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Expatriate or travel insurance to cover your healthcare costs abroad

Find all the answers to your questions about international health insurance here.

Frequently asked questions about international health insurance

How do healthcare costs work abroad?

Travel insurance is for everyone who travels abroad. There are several types of travel insurance covering you whatever the purpose of your stay abroad: study, business trip, expatriation, tourism, WHV.

What is travel insurance?

Travel insurance is a non-compulsory contract that covers the policyholder against incidents that may occur before and during the trip. The decision to take out a travel insurance policy is the best thing to do, so that you can benefit from compensation in the event of an unexpected situation.
Nevertheless, it is required for entry into Algeria, China, Cuba and Russia.
What’s more, depending on the country you travel to, the risks involved may be greater. In Australia and the USA, for example, healthcare costs are among the highest in the world.

How do I take out travel insurance?

Before purchasing travel insurance, you should first take stock of your needs, asking yourself the following questions:
– Where are you headed? What is its risk level?
– How long will your stay last?
– What are the conditions under which you are leaving (simple trip, business trip…)?

What does travel insurance cover?

Travel insurance covers the following

  • Medical expenses
  • Third-party liability coverage for damage caused to a third party
  • Compensation for lost luggage
  • Assistance and repatriation in the event of problems during a trip

To choose the most comprehensive travel insurance, you need to shop around to find the one that suits you best in terms of coverage:

  • Medical expenses coverage limits
  • Claims procedures, claims reporting, availability of assistance number (companies available 24/7 are to be preferred).
  • Steps to take in the event of hospitalization
  • Choice of doctor and/or hospital
  • Whether or not you need to obtain your insurer’s agreement before incurring or advancing expenses
  • Countries covered
  • Warranty exclusions and limits.

Discover our travel insurance contracts.

Keep in mind that there is no such thing as zero risk, and that taking out travel insurance gives you peace of mind!

In the event of accident or illness abroad, your assistance and travel insurance contracts can guarantee you assistance or compensation. Under what conditions do they intervene, and what guarantees do you have?

What is the difference between an insurance contract and an assistance contract?

Insurance provides financial compensation in the event of a claim.

An assistance contract guarantees you material and logistical support in the event of an incident. These are therefore two quite distinct guarantees.

Assistance contract services

An assistance contract will take care of logistics and organization.

If you become seriously ill or suffer a serious injury while traveling in a country that does not have sufficient medical facilities to cure you, assistance will guarantee repatriation.

Unlike some insurance policies, an assistance contract is completely optional. However, it can be comfortable to take out a policy when a situation requires emergency assistance.

Insurance contract guarantees

Travel insurance is a term that covers different types of insurance for a trip:

  • Travel assistance insurance: the solution if you need medical help or have problems with your car while traveling.
  • Cancellation insurance: this covers you if you have to cancel your trip. The insurer will then reimburse your travel expenses.
  • Baggage insurance: compensation if your baggage is stolen or damaged

Unlike assistance, insurance implies financial compensation or reimbursement when the insured risk occurs. This is the case with health insurance, which will compensate you for your medical expenses if you fall ill abroad.

It’s essential to have a contract that insures you and offers assistance services. Assistance alone is not enough abroad. Travel insurance is much more extensive than travel assistance. Travel insurance is the best way to travel with peace of mind!

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Medical costs abroad are often much higher than in France, and social security doesn’t cover you everywhere.
There are many reasons why it’s essential to be insured when you go abroad.

What health coverage is there without international health insurance?

Very often, the coverage you enjoy in your home country is not valid abroad.

There are two main reasons why you can’t count on Social Security cover:

  • Non-systematic management
  • Reimbursement based on French rates.

In Europe, the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is not enough to be well covered.

Finally, if you have a premium bank card, travel insurance will not be valid if you do not use your card to pay for your stay in full. Conventional cards do not provide for wider coverage. It is not possible to personalize the cover with a credit card. Bank card insurance cover is generally valid for three months, or 90 days.

Immediate coverage with health insurance

International health insurance covers you against certain major risks:

  • The financial risk: healthcare costs vary greatly from one country to another, and can quickly escalate. The insurance covers your expenses, so you don’t have to pay in advance in the event of hospitalization.
  • Health risks: in some parts of the world, medical facilities are very limited. It’s important to have comprehensive repatriation assistance cover to make up for local shortcomings.
  • Risk of access to medicine: in some countries, public structures do not always allow a choice of doctor or hospital, and delays in accessing care are very long.
    The insurance provides reimbursement for private medical care, with a free choice of doctor or hospital, anywhere in the world.

