Top-Up Health Insurance with CA Britline
France offers a comprehensive and high quality health care system consisting of both public and private hospitals. Unlike the UK, France has a combination of universal health care provision available to all French residents and Top-Up or complementary health insurance. This system is referred to as the Protection Universelle Maladie (PUMA).
First, make sure you are registered for French health care
To get your Carte Vitale, there are different ways to register into the French health care system depending on your personal situation.
For further information contact your local CPAM (Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie).
Reasons to have a Top-Up health insurance plan
The cost of health and medical treatments can be very expensive. Although a visit to your doctor may seem relatively small, if you need surgery or hospitalisation the medical bill could be expensive. Medication is also rarely fully reimbursed.
Frequently asked questions
There is a universal system of health cover in France provided by your relevant Social Security regime. You must be registered and in possession of your Carte Vitale to benefit.
As a general rule your Social Security regime e.g. CPAM will pay approximately 70% of the basic state set tariff of any health treatment or consultations but this leaves a shortfall of at least 30%.
Top up Health Insurance is available to cover this shortfall and potentially a contribution to other private fees. This is important because the base level does not cover all fees that you may incur. Very often extra private fees are charged by consultants, surgeons, dentists and opticians.
Your Top-up Health Insurance is linked to your Carte Vitale and works in tandem with this system. If a payment is made in association with the Carte Vitale the link triggers the Top up Health insurance company to make their appropriate payment also. Alternatively it is necessary to send your ‘décompte de prestations’ (receipt from your social security regime) directly to your Health Insurance provider for a reimbursement to be made.
When applying for top-up health insurance the following basic information is required:
- Your age
- Family situation (partners/spouse, children etc.)
- Employment status (retired/employed etc ) & job description
- A copy of your « Attestation Droits à l'Assurance Maladie »
An advisor will discuss with you your health needs (e.g. how often you visit your doctor, medicines etc) in order to help you with the choice of cover most adapted to your situation.
Generally, a health insurance plan will have no waiting period before you are able to make a claim and no medical examinations are required.
The top-up health insurance policy is provided by PACIFICA, a non-life insurance subsidiary of Crédit Agricole Assurances. PACIFICA, S.A. with fully paid-up capital of €455,455,425, a company governed by the French Insurance Code. Registered office: 8-10 Boulevard Vaugirard 75724 Paris Cedex 15. Registered with the Paris Trade and Companies Register under number 352 358 865. VAT no.: FR 95 352 358 865. The events covered and the conditions are detailed in the contract.
The events guaranteed and the conditons figure in the contract.
This contract is issued by your regional head office Crédit Agricole Normandie, brokering company registered on the « registre des intermédiaires d’assurance » n° 07 022 868.