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Key takeaways
- Assurance habitation is legally mandatory for every tenant in France, including bail mobilité contracts. The obligation comes from Article 7(g) of the Loi du 6 juillet 1989.
- You must provide an attestation d'assurance habitation before receiving your keys, and again each year when the landlord requests it.
- A basic policy covers fire (incendie), water damage (dégât des eaux), and explosion. Most standard tenant policies also cover civil liability (responsabilité civile), theft, broken glass, and natural disasters.
- Annual cost: typically 82–100 EUR for a studio, 140–200 EUR for a 40–70 m² apartment. Online insurers are often significantly cheaper than traditional insurers.
- If you fail to take out insurance, the landlord can legally subscribe to a policy on your behalf and charge the premium to you, or use it as a ground for lease termination.
Note: This article is for informational purposes only. Insurance terms and pricing vary by provider and policy. Always read policy documents carefully before purchasing. For advice specific to your situation, consult a qualified insurance broker or your local ADIL.
What is assurance habitation?
Assurance habitation is home insurance for tenants. In French law, the relevant term for tenants specifically is assurance des risques locatifs (insurance against rental risks), though the broader term assurance habitation is used universally in practice.
Unlike homeowner's insurance, assurance habitation for tenants does not cover the structure of the building itself (that is the landlord's responsibility). What it covers is the tenant's liability for damage they cause to the property they rent and to their neighbours, as well as damage to their own possessions.
A standard assurance habitation policy has two main components:
- Assurance des risques locatifs: covers damage the tenant causes to the rented property itself (fire, water, explosion). This is the legally required minimum.
- Responsabilité civile (civil liability): covers damage the tenant accidentally causes to third parties, including neighbours. If your washing machine leaks and floods the apartment below, your civil liability cover pays for the damage to your neighbour's property and possessions.
Most standard tenant policies bundle these two components together into a multirisques habitation policy and add further cover (theft, broken glass, natural disasters).
Why assurance habitation is mandatory in France
The obligation is grounded in law. Article 7(g) of the Loi n° 89-462 du 6 juillet 1989 (the primary statute governing French residential tenancies) states that a tenant must:
- Take out insurance covering the rental risks (risques locatifs) for the rented property
- Provide proof of that insurance to the landlord at the start of the tenancy and each year when the landlord requests it
This was reinforced by the ALUR law (Loi n° 2014-366 du 24 mars 2014), which clarified the consequences of non-compliance: if a tenant does not provide proof, the landlord can take out insurance on the tenant's behalf and charge them the premium. Non-compliance can also be grounds for lease termination.
Key point: The obligation applies to all residential lease types governed by the Loi du 6 juillet 1989: bail meublé (furnished), bail nu (unfurnished), bail mobilité (1–10 months), and bail étudiant (9 months). The only exceptions are seasonal rentals and employer-provided accommodation (logements de fonction). Source: Service-Public.fr, F31300.
The practical logic is clear. A single water leak in a Parisian apartment building can cause tens of thousands of euros of damage to multiple apartments below. Without civil liability insurance, a tenant who accidentally causes such damage would be personally liable for the full cost. Mandatory insurance protects tenants from catastrophic financial exposure and protects landlords and neighbours from chasing uninsured individuals for compensation.
What assurance habitation covers
The legal minimum: risques locatifs
French law requires every tenant policy to cover at minimum:
- Incendie (fire): damage to the rented property caused by fire, including smoke damage
- Dégât des eaux (water damage): leaks, burst pipes, flooding from within the apartment
- Explosion: damage caused by an explosion (typically a gas appliance failure)
This minimum covers damage to the landlord's property. It does not cover the tenant's own possessions or liability to neighbours. That is why most tenants buy a more comprehensive policy.
Standard comprehensive tenant coverage
| Cover type | What it pays for | Typically included? |
|---|---|---|
| Risques locatifs (fire, water, explosion) | Damage to the rented property you caused | Yes (legal minimum) |
| Responsabilité civile | Damage you accidentally cause to neighbours or third parties | Yes (virtually all standard policies) |
| Vol et cambriolage (theft and burglary) | Stolen belongings following a break-in | Yes (most standard policies) |
| Bris de glace (broken glass) | Replacement of windows, glass doors, or mirrors | Yes (most standard policies) |
| Catastrophes naturelles | Flooding, storms, earthquakes, drought damage | Yes (required by French law) |
| Actes de terrorisme | Damage from acts of terrorism | Yes (required by French law) |
| Protection juridique (legal insurance) | Legal costs for disputes with the landlord, neighbours, or service providers | Optional add-on |
What assurance habitation does not cover
- Structural repairs to the building (that is the landlord's or co-ownership's responsibility)
- Damage caused intentionally
- Damage arising from the tenant's failure to maintain the property in their care (e.g. failing to report a known leak)
- Belongings stored outside the rented apartment (e.g. in a car or external storage unit), unless specifically included
Key point: The protection juridique add-on is worth considering for any tenant who may need to dispute a deposit deduction, challenge a rent increase, or assert their right to repairs. Legal disputes in France can be expensive and slow. Having insurance-backed legal support from the first letter removes a significant barrier to asserting your rights.
