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In France, tenant insurance — called assurance habitation — is a legal requirement under the Loi du 6 juillet 1989. Unlike in many other countries where home insurance is optional, French landlords can require proof of insurance as a condition of handing over the keys, and can terminate the lease if a tenant lets their policy lapse. This guide explains what the law requires, what policies cover, how to choose one, and what the consequences of being uninsured are.
Key takeaways
- Assurance habitation is legally required for all tenants renting unfurnished or furnished accommodation in France.
- Landlords can refuse to hand over keys and can terminate the lease if the tenant has no valid insurance.
- The minimum legal requirement is garantie des risques locatifs — coverage for fire, water damage, and explosions.
- Most policies are multirisques habitation, which also covers theft, liability, and the tenant's own belongings.
- The tenant must provide the landlord with an attestation d'assurance at lease signing and on renewal each year.
- For bail mobilité tenants, insurance is still required — the lease type does not exempt you.
The legal requirement
Article 7 of the Loi du 6 juillet 1989 requires tenants to insure against the risks they may cause to the property (risques locatifs). This obligation applies to both unfurnished leases (bail nu) and furnished leases (bail meublé), including bail étudiant and bail mobilité.
The landlord has three specific rights if a tenant fails to insure:
- Refuse to hand over the keys at the start of the tenancy.
- Subscribe to an insurance policy on the tenant's behalf and charge the premium to the tenant, at a surcharge of up to 10% of the premium.
- Terminate the lease after formal notice.
Warning: A landlord can legally take out insurance on your behalf and add the cost to your rent if you have no policy. The law permits a 10% administrative surcharge on top of the premium.
Garantie des risques locatifs: the minimum requirement
The legal minimum is coverage for risques locatifs — damage the tenant causes to the property and building arising from three causes:
- Incendie (fire)
- Dégât des eaux (water damage, including leaks and floods)
- Explosion
This covers the landlord's property and the building — not the tenant's own belongings. A bare risques locatifs policy does not cover:
- The tenant's furniture and personal possessions.
- The tenant's liability to neighbours.
- Legal costs.
Multirisques habitation: what most tenants actually get
In practice, almost all tenants take out a multirisques habitation (MRH) policy rather than a bare risques locatifs policy. An MRH policy typically includes:
- Risques locatifs (legally required): fire, water damage, and explosion.
- Responsabilité civile vie privée (personal liability): covers damage the tenant or household members cause to third parties.
- Recours des voisins et des tiers: covers claims from neighbours for damage originating in your property.
- Protection of the tenant's own belongings (mobilier, electronics, valuables) against fire, water, theft, and sometimes accidental breakage.
- Assistance: emergency locksmith, temporary accommodation after a covered event.
| Coverage type | Included in risques locatifs | Included in MRH |
|---|---|---|
| Fire, water damage, and explosion (damage to property) | Yes | Yes |
| Tenant's personal belongings | No | Yes |
| Liability to neighbours | No | Yes |
| Theft | No | Yes |
| Legal assistance | No | Often |
The attestation d'assurance
The landlord is legally entitled to request proof of insurance at lease signing and once per year thereafter. This proof is called an attestation d'assurance (or certificat d'assurance). It is a one-page document issued by your insurer.
It must show:
- Your name and address.
- The insured property address.
- The policy number.
- The coverage start and end dates.
- Confirmation that the policy covers at least risques locatifs.
Most insurers provide this digitally within minutes of taking out a policy.
Info: Always keep your attestation d'assurance accessible. Your landlord can ask for it at any point during the year, not just at signing.
How to get insured
There are three main routes to getting covered in France.
Direct with an insurer
Major insurers including AXA, MAIF, MACIF, and Groupama offer MRH policies online and by phone. MAIF and MACIF are mutual insurers with strong reputations for claims handling. AXA is available in English for international tenants.
Via a bank
Most French banks — BNP Paribas, Société Générale, Crédit Agricole, and others — include or offer MRH policies. If you already have a French bank account, this is often the most convenient option.
Via a comparison platform or digital insurer
Comparison platforms such as LeLynx.fr and Assurland.com let you compare policies side by side. For short stays or furnished rentals, digital insurers such as Luko and Lovys offer monthly or per-day policies well suited to temporary tenancies.
Practical points to bear in mind:
- The cheapest policies start around 5–8 EUR/month for a studio. Cover increases with property size and declared value of belongings.
- Always declare the correct floor area. Underdeclaration can invalidate claims.
- Set up automatic renewal to avoid an accidental lapse — your landlord will expect a new attestation each year.
Tip: If you are arriving in France and need an attestation the same day, online insurers such as Luko or Lovys can issue one within minutes. Traditional insurers may take 24–48 hours.
Assurance habitation and the bail mobilité
The bail mobilité is a short fixed-term lease (1–10 months) for furnished accommodation, designed for people on mobility assignments, internships, or professional training. It is not possible to charge a security deposit under a bail mobilité.
Despite its short duration, the insurance obligation under the Loi du 6 juillet 1989 still applies in full. Tenants on a bail mobilité must hold a valid assurance habitation for the entire duration of the lease. The landlord retains all three rights described above — including the right to refuse key handover and to take out a policy on the tenant's behalf.
Monthly policies are well suited to bail mobilité tenancies. Several digital insurers offer month-to-month cover with no minimum term, which avoids paying for a full year when you only need a few months of cover.
Info: The bail mobilité cannot include a security deposit, but it does not reduce or remove the insurance requirement. Arrange cover before your move-in date, just as you would for any other lease type.