Health insurance for expats in France
- Bilingual team in Cognac – 20+ years helping expats
- Get covered in 24h
- Free, no-obligation quote
Expat health cover is the one thing you need sorted before anything else in France — before your bank account, before your driving licence, before your préfecture appointment. The French public system does not cover you until you are registered, and registration takes months. In the meantime, a single emergency can cost thousands. This page is for people who just arrived, are about to arrive, or realised too late that their travel policy does not count. We get you covered in 24 hours — in English, with a certificate your consulate will actually accept.
The gap nobody warns you about
You land in France. You register at your local “mairie”. You open a bank account. You feel organised. Then you get ill.
The French public system — Assurance Maladie — is excellent once you are inside it. The problem is getting inside it. Registering through PUMA, the universal coverage scheme, requires three months of continuous legal residence before you can even apply. Processing then takes a further three to six months. According to Feather Insurance, the average wait from arrival to Carte Vitale is between three and nine months.
In 2026, that wait got longer and more expensive. A French National Assembly amendment approved in late 2025 now requires non-EU nationals on long-stay visitor visas to pay a minimum annual healthcare contribution of €300 to €600 before PUMA affiliation is confirmed and a social security number is issued. Until that contribution is paid and processed, the French public system is entirely closed to you — regardless of how long you have been resident.
During that entire period, every consultation, every prescription, every ambulance call is billed to you in full. There is no safety net. Expat health cover is not a comfort option — it is the only protection available.
And it is not just the registration period. Even expats who are fully registered often find that Assurance Maladie covers far less than expected — especially for Sector 2 specialists, dental treatment and private clinic stays. Expat health cover fills both gaps: the registration gap and the reimbursement shortfall beyond it.
What an uninsured visit to the doctor actually costs
These are not worst-case figures. They are the standard costs an unregistered expat faces for routine and emergency care in France.
A GP visit with a Sector 2 fee of €60 costs €60 in full without cover, and is reimbursed up to the policy limit with expat cover. A specialist consultation (€90–€120) is billed in full without cover, and is covered with minimal out of pocket with a policy. One night in a private clinic runs €500–€800+ uninsured, while hospitalisation is covered under expat plans. Emergency dental treatment can reach €300–€1,500+ without cover, whereas dental emergencies are included in expat policies. Medical repatriation to your home country can cost €10,000–€50,000+ uninsured — and is included as standard with expat cover.
The annual cost of a solid expat health policy is typically less than a single uninsured hospitalisation. Once you see these numbers, the decision is straightforward.
Your visa file depends on it too
If you are applying for a French long-stay visa (VLS-TS) or renewing your titre de séjour, your insurance certificate is one of the first documents checked. French consulates and préfectures do not just verify that a policy exists — they read the wording.
According to France-Visas.gouv.fr, a compliant certificate must include a minimum coverage of €30,000 per person including hospitalisation and repatriation, explicit confirmation of long-term residence cover (travel insurance is rejected outright), your French address on the certificate (a foreign address signals tourist cover), exact dates matching your visa application period, and coverage of outpatient consultations, not just emergencies.
This is a critical distinction: this is not travel insurance. Travel insurance is designed for short stays and emergencies — it does not meet French residency requirements and consulates reject it on sight. Our policies are specifically structured for long-term residents and are accepted by French consulates and préfectures without question. We issue a fully compliant certificate on the day your cover is activated — same day, no delays.
What happens once you are in the French system
Expat health cover is a bridge, not a destination. Most clients use it for six to twelve months, then transition to a mutuelle once they are PUMA-registered and hold a French social security number.
That transition matters — and most expats miss the right moment. A mutuelle is cheaper than expat cover because it works alongside Assurance Maladie rather than independently of it. But it cannot be activated without a social security number. Switch too early and you are unprotected. Switch too late and you overpay.
We track your PUMA registration status and alert you when the moment is right. Our team manages the full transition in English — cancelling your expat policy, activating your mutuelle and coordinating any CPAM paperwork — with zero gap in cover between the two. You do not need to think about it. We do.
For a broader view of how the French health system works from arrival to full affiliation, our health insurance in France page covers every stage in detail.
What you get with Best French Insurance
We are a Generali agency based in Cognac. For over 20 years, we have been the English-speaking community’s trusted insurance partner in France. Not a comparison site. Not a call centre. A real bilingual team that picks up the phone, reads your situation and builds the right policy for where you actually are.
From the moment you contact us, you receive a free consultation by phone or email with no commitment and no time pressure, a personalised quote within 24 hours built around your visa type, arrival date, nationality and health profile, and a consulate-compliant certificate issued the same day your cover is activated — formatted for VLS-TS applications, préfecture renewals and employer requirements.
