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House insurance in France
House insurance can be a minefield of misunderstandings and disappointments in the UK, so you can imagine how much more complicated this issue becomes when you leave familiar shores and language behind you and move to France! There's no need to panic, however, because with a little help and understanding you will find that it's not so difficult to ensure that you have the house insurance cover you require, and that you will be able to claim in the event of a disaster.
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Insurance companies in France offering house insurance in English!
For anyone who is not extremely confident in French (Learning French, Learning to speak French - Misadventures in a Foreign Tongue), it will come as great relief to know that there are a number of companies in France that can arrange house insurance for you in English. This way you will not only be able to ask questions and receive clear answers to your queries, but also be able to (perhaps!) understand the often complex legal issues of the policies... it can be difficult, even in English, but at least you have a fighting chance! Companies to consider include British Insurance Brokers of Aquitaine (BIBA), and Agence Eaton, http//www.french-insurance.com, both of whom offer English language services and are experienced in providing house insurance policies to comply with French law.
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House insurance in France - what is obligatory
It is important to know what is obligatory in terms of house insurance in France, and what is optional. Some house insurance companies in France can take advantage of your lack of understanding of the French system and try to sell you policies which are not strictly necessary, or suitable for your needs. Firstly, it is a legal requirement in France to have insurance for your house by the time of the signing of the Final Act. This applies whether or not the house is to be a primary residence or a second home or a buy-to-let (Letting property in France, Buy-to-let Property in the South of France). In all cases, it is obligatory to have buildings cover, and this must also include cover for natural disasters such as earthquakes, forest fires and floods. Most house insurance policies in France will be what is known as multi-risk, but always check exactly what is covered, as not all multi-risks are the same!
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House insurance in France and third party liability
French house insurance policies always begin from a point of third party liability, and this forms the basis of the house policy. If, however, you are letting your property as a business concern, make sure that you check with your insurers that the third party is sufficient to cover your tenants, as some policies in France require extra cover for commercial third party risks.
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Key differences between house insurance in France and house insurance in the UK
The first and most evident difference between the two countries is that in France you will find that you are not discussing "insurance" but "assurance". The other differences between French and English house insurance policies are perhaps not obvious at first glance, but can cause no end of problems if you are unaware of them. We have already mentioned that you will not be able to sign the Final Act of purchase for your house in France if you cannot prove an existing policy, but it is worth saying it again as there are stories of people losing their properties in France through not having a policy in place.
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House insurance in France and size of house
A further point to remember is that in France, houses are insured according to size and number of rooms, and it is essential that you declare these correctly. Cover can be declared invalid if you add rooms to a house and fail to inform your insurers of the extra space created (Building or extending property in France, House Renovations in France). Rooms that must be counted include bedrooms, sitting rooms, kitchens bigger than 30 square metres, dining rooms, studies and libraries, games rooms and even covered enclosed terraces or conservatories.
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House insurance in France and type of property
Another important point is that your insurance needs can be different according to the type of house you own (Property in France - Types of houses in France). Villas, that comply with the standard types, unlike older or more unique properties, do not require a valuation for rebuild purposes, as they are covered with a "put back to standard" clause in the event of a rebuild being necessary. Older or less standard houses should be valued by an expert.
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Renewal of house insurance in France
Before leaving our consideration of the differences between French and English insurance, it is worth looking at the question of renewal of house insurance in France. In the UK, it is up to you to make sure that the policy is renewed each year, with cover lapsing if you do not do this. In France, the house insurance contract is automatically renewed unless you give two months written notice that you wish it to cease. There are exceptions to this rule, for example, the notice period can be lessened (in some cases) by personal agreement with the company if you pay by automatic bank debits, but in general it is best to accept that you need to give the two-month notice should you wish to cancel your house insurance policy.
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House insurance in France and contents cover
Just as in the UK, you will need to take extra house insurance in France to cover the contents of your home. French law defines contents as any movable items, and again, as in the UK, you will need to decide what level of cover you require. It is possible to insure new for old, but you will of course, pay a higher premium for this type of cover. If you have any especially valuable items you will need to have them valued by an expert. It is also worth noting that should you be insuring a Maison Secondaire, or holiday home, it may be difficult to obtain contents cover in certain high risk areas such as Paris (Paris Property Guide) and the Côte d'Azur (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Property Guide).
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House insurance in France and letting properties
Properties that are to be let out, whether short term or long term, may have different insurance requirements. It is essential that you make it clear to your insurers that you plan to rent out the property, and take out any supplementary insurance packages necessary. You will, for example, almost certainly require additional insurance to cover you in the event of you having to cancel bookings due to unforeseen circumstances. In this event you will probably have to pay compensation of some sort to the prospective tenants, so it makes sense to ensure that you can claim this back from your own insurance. Companies such as Agence Eaton can tailor packages for you to ensure that you have comprehensive cover. (Owning Gîtes and Chambres D'Hotes (B&Bs) in France.)
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Be aware of French law which may affect house insurance in France
It is also essential to be aware of changes in the law that may affect your house insurance in France. A case in point is the change in the law regarding swimming pools. This came fully into action in January 2006, and applies to all pools that are totally or partially sunk into the ground. It requires that all these pools are fitted with approved security measures, with a choice of alarms, roofs, barriers or covers. (All of these must comply with the regulations, available for perusal on various websites, including http://riviera.angloinfo.com.) If your pool does not comply with the law, any accident occurring at the pool will not be covered by your policy, and is likely to result in a prosecution. (Installing a swimming pool in France.)
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Read the small print of your house insurance policy!
As with any house insurance policy, in any language and any country, it is vital to read the small print as a minor deviation from the agreement can provide the insurance company with the get out that they need to refuse your claim. If the policy states that you need a certain type of locks on the house, be sure that these are fitted. Declare any major changes to the house, such as number of rooms, addition of swimming pools and summer houses etc. Make sure that you understand fully the house insurance cover you have purchased, its requirements and its exclusions.
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House insurance in France easily obtained
Using an English speaking firm in France can be a very good way forward for those whose French is not up to scratch, but if you do speak French you will find that it is very easy to obtain cover with even small towns having several "assurance" agencies. It is possible too, to take out your insurance policy with many banks (Banking in France), which can save hassle as you can monitor this along with your accounts. Whatever you do, though, don't underestimate the importance of having good house insurance cover. Insurance, it is said, can be very expensive, but if you ever really need to claim it can be the best deal you ever did!
Additional articles which may be of interest:
Life in France
Car Insurance in France
French
Legal services and solicitors for those with property - business or a life in
France
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About the author
Joanna Simm moved to the Languedoc area of south-west France in October 2004 having found her property through French Property Links.
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