You can cancel your expat health insurance in France at any time through your account. When your cancellation takes effect, and whether you receive a refund, depends on whether you're billed monthly or annually, and all policies carry a 30-day minimum. If you're continuing to live in France, you're required to have health coverage in place before canceling, and many people top up their sécurité sociale coverage with a mutuelle.
How to cancel
You can cancel your Expat insurance at anytime, but keep in mind that you'll need to cancel before the 1st of the following month to avoid being billed and covered for that additional month. In addition, a one-month minimum applies for all policies.
You can cancel your Expat policy easily by:
Logging in to your Feather account using the email address you used to sign up for your policy. You'll receive a one-time password by email to complete the login.
Selecting your expat policy in your account.
Clicking on the cancel button.
You can cancel at any time. The timing of your cancellation determines when your coverage ends and whether you're billed for an additional period.
How does canceling affect my next bill?
All policies have a 30-day minimum. What happens next depends on how you're billed:
If you pay monthly and your policy has been active for more than 30 days, cancel before the 1st of the next month to avoid being billed for it. If you cancel on or after the 1st, your policy has already renewed, and you'll be billed and covered for that full month. Your coverage ends at the end of the month in which you cancel.
If you pay monthly and your policy has been active for less than 30 days, cancel before the 30-day mark to avoid being billed for an additional month. If your policy started partway through a month, you'll still be billed on the 1st of the following calendar month, since the 30-day minimum applies to all policies.
If you pay annually and cancel before completing a full year, your policy stops at the end of the month following your cancellation, the same as with monthly billing. You'll receive a refund for the remaining unused time, calculated on a pro rata basis by day.
If you pay annually and want your policy to end exactly at your 12-month renewal date, cancel at any point between the start of the 12th month and your renewal date. Your policy will then end at that renewal date instead of automatically renewing.
What happens to my coverage if I leave France partway through a month?
Your policy does not end early. Coverage runs in full calendar months, so if you leave on, for example, the 15th of the month, your policy will have already renewed on the 1st, and you'll be billed for that full month.
The upside is that you're not locked into a long-term yearly contract, since you can cancel on a monthly basis with no penalties. Just keep in mind that you need to have a health insurance at all times while residing in France.
What are my health insurance options if I'm staying in France?
You are legally required to have health coverage in place before canceling your existing policy. In most cases, this means enrolling with the CPAM (Caisse Primaire d'Assurance Maladie) under the sécurité sociale.
If you're canceling your expat health insurance precisely because you're now covered by the CPAM and have received your Attestation de Droits with your French social security number, we recommend signing up for our mutuelle to top up your public coverage. A mutuelle is optional, but it is highly recommended for the most comprehensive health coverage.
Indeed, the Sécurité Sociale only reimburses a portion of your medical costs (70% of general healthcare costs, and 80% of hospitalization costs). A mutuelle covers the rest, including preventative care and routine check-ups that expat policies typically don't include.
We offer 4 coverage levels so you can choose the plan that fits your needs and budget. You can get a quote and compare the options here.