THE KNOWLEDGE You can expect to be asked
to complete a questionnaire covering personal and vehicle information, where it’s parked and the intended use. You will also need to provide a form of ID, the vehicle registration document (carte grise), a valid driving licence, proof of address (e.g. a utility bill that is less than three months old) and details of your insurance history/no-claims bonus. Once you’ve completed the
Third-party cover is the legal minimum required for any vehicle in France
gives you more options as you are covered for damage or injury to a third party, as well as fi re, theft and possibly other eventualities such optional breakdown coverage or replacement vehicle options. These days there is often
little diff erence in cost between the second option and the fi nal type of policy – tous risques – which provides much better cover as it includes damage and injury to yourself, a third party, and your vehicle, including fi re and theft. The coverage varies from insurer to insurer, so do check the small print for any exclusions and/or optional extras.
EXCESS AND BREAKDOWN COVER You should also take the franchise (excess) into account as this also varies widely with cheaper policies often having higher excesses. This is always a bit of a gamble and the decision needs to be made according to your personal attitude to risk. However, given that almost
everyone gets a chip or crack in their windscreen at some point, it’s probably a good idea to opt for a policy with no (or a very low) excess for windscreen replacement! You should also consider how
your ‘no-claims bonus’ will aff ect the premium, the type of breakdown cover included, and what the claims process is. And last but not least, check
whether the insurance and breakdown cover applies within the EU. Most French insurance policies do cover this
but there may be restrictions or limitations so again, check the small print if you are planning to drive outside France. Premium prices will vary
according to the usual factors such as age, driving experience and record, the vehicle and its value, the usage (cars used for business generally attract higher premiums) and the location. Vehicles in what’s considered to be a low-risk region with secure off -road parking will attract lower premiums than vehicles kept on the street in busy cities, for example. Another factor that will aff ect
premium prices is the annual mileage; policies can be priced according to annual usage, so a policy with a maximum of 10,000km/year will attract a lower premium.
NO-CLAIMS BONUS The fi nal element in the equation is your ‘no-claims history’ or bonus malus. Generally, the no-claims protection policies that are common elsewhere are not available in France. However, there are some companies that off er this (sometimes after a certain period of time) so it’s worth looking out for. Equally, making a single
claim in France will often not reset your no-claims benefi ts to zero; you may lose a portion of your bonus, but it depends on the type of accident and who was to blame. Again, there’s often
Top tip
If you don’t live in France full-time but use your UK or
EU-registered car during your trips, there is no need to take
out French insurance. However, the vehicle must be legally insured in your country of
residence, and you should keep your insurance details with you whenever driving in France.
It’s also vital to check that your policy provides adequate cover when overseas; some insurers only provide third-party cover for example.
considerable variation between insurers, so do read the small print. French car insurance companies will usually accept proof of a no-claims bonus from a foreign country and to maximise your chances of it being accepted, you should ask for proof of your no-claims from your existing insurer before moving to France. Ask them to list the full number of years of no-claims rather than just the last four which is usual in the UK. Specialist international
brokers will often have already made arrangements with insurers to guard against these types of issues.
DOCUMENTATION Although all French insurers have their own application procedures, most allow you to apply and even sign online and the required documentation and information required is likely to be the same.
application and it has been accepted, you’ll receive a copy of your insurance policy (attestation d’assurance) which you are required to carry with you to prove that the vehicle is insured. Pop this in the car along with the vehicle registration papers and an accident report or constat amiable d’accident that you complete in the event of an incident – your insurer can provide these. It’s always a good idea to keep copies of all documents at home too, just in case something happens to the vehicle. Unlike the UK where
insurance covers the driver only and named drivers must be added, in France insurance tends to cover the vehicle with regular drivers being named on the policy. Some policies will have restrictions as to who can use the car; these are often age dependent, with many limiting use to drivers over the age of 25 or with more than three years driving experience. There may come a time
when you need to cancel an insurance policy, and in France the procedure is still quite formal. You need to send the company a formal letter of cancellation (résiliation) via recorded delivery. After the fi rst year has elapsed, you don’t need to wait for the renewal date and the new provider can act on your behalf in terms of cancelling the existing policy. You can also cancel an
insurance policy at any time if you sell the vehicle in question – providing you provide proof of sale (certifi cat de cession d’une vehicle d’occasion). ■
NEXT MONTH Guide to:Useful French apps
FRENCH PROPERTY NEWS: March/April 2025 93
© SHUTTERSTOCK
© SHUTTERSTOCK
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