Health insurance cover abroad

Insurance offers many advantages, such as :

  • Complementary social protection: covers loss of luggage, theft, destruction of all or part of the luggage.
  • Reimbursement of medical and health expenses: the insurer sets a ceiling depending on the contract chosen.
  • Third-party liability: covers the cost of damage caused to others, their property and social security abroad.

Good health cover is essential if you want to travel abroad with peace of mind!

We can advise you on the right insurance policy for your destination country.
Our insurances cover you worldwide, but depending on the geographical area or the purpose of your stay, it’s important to check your coverage.
If you travel to a country other than the one for which you have taken out insurance, you may not be covered if the country in question has an unstable political climate.
If you’re traveling to a high-risk country, we strongly advise you to ask us about the right policy for you.

What are the coverage exclusions in an insurance contract?

Before taking out health insurance, make sure you are aware of the exclusions of coverage that appear in the general terms and conditions of the contract. Insurance exclusions mean that certain treatments are not covered. One of the most common conditions for international health insurance is a pre-existing condition.
All insurance policies have exclusions. Companies offering international health insurance are not obliged to cover medical history, and may also refuse to cover a person if the risk of serious illness during their policy is high.

General exclusions apply to almost all contracts. They include :

  • Pre-existing illnesses
  • Voluntary self-mutilation
  • Cosmetic surgery not performed following an accident or illness. They are not reimbursed and are the responsibility of the insured.
  • Sleep cures, weight loss, rejuvenation, detoxification…
  • Dangerous extreme sports
  • Care in establishments such as thalassotherapy spas, retirement homes or hospitalization in medium- or long-stay facilities
  • Alcohol, drug and medication abuse
  • Crime
  • War or terrorism

The exclusion of epidemic risks is also a classic insurance exclusion. Nevertheless, the Covid-19 crisis has shown us that exceptions are possible, as many insurance companies cover Covid-related care.

You are not always covered by French social security abroad.
If you are an expatriate, you will not be covered.

If you’re going on a short trip, social security may cover you in certain countries, mainly in the European Union, but only on the basis of the social security scale. However, you will never be able to obtain direct coverage as is the case in France (you will have to advance all costs, including hospitalization, and be reimbursed afterwards).

For countries outside the European Union, you will not be covered, with a few exceptions (some countries have signed an agreement allowing the reimbursement of medical procedures at French rates, which are generally lower than those abroad).

In countries like the USA and Canada (but also Australia, Japan, etc.), the cost of medical care is very high.
Unfortunately, accidents and illnesses don’t just happen to other people. So, if you find yourself in this type of situation, it’s essential to have an insurer to support you financially if you need medical care in these countries.
You’ll be reimbursed for your medical expenses, which can amount to tens of thousands of euros in many countries. If you’re going to these countries for study, internship, WHV or work purposes, you’ll need to take out travel insurance.

CFE (Caisse des Français de l’Etranger) insures you abroad within the limits of French social security coverage. We strongly recommend that you take out a complementary health insurance plan that covers the balance of your CFE reimbursements, just like a standard French complementary health insurance plan. In some countries, such as the United States and those with higher medical costs than France, this is essential. Let’s take an example: CFE reimbursements are limited to the rates negotiated by the French social security system, taking 70% or 100% depending on the case. For a consultation with a general practitioner whose social security reimbursement is limited to 25 euros, the CFE will reimburse 70% of this amount, i.e. 17.50 euros. If your consultation was for 60 euros or 150 euros, you will have to pay 60-17.50= 42.50 euros or 150-17.50= 132.50 euros. The CFE top-up will reimburse you for the remainder of your expenses, depending on the cover you have chosen. Mondassur offers the GoldExpat contract for the 1st euro, with no CFE involvement, or Goldexpat as a complement to the CFE, with formulas with variable reimbursement ceilings. These insurance contracts enable you to limit your out-of-pocket expenses, which can be very high for costly medical care.

