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Wage-earners in France |
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If you are a wage-earner in France, you must be affiliated to a social security regime and registered at the healthcare department (CPAM) nearest your place of residence. The French social security system covers all wage-earning employees for medical expenses linked to illness or accidents. These benefits are paid for mainly by contributions from the employee and their employer. You are eligible for healthcare reimbursement as soon as you have worked in France for a minimum of 60 hours. The social security will only pay back a percentage of your health costs (between 70 and 80%), so you are advised to take out “top-up” insurance cover (complémentaire/mutuelle) to make up the difference. This is particularly important if you have to go into hospital, as health costs can mount up quickly.
For practical details on registering at the CPAM, see our help leaflet: registering at the CPAM.
For further information, please contact us. |
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European nationals holding the European Card |
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 If you are covered by a social security regime in your European Union country, you can request a European Card before you arrive in France. This will give you social security cover in France. Practical details on applying for the card can be found in our help leaflet: social security for a European national. |
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Your country has signed a bilateral healthcare agreement with France. |
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You are not receiving a salary in France and your home country has signed a bilateral agreement on healthcare. Before leaving, you must pick up a stamped application form from your health care centre, which will allow you access to health care in France.
To consult the list of States parties who have signed bilateral healthcare agreements, see the table below provided by the CLEISS.
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Mutuelle or complementary health cover |
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In all the above cases, the social security system will only refund part of the actual expenses incurred (between 70% and 80%). It is therefore advisable to subscribe to a complementary health cover or Mutuelle, which will reimburse the difference. This is particularly important in the event of hospitalization as costs can be extremely high. Our services will help you choose the right mutuelle or recommend a good insurance broker who will advise you on the best solution for you. |
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Grant-holders |
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If you are not a wage-earner or hold a European Card, to receive health benefits in France you need to take out private health insurance during at least the first three months of your stay. We have negotiated preferential rates with a private insurance firm in France that you may be able to benefit from, so please do not hesitate to contact us for more information.
Three months after your arrival, you can also apply for CMU cover (Universal Health Insurance) at your local healthcare department (Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie - CPAM). For more details on obtaining CMU cover, either contact us or see our help leaflet: CMU. |
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