What assurance habitation costs in France
Prices vary by insurer, property size, location, and level of cover. The following figures are market-wide averages for 2026, based on comparison data from French insurance comparison sites.
| Property type | Approximate annual cost | Monthly equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Studio (under 30 m²) | 82–100 EUR | 7–8 EUR |
| T2 / small apartment (30–50 m²) | 100–150 EUR | 8–12 EUR |
| T3 / medium apartment (50–80 m²) | 140–200 EUR | 12–17 EUR |
| T4+ / large apartment (80 m²+) | 200–350 EUR | 17–29 EUR |
Source: French insurance comparison sites (lelynx.fr, meilleurtaux.com, lesfurets.com), 2026 averages.
Online-only insurers typically offer lower premiums than traditional insurers for comparable coverage levels. Luko and Lemonade (now operating under the Lemonade brand in France) are well-known digital-first providers. Traditional insurers such as AXA, MAIF, and Macif offer broader bundled coverage and established claims processes.
Factors that increase premiums include: Paris location (higher theft and property values), a claims history, a large property, and comprehensive cover including high-value personal possessions. Adding protection juridique typically adds 20–40 EUR/year.
Wunderflats data: In Paris, the median furnished mid-term rental is 1,989 EUR/month. Assurance habitation for such an apartment (typically 30–60 m²) costs approximately 100–180 EUR/year. This represents less than 0.8% of annual rental expenditure, a very low cost relative to the protection it provides.
Source: Wunderflats internal data (BigQuery), Jun 2025–May 2026. Figures cover furnished mid-term apartments booked in Paris.
How to get assurance habitation
Step 1: Compare policies
Use a French insurance comparison site to compare policies for your specific property. The main ones are:
Compare the level of cover, the exclusions, the excess (franchise), and the claims process, not just the price.
Step 2: Buy directly or through a comparateur
Once you have chosen a policy, you can buy directly from the insurer's website or app. For online insurers, the process typically takes under 10 minutes and you receive your attestation immediately. For traditional insurers with a branch network, you can also visit in person.
Key information you will need to provide
- The address and floor area of the property
- The type of lease (furnished/unfurnished)
- Whether you are the sole occupant or sharing
- An estimate of the value of your personal possessions (for contents cover)
- Any previous claims history
Annual renewal
French insurance contracts renew automatically by default (tacite reconduction). You will receive a renewal notice each year before the anniversary date. If you want to switch insurers, you can now cancel at any time after the first year with 1 month's notice, under the Loi Hamon (2014). There is no penalty for cancelling after the first year.
Key point: Set a reminder to check your renewal terms each year. Insurers sometimes increase premiums at renewal. Under the Loi Hamon, you can switch at any time after the first year without penalty, the new insurer handles the cancellation of the old policy. This makes it easy to ensure you always have the best value coverage without gaps in protection.
What proof to give your landlord
The document you give your landlord is called an attestation d'assurance habitation (also called a certificat d'assurance). It is a one-page certificate issued by your insurer confirming that a valid policy covers your address for the current period.
The attestation must include:
- Your full name
- The insured address
- The policy period (start and end date)
- The name of the insurer
- Confirmation of cover for risques locatifs at minimum
Most insurers issue this immediately after purchase via their online portal, app, or email. For online insurers, you typically receive it within minutes of completing your application. Keep a digital and a printed copy.
When to provide it
- Before key handover: you must have insurance in place on the first day of the lease. Most landlords will not hand over the keys until they have seen the attestation.
- Each year: the landlord can request the attestation annually. If you do not provide it within a reasonable time, they can subscribe to insurance on your behalf and charge you. Keep a copy of each annual attestation.
If a landlord subscribes insurance on your behalf
If you fail to provide proof of insurance, the landlord has the legal right to take out a policy for you and charge you the premium plus a surcharge (majoration). The surcharge is 10% of the premium. You will also have far less control over the level of cover and will likely pay more than if you arranged insurance yourself. Arranging your own insurance first is always preferable.
Short-term furnished rentals and bail mobilité
The insurance obligation applies to all lease types governed by the Loi du 6 juillet 1989, including the bail mobilité (the short-term furnished lease for 1–10 months). There is no exemption for short stays.