Unlike a CFE top-up, a 1st euro insurance covers your medical expenses from the first euro spent, without any further intervention by an organization.

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The majority of people choose 1st euro insurance rather than CFE supplementary insurance. There are a number of reasons for this choice:

  1. It’s often simpler to have just one contact person
  2. The overall cost of your health cover is often lower with insurance from the 1st euro without CFE involvement (if you add up the CFE contribution and the cost of the complementary insurance).
  3. CFE is limited to people who have worked in France or are French nationals, and is not always suitable for global citizens.
  4. You can find out your CFE contribution by consulting the CFE rates.
  5. For more information on choosing the best medical insurance solution abroad, contact one of our Mondassur advisors. We’ll take the time to analyze your situation and advise you according to your personal situation and needs.

The insurance that accompanies your credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) is more like an assistance contract, which helps you in the event of an incident, for a short period of time, without offering you very extensive health insurance coverage, and under no circumstances if you stay abroad for more than 3 consecutive months. They are interesting (for “top-of-the-range” cards such as Gold, Premier or Infinity), but should be used in conjunction with specific insurance.

Choosing health cover abroad

You can obtain your insurance certificate for most of our plans immediately. For others, the maximum 24-hour time limit is postponed.

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It all depends on the duration of your expatriation, whether you’re leaving for 6 months, 1 year, 18 months, several years or indefinitely.
It may be a good idea to start with a travel insurance policy for several months, and then switch to expatriation insurance if you’re moving abroad permanently.

If you’re already an expatriate, you’ll need to take out expatriation insurance.
These contracts offer a very high level of medical cover, plus optional dental, optical and repatriation assistance cover.

If your tax domicile* is within the European Union, you can benefit from the advantages of Plan Santé Studies.
This policy reimburses your medical expenses at 100% of actual costs, with no deductible, and offers excellent cover for third-party liability, repatriation assistance, baggage theft, etc. for a very attractive monthly fee (e.g. for a 6-month stay: 195 euros).

*country in which you pay taxes

If you’re going on a WHV, we can offer you Junior International WHV insurance or our Gold Start range.
These contracts reimburse your medical expenses up to 100% of actual costs, with no ceiling and no deductible, at the most competitive rates on the market.
We also recommend that you visit the specific website for working vacation visas: www.partir-en-pvt.com

If you want to come to France, there are several insurance options available. It all depends on the nature of your stay: duration, age, purpose, family situation. You have specific insurance policies for short-term visas of less than 90 days, often called Schengen visa insurance, and you have insurance policies for longer periods of more than 90 days, often called long-stay visa insurance.

For long-stay visas, you have the choice of taking out long-stay visa insurance for a maximum of one year, or taking out unlimited insurance, also known as expatriate or impatriate insurance. A maximum of one year’s cover is recommended for people staying for a maximum of 1 year, or for those who can obtain French social security cover at the end of their one-year stay in France (e.g. spouses of French nationals who do not yet have a visa to stay in France). The other unlimited insurance plans are recommended for people who wish to settle in France for several years, and who cannot a priori benefit from the French social security system (e.g. self-employed workers of French companies).

You can take out Mondassur health insurance to cover your medical expenses. The policies you can take out will depend on where you are staying: European Union, Schengen Area or France.

You can take out health insurance to travel abroad, whatever your nationality. The policies you can take out will vary according to your country of origin and destination. Our advisors will help you find the right Mondassur health insurance for your situation.

It all depends on the duration of your expatriation, whether you’re leaving for 6 months, 1 year, 18 months, several years or indefinitely.
It may be a good idea to start with a travel insurance policy for several months, and then switch to expatriation insurance if you’re moving abroad permanently.

How can I get reimbursed for medical treatment abroad?

If you have not received a reply regarding the processing of your file, it is possible that your file is not complete. You should then check that you have sent all the documents required to process your application.

You can follow the progress of your claim online at the address given to you in the insurance confirmation email, or by contacting the platform by email. You can also call the platform in charge of refunds and contact Mondassur so that we can help you with your claim.

The reimbursement period varies according to the insurance policy taken out. As a general rule, once we have received your complete claim file and the insurer’s agreement to pay, you will be reimbursed within 10 days, or even less in the case of expatriate insurance.

