request three estimates before signing.

Property	Indicative annual premium
Studio / 1-bed flat (city centre)	€90–170
2- to 3-bed flat	€160–280
4-bed flat or larger	€220–380
House (detached, suburban)	€260–520
Holiday home (occupied < 6 months)	€350–900 (varies sharply)

Prices for informational purposes only. Actual quotes depend on your postcode, claims history, contents value declared, deductible chosen and your insurer's rate sheet.

What pushes the premium up

Postcode: Paris, the Côte d'Azur and parts of Île-de-France carry higher theft and water-damage rates.
Surface area: usually billed per m² above a base value.
Contents value declared: jewellery, art, high-end electronics push the premium higher and trigger documentation rules.
Excess (franchise): a higher excess (€300 vs €150) lowers the premium by 5–15 %.
Claims history: more than two claims in three years and most insurers either price up or refuse to renew.
Holiday-home factor: vacancy increases theft and water risk, so insurers add a résidence secondaire surcharge.

Insurers that serve English speakers in France

You do not need to call a French call centre and battle through appuyez sur 1. Several insurers run English-language quote, contract and claims processes. The list below names the providers most often cited in expat forums for "home insurance France in English". Always check current terms on the insurer's own site before signing.

AXA: the largest insurer in France. AXA's expat-facing site at axa-in-france.fr offers English contracts and a dedicated phone line.
Allianz France: present in most cities, English speakers available through the international broker network.
CA Britline (Crédit Agricole Normandie): a UK-focused arm of Crédit Agricole with home insurance, banking and mortgages handled in English. Particularly popular with Britons who own a French house.
FAB French Insurance: Anglophone broker, holiday-home and second-home specialist.
Feather Insurance: Berlin-based fintech with a French product line for expats; quote and signature in English online.
April International: international expatriate cover, includes France-resident packages.
Foyer Global Health / Foyer Assurances: Luxembourg-based, cross-border products.

A second route is to use a French aggregator (LeLynx, Assurland, Hyperassur). Many will give you quotes in French only, but the result page can be machine-translated and the contract is the same one a French resident would sign. If you want a fully English experience, stay with the named insurers above.

Holiday home and second home insurance

This is where most UK and US owners get tripped up. A British home insurance policy almost never covers a property located in France. A French MRH policy assumes the home is your main residence and that someone is there most of the year. If you fall outside both, you need a résidence secondaire or maison de vacances contract.

Specifics to expect:

Occupancy clause: the home is considered "occupied" if someone sleeps there at least one night every 30 to 90 days, depending on the insurer. Beyond that, theft and water damage during vacancy can be excluded.
Mandatory disclosures: number of weeks the home is rented out, security level (alarm, shutters), water main shutoff in winter.
Higher premium: usually 30–60 % more than an equivalent main residence, reflecting the higher loss frequency on empty properties.
Furnished holiday lets: if you rent on Airbnb or Abritel, you need a location saisonnière extension or a dedicated short-stay product.

Specialist providers for French holiday homes include AXA Holiday, Schofields (UK broker placing French risks), Britline Holiday Homes and Allianz Andouard.

Documents you will need to subscribe

To open a policy, French insurers ask for:

A copy of your passport or French ID card (carte d'identité, titre de séjour)
Proof of address: a recent EDF or electricity bill or, for new arrivals, the lease (bail) or sale deed (acte de vente)
A French RIB (bank account details) for the direct debit
A description of the property: surface in m², number of rooms, floor, building age, type of heating, alarm or shutters
An inventory of high-value items; receipts, photos or appraisals for items above €1,500–3,000 (the threshold varies)
Your previous relevé d'information if you had a prior French insurer (similar to a no-claims certificate)

If you are new to France and have no French bank account yet, see our guide on opening a bank account in France. Most insurers can hold a quote for you for 30 days while you set up your RIB.

How to compare quotes: a 5-step method

This is the practical part. Follow these steps in order and you will land on the right contract within an afternoon.

Gather the property data first

Surface in m², floor, year of construction, postal code, heating type, alarm if any, value of contents declared. A spreadsheet row beats a memory.

Request three quotes

One from a generalist (AXA, Allianz, MAIF), one from a comparator (LeLynx, Assurland), one from an expat-focused broker (Britline, FAB, Feather) if relevant.

Compare on identical terms

Same surface, same contents value, same excess. A €99 quote with a €500 excess is not comparable to a €150 quote with a €100 excess.

Read the exclusions, not the headline

The conditions générales PDF lists what is not covered. Pay attention to: theft definition (forced entry only?), glass breakage scope (does it include induction hobs?), valuables sub-limits, vacancy clause for second homes.

Switch via the Loi Hamon if you are already insured

After the first year of any policy, you can cancel any time. Send a registered letter or email; the new insurer can do the paperwork for you to make sure cover is continuous.

Cancelling a French home insurance policy

Three legal routes apply. None of them require explaining yourself to the insurer.