If you are arriving on a bail mobilité of 2 or 3 months, you need an insurance policy that covers that period. Several options are available:
- Short-term specific policies: some insurers (particularly online providers) offer policies starting from 1 month. Luko and similar platforms offer monthly billing with the option to cancel once you leave.
- Annual policy, cancel after you leave: under the Loi Hamon (after the first year), you can cancel with 1 month's notice. For a stay of less than 1 year, you pay only for the months you are covered.
- Your existing home country policy: check with your current insurer whether your existing policy extends to a temporary furnished rental abroad. Some international and expat policies do include this.
For Wunderflats furnished rentals in France, the insurance obligation is the same regardless of whether you are on a bail meublé or a bail mobilité. We recommend setting up cover before your move-in date and emailing the attestation to the landlord in advance.
Key point: Buy your assurance habitation before your move-in date. Most online insurers allow you to set the start date in the future when you purchase. This means you can secure your attestation days before arrival and send it to the landlord in advance, removing one item from the day-one checklist entirely.
FAQs about assurance habitation
â–¶ Is assurance habitation mandatory for tenants in France?
Yes, it is a legal obligation. Article 7(g) of the Loi n° 89-462 du 6 juillet 1989 requires every tenant renting a residential property to hold insurance covering the risques locatifs at minimum. This applies to all lease types: bail meublé, bail nu, bail mobilité, and bail étudiant. The only exceptions are seasonal rentals and employer-provided accommodation. If you do not take out insurance, the landlord can subscribe to a policy on your behalf, charge you the premium plus a 10% surcharge, and, in serious or repeated cases, use non-compliance as grounds for lease termination. Source: Service-Public.fr, F31300; Loi n° 89-462 du 6 juillet 1989, Article 7(g).
▶ What is the difference between responsabilité civile and assurance des risques locatifs?
Assurance des risques locatifs (the legal minimum) covers damage the tenant causes to the landlord's property: fire, water damage, and explosion. It protects the landlord's financial interest in the property. Responsabilité civile (civil liability cover) goes further: it covers damage the tenant accidentally causes to third parties, most importantly, neighbours. If your bathroom floods and damages the apartment below, responsabilité civile pays the neighbour's repair costs. The legal minimum does not cover this: it would only cover the damage to your own landlord's building. Almost all standard multirisques habitation policies include both, which is why buying a comprehensive policy rather than the bare minimum makes sense from both a legal and practical standpoint.
â–¶ Can I use a home country insurance policy instead of French assurance habitation?
It depends on the policy. Some European home insurance policies include coverage for temporary accommodation abroad, and some international and expat policies specifically cover furnished rentals in foreign countries. Check with your insurer whether your existing policy: covers the specific address in France, is valid for the duration of your stay, includes risques locatifs (fire, water, explosion) for the rented property, and can be evidenced by an attestation that a French landlord will accept. If your current policy does not clearly cover all these points, taking out a French policy is the safer option. French landlords are familiar with French attestations and may not accept foreign documents, regardless of their actual coverage.
â–¶ What happens if I damage a neighbour's apartment and I am not insured?
Without civil liability insurance, you are personally liable for the full cost of damage to your neighbour's property and possessions. A serious water damage claim in a Paris apartment building can easily reach 10,000–50,000 EUR or more, depending on the extent of the damage. This exposure is one of the primary reasons French law makes tenant insurance compulsory. If you are uninsured and damage occurs, you can be sued in the Tribunal judiciaire for the full amount. Judgments can be enforced against your income and assets. The cost of insurance (typically under 200 EUR/year) is very small compared to this potential liability.
â–¶ How do I claim on my assurance habitation?
Most policies require you to notify the insurer within 5 working days of discovering damage (water leak, theft) or within 2 working days for burglary. Report by phone or through the insurer's app, then follow up in writing. Document everything: take photographs, keep receipts for emergency repairs, and get a police report (déclaration de police or plainte) for theft or vandalism. The insurer will assign an expert (expert en sinistres) to assess the damage and determine the payout. For water damage (dégât des eaux), your insurer coordinates with the neighbour's insurer and the building's insurer using a standard protocol (convention CIDRE or IRSI) to determine liability without requiring court action.
Sources
- Loi n° 89-462 du 6 juillet 1989, Article 7(g), tenant insurance obligation (Légifrance)
- Obligation du locataire: assurance habitation, Service-Public.fr (F31300)
- Ce qu'il faut savoir sur l'assurance habitation, economie.gouv.fr
- ANIL: assurance habitation obligatoire, expert commentary
- LesFurets.com: price benchmarks for assurance habitation, 2026
- LeLynx.fr: average assurance habitation prices by profile, 2026
- Wunderflats internal data (BigQuery), Jun 2025–May 2026. Paris furnished mid-term rentals: median 1,989 EUR/month.