Depending on your claim, the list of documents to be sent to us changes. The aim is to ensure that we have all the documents we need for your claim, whether it’s a medical claim, a baggage claim, a holiday cancellation claim or a third-party liability claim….etc. You may be asked to provide documents such as these:

  • a copy of the first page of your insurance certificate
  • your bank details (IBAN, BIC, Swift with full name and address of your bank)
  • a letter explaining the exact circumstances of the claim

For medical expense claims, you will need to send the following documents:

  • a copy of the initial medical certificate describing the injuries sustained as a result of the illness or accident
  • copies of medical prescriptions relating to these expenses
  • a copy of paid invoices
  • a copy of your Social Security reimbursement slip
  • a copy of the reimbursement slip from your mutual insurance company, if you have one

Depending on the type of insurance you take out, you can apply for reimbursement via a website, by email or by post. In your confirmation of insurance subscription, you received the address of the website, email or postal address for declaring your claim and sending all the documents needed to manage your reimbursement. When your file is opened with the reimbursement management platform, we will give you a file number which will be your reference number for your reimbursement.

For anything other than hospitalization (e.g. a doctor’s consultation or a hospital emergency room visit), you will initially have to pay in advance. To obtain reimbursement for your treatment, you will have to follow the procedure explained in your subscription confirmation email.

In the event of hospitalization (following an accident, for example), you must contact the medical platform (telephone numbers are shown on your insurance certificate) and state your situation. The medical platform will contact the hospital to take direct charge of the healthcare costs, in accordance with the contract’s guarantees. This platform is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

This is a medical decision that is taken with the assistance provider, depending on the insured’s situation.

In the event of repatriation, the assistance agent will tell you exactly what to do, depending on whether you need medical or regular transport.

The contact details of the assistance platform are provided to you when you take out Mondassur health insurance. This platform is available by phone 24/7. It is responsible for managing claims and reimbursing medical expenses.

It’s important to call the fastest local emergency services for the quickest response, and to contact our support platform.

In the event of hospitalization and a request for assistance, you must contact our medical platform (contact details provided at the time of subscription).

You must keep the originals of all medical invoices and prescriptions and send them to the management center.

If you’re going abroad with your children, you have 2 options:

  • You can take out family insurance
  • You can insure each member of your family separately.

It all depends on certain criteria linked to your stay abroad (purpose of stay, destination, age of family members, etc.).

If your pregnancy begins after you have taken out insurance, your medical expenses may be covered, depending on your policy cover and waiting period.

If you became pregnant before you took out the policy, your medical expenses will not be covered.

Depending on the contract you take out, dental and optical expenses may be included or optional. Each case is unique, so it’s best to refer to the contract guarantees or contact us.

In the event of hospitalization abroad, you are entitled to transportation and accommodation costs for a relative.

Depending on the contract, your loved one’s expenses will be reimbursed over a longer or shorter period (see the benefits of the contract you have taken out).

In the event of hospitalization, your medical expenses are generally covered at 100% of actual costs, which is a guarantee of good coverage. We explain this in detail for each of the travel and expatriate insurances we recommend.

In the majority of our contracts, there is a direct assumption of responsibility with direct payment from the insurance company to the hospital by contacting our assistance platform. So you don’t have to pay in advance.

Example: You are in Australia and have an accident. You undergo several operations, and the total amount of costs to be paid is €200,000. Can you pay in advance and wait to be reimbursed? Our insurances allow you to pay nothing in advance in the event of hospitalization.

Previous illnesses are generally not covered by travel insurance.

If you suffer from an illness before taking out your travel insurance, the related costs will not be covered.

If you’re moving abroad, you’ll need to fill in a medical questionnaire, and previous illnesses may be covered, depending on the policy.

Have you had medical treatment abroad and want to know how you will be reimbursed?

It all depends on the insurance you choose. As a general rule, for all hospitalization and assistance requests, the medical platform pays the practitioners and hospitals directly.

For some insurances, you can declare your claim online. We will send you all the necessary information before you subscribe.

For other treatments, you must pay in advance, keep the invoices and send them to us for reimbursement.

You will then be reimbursed either by cheque or bank transfer, depending on the insurance chosen. If you have expatriate insurance, we will make international transfers to reimburse your expenses to your bank account abroad.

