Expat health insurance and a mutuelle are 2 separate products that can't be converted into one another. Once you're registered with the CPAM and have a French social security number, you can cancel your expat policy and sign up for a mutuelle as a top-up to your public coverage. For most people who have joined the public system (sécurité sociale), combining it with a mutuelle is generally the most comprehensive coverage option available in France. We offer 4 coverage levels to fit different needs and budgets.
What's the difference between expat health insurance and a mutuelle?
Expat health insurance and a mutuelle are 2 separate products that serve different purposes and can't be converted into one another. Expat health insurance is standalone coverage designed for people who aren't yet part of the French public health system. A mutuelle is a top-up policy that works alongside sécurité sociale, the French public health system, to cover costs that the public system doesn't fully reimburse. A mutuelle also typically covers preventative care and routine check-ups, which expat policies usually don't include.
How do I switch from expat health insurance to a mutuelle?
You can switch once you're registered with the CPAM (the French public health insurance fund) and have received your French social security number. At that point, you can cancel your expat policy and sign up for a mutuelle separately as a top-up to your public coverage. Because expat insurance and a mutuelle are different products, the switch happens as 2 distinct steps: canceling the expat policy and enrolling in a mutuelle, rather than as a conversion.
Why combine sécurité sociale with a mutuelle?
For most people who have joined the French public health system, combining sécurité sociale with a mutuelle provides the most comprehensive health coverage available in France. The mutuelle works alongside the public system through télétransmission, an automatic process that coordinates reimbursements between your public coverage and your mutuelle. Together, the 2 cover a broader range of care, including preventative services and routine check-ups that the public system reimburses only partially (the sécurité sociale typically reimburses 70% of general healthcare costs and 80% of hospitalizations).
What mutuelle coverage options do you offer?
We offer 4 coverage levels for our mutuelle, so you can choose the plan that fits your needs and budget. Each level provides a different balance of coverage and monthly cost, ranging from essential top-up reimbursements to more comprehensive plans that cover a wider range of care and higher reimbursement amounts. You can get a quote to compare them here.