Loi Hamon: after the first year

Loi n° 2014-344 du 17 mars 2014 (the Hamon Law) introduced free cancellation after the contract's first anniversary. The provisions are codified at article L113-15-2 of the Code des assurances. You send a written request (post, email, or via the insurer's online space). The cancellation takes effect one month after receipt. The new insurer usually files the request for you to make sure cover is continuous. See our full Hamon law cancellation guide for the templates.

Loi Châtel: at the renewal anniversary

Loi n° 2005-67 du 28 janvier 2005 obliges the insurer to send you a renewal notice 15 days before the cancellation deadline. If they fail, you can cancel any time afterwards. If they comply, you have 20 days from the postmark to refuse renewal. The relevant article is L113-15-1 of the Code des assurances.

Legitimate reasons (motif légitime)

Any time, with proof: house move, marriage, divorce, retirement, job change abroad, death, sale of the property. Most insurers process these within 10 working days of receiving the supporting document.

What to do when something goes wrong

Article L113-2 of the Code des assurances sets the deadlines. Here is the practical drill.

Day 0: secure the premises

Stop the leak. Lock the door. Take photographs of everything before cleaning up.

Within 5 working days: declare the claim

Contact your insurer (post, phone or app). For theft, the deadline is 2 working days, and you must file a police report (porter plainte) at the gendarmerie or commissariat as soon as possible.

Within 30 days: gather evidence

Collect receipts, photos, repair quotes (devis). The insurer will appoint an expert (expertise) for claims above a threshold, usually €1,500–3,000.

After the expert visit: settlement

You receive a settlement proposal. You can accept, negotiate, or appoint your own expert (contre-expertise) if the gap is large. Defence cost is sometimes covered by your legal protection cover.

For natural disasters, the clock starts when the arrêté de catastrophe naturelle is published in the Journal Officiel. You then have 30 days to declare the loss.

Frequently asked questions

Is home insurance mandatory in France?

Yes, for tenants and condo owners. Article 7g of the Loi du 6 juillet 1989 makes a tenant insurance certificate compulsory. The Loi ALUR (2014) requires every condo owner to hold at least civil liability cover. Owner-occupiers of detached houses are not legally required to insure unless a mortgage contract says so.

Can I get home insurance in France with English-speaking support?

Yes. AXA, Allianz, Britline (Crédit Agricole), FAB French Insurance, Feather and April International all run English processes for quotes, contracts and claims. Britline and FAB are the most expat-specialist of the group; AXA has the widest network.

How much does home insurance cost in France?

For a main residence, expect €90–170 per year for a studio, €160–280 for a 2- to 3-bedroom flat, and €260–520 for a house, based on industry quote ranges. Holiday and second homes typically cost 30–60 % more. Quotes vary widely by postcode and contents value declared. Always request three quotes.

Does my UK home insurance cover my French holiday home?

Almost never. UK domestic policies stop at the British border for property cover. You need a French résidence secondaire policy or a specialist UK broker (Schofields, Insurance for Holiday Homes) that places French risk with French insurers.

How do I cancel my home insurance in France?

After the first year, the Loi Hamon (Code des assurances art. L113-15-2) lets you cancel any time, with one month's notice and no penalty. Before the first anniversary, you can wait for the renewal date; the Loi Châtel forces the insurer to remind you 15 days before. Outside those, you need a legitimate reason (move, marriage, divorce, job change abroad, death).

What is the difference between MRH and PNO insurance?

MRH (multirisques habitation) is for the person living in the home, owner-occupier or tenant. PNO (propriétaire non-occupant) is for landlords whose property is rented out: it covers periods between tenants and gaps in the tenant's policy. If you rent out a flat in France, you need PNO regardless of whether your tenant has their own MRH.

Do students need a separate home insurance?

Students in France need standard tenant home insurance; there is no separate legal regime. Several insurers run student-priced products (assurance étudiante, often from €3 to €8 per month) with simplified contents cover. Parents' civil liability cover sometimes extends to a student child, but it does not replace a tenant policy.

What happens if I don't insure my rented flat?

The landlord can either take out a policy on your behalf and add the cost (with a 10 % handling fee maximum) to your rent, or send a formal notice (mise en demeure) and terminate the lease one month later. Both options are spelled out in article 7g of the Loi du 6 juillet 1989.

How fast does cover start after I sign?

Same day or next day for most online subscriptions. The insurer issues an attestation d'assurance you can hand to the landlord, the syndic, or the bank. If the policy includes a carence (waiting period), it usually only applies to specific perils such as theft (3–10 days); fire and water damage start immediately.

Can I insure a furnished short-term rental I list on Airbnb?

Yes, but you need either a specific location saisonnière extension on a regular MRH or a dedicated short-stay product (Allianz Hôte, Luko Saisonnier, Smart Flats). A standard owner-occupier policy will void cover during paid stays.

Where to go from here

Home insurance is one of several products newcomers face in their first weeks in France. For the legal text behind every claim deadline mentioned above, see Code des assurances on Légifrance (articles L113-2, L113-12, L113-15-1, L113-15-2, L126-2).

This article is informational only. It is not legal or insurance advice. Always check current terms with the insurer and, for personal decisions, talk to a licensed broker.

Home Insurance in France 2026: The Expat Guide to MRH, Holiday Homes and Switching