International Group Insurance Products with Full Description:

This is a big difference between the British medical system and the French system. In France, you are responsible for holding your own medical records, so X-Rays and Dr. notes are all given to you to keep. It does mean that you must set up a decent system for storing records, but on the whole the system works.

In France, health care is not totally 100% paid for by the state. Assuming you are in the French medical system, that is employed or otherwise paying your contributions, you will be issued with a Carte Vitale, which entitles you to part payment (70%) of all medical bills. The remaining amount is either paid by you, or by a ‘top up ‘policy which most people take out, frequently through a professional association or private assurance company.

For an in depth review of these international group insurance topics, please review each of the 4 white papers below:

Expatriates living in Paris may find that the drugs they are prescribed are not of the same names as they are used to in North America. Some may not even be on the U.S. FDA approved drug list. This is just one reason why a U.S. medical plan for expatriates should be avoided, and an international group medical insurance plan should be adopted.

 

This page provides information on expat insurance in France, international employee benefits, and insurance for French expatriates working in the United States and other countries.

Expatriate Insurance France - Viva la Expat Assignment.

An expatriate assignment in France is not all wine and cheese, especially for American Expats working in France. We hope the information presented here is of use to you. We would like to remind readers that McKinley International Risk Management is an international benefits broker that would be pleased to discuss any of these issues at your convenience with no international insurance consulting fees. The service level and expertise we provide clients with employees working abroad consistently ranks ahead of the large international consulting houses that charge thousands of dollars just to be on retainer. It does not take $50,000 of consulting fees to solve the issues in these pages.

Sending expatriates into France, here are some important considerations (Local or Home Country Insurance Provider?)

The standard of healthcare in France is excellent so an international medical evacuation and repatriation policy typically offered by International SOS, Medex, or Europe Assist is generally not needed as the nearest appropriate facility for any expatriate emergency healthcare concern is ground transportation and not through the air. This is where the proper expatriate policy and procedures come into play, being established by the employer ahead of time (hopefully). There has been more than one expatriate assigned in France that has attempted to use the medical evacuation provider to return to the United States for care when the healthcare should have been received in France.

The French expatriate health insurance giant is AXA / PPP, and it became a major rival to the United Kingdom's expatriate insurance company BUPA, after the AXA purchase of PPP, BUPA's largest rival in Europe. (Bupa is still the largest provider of expatriate employee benefits today). AXA / PPP will offer expatriate insurance packages to foreign expats living in Paris and there would be some advantages to these programs however, coverage in the United States would be limited to emergency only services or be totally non-existent. We feel the advantages of using a U.S. expatriate health insurance provider for expatriates in France outweighs using even local provider, even one of the quality of AXA-PPP.

Lloyd's of London and the XN Financial program will still be a best bet for international personal property insurance, international liability, and vacant homeowners insurance for expatriates. There may be some insurers locally that will work with expatriates on these lines but why bother. The insurance will not be as portable as the international property insurance program and there will be no liability insurance cover in the U.S. where the expat and family may spend over a month a year, or the child may be attending university.

France claims it long ago achieved much of what today's U.S. healthcare bill is seeking: It covers everyone, and provides what supporters say is high-quality care. But soaring costs are pushing the system into crisis. The result: As Congress fights over whether America should be more like France, the French government is trying to borrow U.S. tactics.

Kidnap and ransom and overall security risk is very low in France and a bit higher in Paris.. The proper security protocols are needed in any country for foreign residents. For more information on kidnap & ransom insurance please follow this link or for just an overview please visit our link on this website.

Local Nationals in France and the French Healthcare system for multinational employers

Industry wide collect labor agreements dominate France. Employer associations negotiate with the representative unions. Such agreements determine the scope of employee benefit packages. The main employers association is the Conseil National du Patronat Francail which is composed of industry wide employer associations. On the other side, there are five main labor organizations.

Employers and employees share the cost of all employee benefits except work injury, family allowances, and national housing assistance, which are financed entirely by employers. The contribution rate is relative to total earnings.

French labor legislation and collective agreements provide for compulsory complementary pensions, death benefits, termination indemnities, and profit sharing. Pension benefits are also compulsory.

In summary, if you are a foreign company looking to do business in France and plan to hire French nationals, there is not a whole lot of flexibility given to what you can and cannot offer. Instead of paying an international employee benefits consultant $15,000 to provide this advice, simply find a similar company in a similar industry or even a competitor. You will need to match what they do almost to the T without much variation.

Expatriate Insurance France Needs Chart (1 to 10 with 10 being a critical need) Looks at the need for expatriate insurance vs. what can be obtained in the local market or what many not even be needed for an expatriate assignment in France.

Expatriate Medical Insurance in France a necessity? 9
International Medical Evacuation in France (with assistance) 2
Expatriate Life Insurance in France 8
Expatriate Disability Insurance in France 8
Cross Cultural Training in France for U.S. expats 8
International EAP in France for U.S. expats in France 7
International Workers Compensation Insurance France 9
Expatriate Property Insurance in France 9
Expatriate Liability Insurance in France 9
Kidnap and Ransom Insurance France 2
Emergency Security Planning / Evacuation Plan 1
Local Admitted Coverage Needed for Expatriates residing in France 3
Place France Nationals under an offshore or U.S. expat plan NEVER
France health insurance works for local nationals of France in the United States No
Repatriation of Remains France for Expatriates (insurance to return remains) 8

** Art. L. 310-10 of the French Insurance Code generally prohibits foreign insurers from issuing contracts (souscrire) of direct insurance covering the “risk” of any person, property or liability located in France other that those foreign insurers permitted to insure such risks pursuant to Article L.310-2 of the Code. Permitted foreign firms include companies headquartered in France or in another EU member state or companies located outside of the EU that engage in authorized insurance activities through their permitted establishments in France. Consequently, a US insurer without a duly-authorized establishment in France would not be permitted to insure French risks.

The French Insurance Code does not specifically prohibit a non-admitted insurer from paying a claim on a French policy. However, the making of such payment (a principal element of an insurance policy) risks being deemed by French regulatory authorities and courts to constitute the unauthorized practice of regulated insurance activities in France (Art. L. 310-2 III). Moreover, the violation of Art. L. 310-10 and L. 310-2 of the Code may constitute criminal offenses. However, insurance policies issued by non-admitted insurers are enforceable in France to the extent that the insured acquires the policy in good faith. Consequently, according to Art. L. 113-5 of the Code, the insurer may, nevertheless, be held responsible for performance under the policy. However, an insured that knowingly purchases a policy from a non-admitted insurer covering a French risk assumes the risk of not having enforceable coverage and the insurer assumes the risk of incurring criminal and civil penalties.

In summary, France does not allow a non-admitted insurer to cover a French-domiciled person, property, or liability no matter what their citizenship. Legal sanctions include fines and penalties imposed on the purchaser and the threat that the policy will be voided. An insured purchasing a policy from a non-admitted insurer covering a risk domeciled in France assumes the risk of not having enforceable coverage by law.