We also explain Sector 2 and OPTAM in plain English so you know before your first appointment what your policy covers and what it does not. Our team handles bilingual CPAM management — every letter, form, reimbursement claim and Ameli declaration written and submitted in French on your behalf, with a full English summary sent to you. We manage your transition to a mutuelle — monitoring your PUMA registration, telling you the exact right moment to switch and handling the full transition with no gap in cover. All of this is backed by Generali, one of the world’s largest insurers, present in over 50 countries, with the financial strength to pay claims when they matter.
We cover individuals, couples and families. A 28-year-old arriving healthy needs a different policy from a 58-year-old retiree managing ongoing prescriptions. We find the right fit — not the most expensive option, not the cheapest one that leaves gaps.
Get my free, no-obligation quote →
What our clients say
Our Google rating is 5/5 — verified by English-speaking expats settled across France, from Paris to Provence. These are not generic reviews. They come from people who went through exactly what you are facing now.
« Jennifer and all the staff at Agence Generali Cognac were wonderful. They helped us navigate the French insurance system with English documents — a feat not to be underestimated. They were extremely patient, efficient and very informative. I would wholeheartedly recommend them without hesitation. » — Peter
« Friendly fast service. I was so happy to receive help from someone who spoke English. With these kinds of paperwork, it made all the difference. » — Maryke
« Despite speaking OK French, I found the jargon and conventions of French insurance daunting — but the Cognac office were patient and explained everything clearly. » — Michael
The pattern is consistent. Clients do not come to us because we are the cheapest name on a comparison page. They come because they were confused, under pressure and needed someone who understood their situation — not just their language.
Frequently Asked Questions About Expat Health Cover
Do I really need expat cover if I am only planning to stay a year?
Yes. The French public system does not cover you based on your intentions — it covers you once you are registered. If you are here for a year without registering, you are uninsured for that entire year. If you are registering, you need cover during the three-to-nine-month wait. Either way, expat health insurance is the right product.
My travel insurer said I am covered in France. Is that enough?
Almost certainly not for residency. Travel policies are designed for short stays and emergency treatment. They typically exclude pre-existing conditions, limit the coverage period to 30 to 90 days and do not meet the wording requirements of French consulate certificates. We review your existing policy in a free consultation and tell you exactly where the gaps are.
What is the difference between expat health cover and a mutuelle?
Expat health cover operates independently of the French public system and protects you before you have a social security number. A mutuelle works alongside Assurance Maladie — it tops up what the public scheme reimburses and is only available once you are PUMA-registered. You need expat cover first. We manage the transition to a mutuelle when the time is right.
How quickly can I get covered?
Within 24 hours of your first contact. In urgent cases — a visa appointment the next morning, an unexpected medical situation — we work faster. Call us directly and we will tell you what is possible.
What if I have a pre-existing condition?
It depends on the policy. Some expat health plans exclude pre-existing conditions. Others cover them with a waiting period or a premium adjustment. We work across Generali’s full product range and will be direct with you about what is available for your specific situation before you commit.
Can my whole family be covered on one policy?
Yes. We offer individual, couple and family plans, with children included on family policies. We build the cover around your household — not around a generic product template.
Already registered with Assurance Maladie and looking for complementary cover? Our page on complementary health insurance in France explains how a mutuelle works and what it costs.
Moving to France also means insuring where you live. Our home insurance in France page covers what new residents need to know.
What we offer
We provide tailored insurance solutions for individuals, families, and professionals:
Why choose us ?
Over 20 years of experience with expats and international clients
Bilingual team — we explain everything in plain English (We are French. We speak English. And no, we won’t make you fill out a 12-page form in triplicate)
No call centers — real human support, by phone or email
Quick turnaround — get covered in as little as 24h
Based in Cognac, working with clients across all of France
We are not a comparison site — we are an actual agency that helps you get what’s best for you.
Real stories from real clients (5/5 on Google)
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be fluent in French to get insured?
No. We speak English and take care of the paperwork for you.
Can I get insured quickly?
Yes — in most cases, we can provide coverage within 24 to 48 hours.
Is this more expensive than going directly to an insurer?
Not at all. Our prices are transparent, and you benefit from personalised advice at no extra cost.
Ready to get started?
- Fill out our form to receive a personalised quote
- Or click “Contact us”, and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours
- It’s fast, free, and tailored to your needs.
Contact Information
Address
16 rue Plumejeau – 16100 COGNAC
Business Hours
Mon-Fri: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sat: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Your trusted insurance partner in France for over 20 years.
Legal
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SAS AGENCE GENERALI COGNAC, whose registered office is located at 2 rue Pillet Will, 75009 Paris, is registered with the Paris Trade and Companies Register under number 844 879 106, and with ORIAS under number 210005547.