It depends on the insurance company, but in general the process is as follows:

  1. For any hospitalization or assistance request, you contact the 24-hour medical platform for direct care. You don’t have to pay in advance.
  2. For all other claims, you send the original invoices and prescriptions to the management center and we will reimburse you within a few days.

Taking out expatriate or travel insurance

All people living abroad (i.e. outside their country of origin) are considered “expatriates” and can take out expatriate insurance, also known as international health insurance.

Indeed, the definition of the term “ expatriate ” indicates that it refers to an individual residing in a country other than his or her country of origin(homeland). The word comes from the Greek words exo (” outside “) and patrida (“ the country “). People can move abroad for personal or professional reasons, whether for study, career prospects, a desire to discover new things, or to be closer to family…

To benefit from expatriate health insurance, you don’t have to be a professional or be sent abroad by your company. Mondassur offers modular expatriate insurance: GoldExpat, to meet the needs of most expatriates abroad.

There are many criteria, but they all depend on your needs, the length of your stay and its purpose.

It’s important to check that your international health insurance covers the actual cost of your treatment, rather than the standard social security rates.

When you’re abroad, particularly in countries with high healthcare costs such as the USA, Canada, Japan or Switzerland, medical care can be very expensive, and the standard French social security rates can be inadequate.

Here are our 10 tips to help you choose the best international health insurance.

Why choose Mondassur? Your price is the same, we bring you our 15 years of expertise in this market.

It depends on the insurance you choose. For less than one year’s coverage, you can receive your membership certificate immediately.
For expatriate insurance, this takes a few days and ideally should be done at least 1 week in advance, or even longer if we need to ask you for medical details.

You can get a free, immediate quote online for your international health insurance. You will then be able to purchase your travel insurance directly via secure payment.
For expatriation insurance, you can also obtain an initial quote online. Our advisors are at your disposal to respond within 48 hours and offer you the insurance best suited to your situation. You can call us (toll-free) to speak directly with one of our advisors.

We offer a wide range of travel and expatriate insurance policies tailored to your profile and needs. Some insurances have age limits, others do not.

Our employees and partners have all signed confidentiality agreements to protect the privacy of our policyholders.

Depending on the Mondassur health insurance contract you take out, you can use different payment methods: credit card, bank transfer, French cheque or direct debit.

You’ll need to enter your credit card number, expiry date and visual cryptogram (3-digit code on the back of your card).

You will be directed to your bank’s specific server, which may ask you for additional information to ensure that you are indeed the credit card holder, so as to protect you as much as possible against any theft of your card. This is the ultra-secure “3D secure” payment system.

When you sign up for travel or expatriation insurance, you receive a certificate of membership showing the name of your policy and your policyholder number.
This certificate is your proof of insurance and confirms your membership. Depending on your insurance, you may also receive an insurance card.

For most of our travel insurance plans, you can obtain your insurance certificate immediately. For the others, the delay is 24h maximum.

It all depends on your contract. You can renew it in most cases. If it’s time-limited travel insurance, some policies are non-renewable and others are. In the case of expatriate insurance, renewal is automatic from the moment you pay your premiums, and cover remains in force as long as you do not cancel your expatriate insurance.

Yes, it’s possible, but it’s generally advisable to consider a CFE top-up for long-term expatriate stays abroad. There are a number of insurances available without CFE involvement for stays of less than a year; these are more suitable for short stays abroad, and are more economical. You can get a quote for international health insurance directly from our website.

Your travel and repatriation insurance coverages

Our Mondassur health insurance policies can cover the following elements, depending on the contract:

  • Hospitalization costs
  • Medical expenses
  • Medical tests and examinations
  • Pharmaceutical costs
  • Dental and optical expenses
  • Legal fees (bail, attorney’s fees)
  • Civil liability (property damage, bodily injury)
  • Capital accident (Death and disability)
  • Repatriation
  • Baggage insurance
  • Search and rescue costs
  • Alternative medicine
  • Maternity ward
  • Insurance
  • Cancellation
  • Health insurance (sick leave, disability, etc.)

The duration of your insurance coverage depends on your needs. You can choose the dates of your choice, whatever the length of your stay. Contracts are different if you need travel insurance for less than 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, 1 year or unlimited for expatriates looking for expatriation insurance.

Most Mondassur travel insurance policies cover your baggage in the event of theft during transport, or loss, damage or delay of baggage.

