Compare Home Insurance in France

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24 live offers compared from 20 providers, from €180 /year. Updated daily.

What is home insurance in France?

Home insurance — the assurance multirisque habitation (MRH) — covers your dwelling and belongings against fire, water damage, theft, storms and glass breakage, and crucially includes responsabilité civile for damage you cause to others. It is legally compulsory for tenants (locataires) and for owners in a co-ownership (copropriété); homeowners of detached houses are strongly advised to hold it even where not strictly required.

How the French market works

The market is led by the same mutual and generalist insurers that dominate motor cover — Macif, MAIF, MAAF, GMF, Groupama — plus global groups AXA France and Allianz France, and bancassurers such as Caisse d'Epargne that sell MRH alongside banking. Policies are packaged as multirisque, bundling several perils, with optional add-ons for valuables, garden equipment, home office gear or accidental damage. Water damage (dégât des eaux) is by far the most common claim in France, followed by theft and storm damage, which shapes how insurers price and set conditions. Landlords typically require a fresh attestation d'assurance at each lease renewal, and if a tenant fails to insure, the landlord can take out cover and recharge the cost, so continuous proof of a valid policy matters throughout the tenancy.

Benefits

Legal compliance for renters — Tenants must provide proof of cover (attestation d'assurance) to their landlord each year.

Liability protection — Covers damage you or your household cause to neighbours, such as a water leak.

Comprehensive perils — One policy handles fire, water, theft, storms and often natural-catastrophe events.

How to choose

Size the cover to your home: number of rooms (nombre de pièces), surface area, and the value of contents (capital mobilier). Compare deductibles (franchises), theft conditions such as required locks, and whether valuables and outdoor items need extra cover. Check the assistance services, the replacement basis (new-for-old versus depreciated), and that natural-catastrophe and water-damage cover is adequate for your area.

Leading providers in France

Macif, MAIF, MAAF, GMF and Groupama are leading mutualist insurers with strong member service and pricing. AXA France and Allianz France offer wide national coverage and packaged options, and Caisse d'Epargne provides MRH cover bundled with its banking relationships.

What it costs

Premiums depend on location, home size, contents value and cover level; this comparison shows figures around €180 a year for typical cover, with apartments generally cheaper than houses. Flood- or theft-prone areas cost more, and adding valuables or a lower deductible raises the premium. A small studio can be insured for well under the figure shown here, while a large house with valuable contents costs considerably more. When comparing, look past the headline premium to the contents ceiling and the deductibles, since a cheap policy with a low cover limit or a high excess can leave you badly short after a serious water-damage or theft claim — the two most frequent events French households actually make.

Protections and regulation

Insurers are supervised by the ACPR under the Code des assurances. The loi Hamon lets you switch home insurer freely after the first year, with the new insurer managing cancellation. The catastrophe naturelle regime provides state-backed cover for declared natural disasters, funded by a surcharge on every policy, and disputes can go to the insurance médiateur.

Common questions

Is home insurance mandatory? — Yes for tenants and co-owners; advisable for all homeowners for liability and rebuild protection.

What does responsabilité civile cover? — Damage you, your family or household cause to third parties, such as a leak affecting a neighbour.

Can I switch insurers? — After the first year you can leave any time under the loi Hamon and let the new insurer handle it.

Home Insurance in France — FAQ