This is a short post all about home insurance (or assurance habitation), and why you have to get it.
In France, unlike in the UK, you must have home insurance by law. No one told me this, so I am telling you now. Getting home insurance is something you should make a priority, unless you want Emmanuel Macron to come knocking. (No one wants that.)
A running theme: this is something that took me ages to get around to, partly because I didn't know I had to, partly because it is yet another daunting task on the never-ending list of daunting tasks. (But don't worry, I'm here to explain so it's not daunting for you.)
In fact, when I did do it, it was very simple. The best way is to just take out home insurance when you set up a bank account - most banks tend to offer un compte bancaire and assurances. When I finally managed to get a meeting at the bank to create (yet another) French bank account, sorting out insurance, which I had been anxious about for ages, turned out to be really easy, because I could set it up with the same bank while I was there creating an account.
So, when you go for your rendezvous at the bank (yes, that's what they call it), if they don't try to sell you insurance by themselves, make sure you ask about it. It should be somewhere around £8 a month, or per person if you're in a group, just so you know you're not being fleeced. I was reluctant when they starting selling me these extra products, however it all checked out and I'm now very glad I was able to kill two birds with one stone then and there.
I used La Banque Postale Assurances, though plenty of banks will offer you insurance, such as LCL, HSBC and many others, as well as dedicated insurance companies like Groupama. It is best to do a bit of research and make sure you know what they are covering you for - e.g. if they only cover valuables up to a certain value, or not bikes, or anything like that. You should also be provided with a helpline that you can call for free if something goes wrong, like plumbing.
Finally, you will need to sign a form at the end of all this, either in person at the bank, or done online by logging onto your espace client. I can't give you specific instructions on where to find this as every company is different, but hopefully they will send you an email or notification and you should be able to follow your nose to find it.
I promise insuring yourself isn't too difficult a task if you sort it at the same time as a bank account, just remember to get it done as it is a legal requirement.
Emily
In France, unlike in the UK, you must have home insurance by law. No one told me this, so I am telling you now. Getting home insurance is something you should make a priority, unless you want Emmanuel Macron to come knocking. (No one wants that.)
A running theme: this is something that took me ages to get around to, partly because I didn't know I had to, partly because it is yet another daunting task on the never-ending list of daunting tasks. (But don't worry, I'm here to explain so it's not daunting for you.)
In fact, when I did do it, it was very simple. The best way is to just take out home insurance when you set up a bank account - most banks tend to offer un compte bancaire and assurances. When I finally managed to get a meeting at the bank to create (yet another) French bank account, sorting out insurance, which I had been anxious about for ages, turned out to be really easy, because I could set it up with the same bank while I was there creating an account.
So, when you go for your rendezvous at the bank (yes, that's what they call it), if they don't try to sell you insurance by themselves, make sure you ask about it. It should be somewhere around £8 a month, or per person if you're in a group, just so you know you're not being fleeced. I was reluctant when they starting selling me these extra products, however it all checked out and I'm now very glad I was able to kill two birds with one stone then and there.
I used La Banque Postale Assurances, though plenty of banks will offer you insurance, such as LCL, HSBC and many others, as well as dedicated insurance companies like Groupama. It is best to do a bit of research and make sure you know what they are covering you for - e.g. if they only cover valuables up to a certain value, or not bikes, or anything like that. You should also be provided with a helpline that you can call for free if something goes wrong, like plumbing.
Finally, you will need to sign a form at the end of all this, either in person at the bank, or done online by logging onto your espace client. I can't give you specific instructions on where to find this as every company is different, but hopefully they will send you an email or notification and you should be able to follow your nose to find it.
I promise insuring yourself isn't too difficult a task if you sort it at the same time as a bank account, just remember to get it done as it is a legal requirement.
Emily
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