Car insurance in France

Third-party liability (Assurance au tiers / responsabilité civile) covers damage you cause to other people, vehicles, or property. It does not cover damage to your own car.

Third-party + (Tiers étendu / tiers renforcé) adds protection for your vehicle against common risks like theft, fire, storm/hail and other weather events, glass breakage (windshield/windows), and animal collisions, but it still usually excludes accidents where you are at fault.

Comprehensive (Tous risques) includes everything in third-party +, and also covers damage to your own car in accidents you cause, plus vandalism and many hit-and-run situations (conditions vary by insurer).

The premium increases with each level of coverage: third-party is cheapest, comprehensive is most expensive.

Third-party liability insurance (responsabilité civile) is legally mandatory in France for any vehicle that is driven (and in practice for most vehicles that are kept/registered).

Beyond the legal minimum, you can upgrade your coverage:

• Third-party + helps protect against theft, fire, glass damage, and weather-related damage.

• Comprehensive (tous risques) is the most complete option, including many at-fault damages to your own vehicle.

For newer or more valuable cars, comprehensive is often the best fit. For older cars with lower value, third-party or third-party + may be enough.

You should choose based on:

• Your car’s value
• Your ability to pay repairs out of pocket
• Your personal risk tolerance

A deductible (franchise) is the amount you pay yourself before your insurer covers the rest of an approved claim.

For example, if your deductible is €300 and you claim €2,000 of damage, you pay €300 and the insurer pays €1,700.

In general, choosing a higher deductible reduces your premium. Deductibles typically apply to third-party + and comprehensive coverage. Third-party liability may still involve specific deductibles in some situations, but it generally focuses on damage to others.

In France, you can usually switch more easily once your contract is eligible under the Hamon Law (Loi Hamon): after 12 months, you can cancel at any time, and the new insurer typically handles the cancellation.

During the first year, cancellation is more limited (for example, after selling the car, major contract changes, or other specific situations).

Often, yes—especially after the first year. Under Loi Hamon, the new insurer usually takes care of cancelling your previous policy so your coverage continues without gaps.

(If you’re still in the first 12 months, the process may depend on your contract and cancellation reason.)

To register your car in France (get your carte grise / certificat d’immatriculation), you generally need proof of insurance.

France uses an insurance certificate / attestation d’assurance (and, depending on the process, insurer details confirming coverage). Once your policy is active, you receive documentation you can use for registration and to show compliance.

Yes—as long as your licence is valid for driving in France.

• EU/EEA licences are generally accepted in France while valid.
• For non-EU licences, you may be able to drive for a limited period after establishing residence, and may need an exchange (échange de permis) depending on your country and situation.

Rules can vary based on nationality, where the licence was issued, and residency status.

When you sell your car, you should notify your insurer and the contract is typically cancelled from the sale/transfer date (or adjusted depending on the insurer’s process). You may receive a refund for any unused premium.

If you’re buying another car, you can usually transfer or start a new policy for the new vehicle.

Yes, you can usually arrange insurance before the vehicle arrives, especially for imports or purchases from abroad. To set up a quote, insurers typically need vehicle details (make, model, year, version/engine, etc.).

Coverage start can depend on whether the vehicle is already eligible to be insured and driven (for example, temporary plates, transit situation, or storage). Many insurers can prepare the policy so you’re ready as soon as you can legally drive/register the car.

Yes but the scope depends on the policy.

• Liability coverage typically applies in many European countries (often via the Green Card / Carte Verte system, or equivalent proof depending on current rules).
• Coverage for your own vehicle (third-party + / comprehensive) may apply abroad within a defined geographic area, and may exclude some countries.

Before travelling, check your policy documents to confirm which countries are covered and whether you need proof of insurance.

Yes. You can get insured in France even if your vehicle still has foreign plates, especially during a transition period (e.g., while you complete the French registration/carte grise process).

Some solutions are specifically designed for this situation, including short-term coverage that lets you drive legally while you finalize registration—then you can move on to a long-term contract once you have French plates.