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taniyadennison
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Health Insurance Advice

Post by taniyadennison »

My husband & I are 'early retirees' (lucky us) and are currently covered on our E106 until Feb 2011. We then have 3 years until we are covered under the French system - 5 years residency/state retirement age. Therefore we are now looking around for full health insurance.

Can anyone provide any recommendations for good insurance cover - minimising cost being one of our prime concerns (albeit we appreciate the importance of worthwhile cover).

Many thanks

Taniya
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Kate
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Post by Kate »

Hi Tanija
My advice would be to make an apt with at least a couple of insurers who are good English speakers (unless your French is fluent of course) and ask for advice... and at least a couple of quotes like for like, then make a decision based on that. I have seen enormously different quotes for the same thing from different companies!
There are some English speaking insurers in P-O Life, depending on where you are, and I'm sure there are others.

Allianz (ask for Damien or Stephanie for English advice)
Prades 04 68 96 31 50
Vernet 04 68 05 30 89
Revesaltes 04 68 29 82 36

Allianz
Céret 06 43 80 73 51

Axa (ask for Christophe)
Saint Génis 04 68 89 72 75

I know someone who had a quote for car insurance in which there was a difference of over 500 euros for exactly the same thing. it really is worth shopping around for all insurances - and dont assume that because they have the same name (ie Allianz), they will propose the sames prices!
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taniyadennison
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Post by taniyadennison »

Kate,

Many thanks indeed. I well get right onto it on Monday.

Taniya
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taniyadennison
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Post by taniyadennison »

Kate,

You are right about the variation in quotes - it's quite amazing. It's pretty difficult to compare 'like-for-like', but so far I have seen quotes differing by up to €4000 p/a, with what seems like very little difference in cover!! The problem with that is that I am convinced that I am missing something in the small print, but I'm b******d if I can find it!!

Does anyone have any personal recommendations for insurers from experience? The best so far (by a country mile) seems to be with Swiss Life through Agence CONGNAC, followed by ASFE through ExpatCourtage.

Does anyone have any experience of them??

Taniya
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Kate
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Post by Kate »

My only other bit of advice Taniya would be to use an agency which has a physical presence here (if you are using a french insurer)
I know of a couple of people who had problems sorting out claims as they had no face to face (nearest office in Paris I think for one and the other was internet or phone) and had to do everything by phone, passed to a different person each time, very frustrated, gave up in the end I think. One of them visits the forum sometimes so may add to this. My personal experience of French insurance is good (I'm with Axa) but in general, it's more complicated, and there is more small print than in Britain I believe.
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sue and paul
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Post by sue and paul »

Our original top-up health insurance 5 years ago was with SwissLife, having just arrived here and OH needing an immediate op, and soon after a hip replacement. We can't speak highly enough of them.

We only switched to Generali for our health top-up because a) all our other insurance was with them (house, cars..) and b) they were able to offer 100% health cover through April, at a time when we might have been excluded from state insurance, which thankfully didn't happen to us in the end (we were "borderline" early retirees).

We recommend Generali, no problems at all, but with all these things, results may vary from agent to agent. We are with Mons & Gianotti, Argeles.
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