{"product_id":"a-guide-to-finding-your-french-health-insurance-provider","title":"A Guide to Finding Your French Health Insurance Provider","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSocial Security Pays 70%. Who Pays the Rest? The Mutuelle Guide for Expats in France\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn France, Social Security never covers the full bill. Choosing a mutuelle is hard because the contracts use their own vocabulary, percentages that don't mean what they seem to, and clauses that catch new arrivals in particular. This guide explains it in plain English and then shows you how to read real contracts. It uses figures copied from the insurers' own documents.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat's Covered:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhether you need a French mutuelle, explained with a table by situation: employee, self-employed, student, visitor visa, S1 retiree, family\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat Social Security leaves you to pay, with worked examples in euros: consultations, sector 1, 2 and 3 doctors, OPTAM, hospital costs, and the sums no mutuelle is allowed to reimburse\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe two clauses that cost expats the most: the waiting period (\u003cem\u003edélai de carence\u003c\/em\u003e) and the deductible (\u003cem\u003efranchise\u003c\/em\u003e)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYour employer's mutuelle: the 50% rule, when you can opt out, and what happens if you lose your job or retire\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow to read a table of cover\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat it costs, and the state-funded option (CSS) with the 2026 income thresholds\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow to cancel and switch, and what the law actually says\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA real comparison of popular French providers \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA toolkit: where to look depending on your situation, the 12 questions to ask before signing (with the French to copy into your email), and two template letters in French with English translations\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat changes in 2026 and 2027\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA French–English glossary of the 22 words you'll see on every contract\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho It's For:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExpats who have, or are about to get, a French Social Security number and need to pick a mutuelle\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNew arrivals not yet affiliated who need to know what to take out in the meantime\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEmployees wondering whether the company mutuelle is enough, or whether they can refuse it\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFreelancers and micro-entrepreneurs comparing individual plans\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnyone already paying for a mutuelle who isn't sure what it covers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery:\u003c\/strong\u003e Instant digital download (PDF, 38 pages). \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGood to know:\u003c\/strong\u003e Every figure was checked against official sources on 18 September 2026, and the sources are listed so you can verify them yourself. This guide is general information, not insurance advice. Keys to France doesn't sell or recommend insurance and receives no commission from any insurer.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNew to the French health system altogether? Pair it with \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/keystofrance.co\/products\/a-guide-to-french-healthcare-for-expats\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eA Guide to French Healthcare for Expats\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, which covers getting your Carte Vitale, finding a doctor, Doctolib and reimbursements.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePlease read our\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/keystofrance.co\/policies\/terms-of-service\"\u003eTerms\u0026amp;Conditions\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003efor more information.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFollow us on\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca title=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/keys_to_france?igsh=emVmd2lyZXNnaDI4\" target=\"_self\"\u003eInstagram\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand \u003ca title=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@keystofrance?_t=8qhkjAcjkUj\u0026amp;_r=1\" target=\"_self\"\u003eTikTok\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand check out our\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/keystofrance.co\/blogs\/ourblogs\" target=\"_self\"\u003eBlog\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003efor expat and immigration advice. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Keys to France","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57402390380870,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0810\/3470\/7270\/files\/FullVisaFilePreparation_11.png?v=1789739778","url":"https:\/\/keystofrance.co\/products\/a-guide-to-finding-your-french-health-insurance-provider","provider":"Keys to France","version":"1.0","type":"link"}