As a reminder, the Caisse des Français à l’étranger acts in the same way as the French health insurance system, but is independent. It is a private structure entrusted with a public service. It offers protection and basic coverage, as well as partial reimbursement of your medical expenses (70% of the cost of general practitioner or specialist consultations, for example, or 10-30% of dental treatment). It covers three risks: sickness, maternity and disability, work-related accidents and illnesses, and retirement.
It’s the only insurance scheme that allows you to work abroad while continuing to pay pension contributions in France. Another advantage is that it protects you for the duration of your expatriation, whether in your country of residence or in France. You can subscribe individually or through your employer. In all cases, enrolment is voluntary but not compulsory.
Essential benefits offered by complementary insurance
The Caisse des Français à l’étranger offers a number of advantages: social security coverage abroad and in France, pension contributions, sickness, maternity and disability coverage, and more. However, depending on your country of destination, the reimbursements offered by the CFE may not be sufficient. Let’s just say that this fund offers partial coverage: as we said, it offers 70% of the price of generalist or specialist medical consultations, up to a limit of €25. For more expensive consultations, you’ll have to pay out of your own pocket. It’s also worth noting that the CFE reimburses the cost of medical care provided in public-sector establishments under agreement with the CFE (you can’t access private establishments or turn to private-sector professionals). For more comprehensive social protection and choice, you canalso take out complementary private insurance* which, as its name suggests, supplements the reimbursements provided by the CFE scheme and offers additional coverage. All insurance organizations offer the same main coverage, so you’ll be offered :
- medical care in the event of a medical consultation, emergency or accident,
- hospitalization
- third-party liability in the event of damage to others,
- repatriation,
- continuous assistance, should the need arise.
Not only is the coverage comprehensive, but these companies also offer other benefits such as assistance, the possibility of turning to a private hospital or private-sector healthcare personnel, and other options enabling you to create your own “made-to-measure” insurance.
Please note: they are referred to as “complementary” because they enable you to complete the CFE offer. You should also be aware that there are also “1st euro” insurance plans, which cover all healthcare costs (from the first euro paid).
Overview of other available options
What’s more, depending on your destination country and your needs, you can subscribe to other complementary options offered by insurance companies, for “tailor-made” protection. Here are a few examples
- optical and/or dental options,
- legal assistance in the event of litigation,
- assistance in the event of loss or theft of your means of payment,
- penal deposit advance,
- travel assistance: in the event of lost or stolen luggage, flight cancellation or modification, etc.
We advise you to find out all you need to know about the offers and coverages provided by the companies before signing up for the offer that’s right for you. Also, as we said, in addition to complementary private insurance offers, you can turn to a first-euro insurance offer.
How to find the right complementary health insurance?
Some mutual insurers have signed agreements with the CFE to offer “complete packages” with better reimbursement. By signing up with a partner insurance company, you benefit from a single contract, for a single membership, and single reimbursements. Find out more on the CFE website. The other option, if you want to explore all the possibilities, is to turn to an insurance comparison service such as Santexpat.fr. Depending on your situation, your destination country and your needs, our health experts will select the bestinternational health insurance offers for you. The ones that are right for you.
What about the EHIC: is it a good insurance?
The EHIC, or European Health Insurance Card, covers your healthcare costs only in member countries of the European Union, and only for short stays. Once again, it works in a similar way to the French social security system, but in this case, reimbursement is based on the rates charged in the country where you are staying. For more information on the CFE, complementary mutual insurance companies and the EHIC, please visit our website Santexpat.fr