Expatriate and travel insurance definitions

How long has the Schengen area existed?

The Schengen Agreement was signed in 1985 and came into force in 1995.

What is the advantage of the Schengen area?

The Schengen area authorizes the free movement of people within the Schengen area. In practical terms, this means that people do not need to show their identity papers to move from one country to another. It can circulate freely in all Schengen countries.

The Schengen area is the largest free circulation zone in the world.

Which countries are part of the Schengen area?

This area comprises 26 countries, 22 of which belong to the European Union: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland (non-EU), Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein (non-EU), Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway (non-EU), Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland (non-EU).

The Schengen area will have 27 members from January 01, 2023, with the integration of Croatia, the last country to join the European Union in 2013. It should be noted that airport controls will not be lifted until March 26, 2023. Croatia was accepted because it presents little risk of immigration, having borders with Hungary, Slovenia, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Croatia will also join the euro zone in January 2023. European tourists will no longer have to change their money.

Non-Schengen countries belonging to the European Union include Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland and Romania.

What is a Schengen visa?

The Schengen visa is for people from outside the Schengen area. It allows free movement for up to 90 days within the member countries of this area. To qualify for a Schengen visa, you must enclose aSchengen visa insurance certificate with your visa application.

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Actual costs correspond to the sums incurred by an individual for healthcare expenses. Part of the actual costs may be reimbursed by the compulsory health insurance scheme, and part may be covered by the complementary health insurance. The proportion reimbursed by the latter depends on the level of cover taken out. The amount of both reimbursements may not exceed the actual costs incurred.

Insurance companies often reimburse you on the basis of the Sécurité Sociale reimbursement rate.

Example: If an insurance company reimburses 300% of the Social Security reimbursement base, you will only receive 69 euros for a consultation with a GP, because the standard rate for a consultation is 23 euros, i.e. 23*300% = 69 euros. In countries with high medical costs, such as the United States, this type of medical expense can amount to more than $150. It is essential to be reimbursed on the basis of your actual expenses.

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The European Health Insurance Card covers you for medical expenses in one of the following countries 27 EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland or the UK under the same conditions and at the same rate (free of charge in some countries) as people insured in that country. The EHIC is free of charge and remains valid for 2 years.

The cards are issued by the health insurance authorities in your country.

For more information: Assurance Maladie website.

How does the European Health Insurance Card work?

The EHIC covers medical care and treatment necessitated by your state of health. Simply present it to a public health professional (doctor, hospital, etc.) and your medical expenses will be covered in accordance with the social security rules and legislation of your country of expatriation. However, if you are travelling to a member country for the sole purpose of receiving medical treatment, your EHIC will not be accepted: planned treatments are not covered abroad.

How do I obtain an EHIC?

Contact your health insurance fund to apply at least two weeks before your departure. No documents are required for the card to be issued. If you leave less than two weeks after applying for your card, your health insurance fund can issue you with a provisional certificate of coverage, confirming your entitlement. This certificate is valid for three months and can be used until you receive your EHIC card.

What are the limitations of the European Health Insurance Card?

  • It does not replace travel insurance. It does not cover private health care, or costs such as a flight back to your home country, or loss or theft of property;
  • Does not cover the cost of medical treatment scheduled in another EU country;
  • Does not guarantee free services. As healthcare systems differ from country to country, some services provided free of charge in your country may not be available elsewhere.

The European Health Insurance Card does not replace international health insurance. Expenses are reimbursed on the basis of the rates and legislation in force in the country of expatriation. As healthcare systems vary from country to country, we strongly recommend that you take out international health insurance for peace of mind.

Tacit renewal means that unless you notify us to the contrary, the contract will be renewed automatically.

What is a tacitly renewable contract?

A tacitly renewable contract is one that automatically renews itself for a further year at the end of its term. In other words, it is not necessary for the contracting parties to express their wish to renew it.
Fixed-term insurance contracts often include a tacit renewal clause. Renewal of the contract may be provided for in the interests of the parties to the contract.

Can I object to tacit renewal?

The Chatel Law (Law no. 2005-67 of January 28, 2005) reinforces policyholder protection by imposing a duty of information on the insurer. It also sets strict deadlines for the procedure. The policyholder’s objection to the tacit renewal of his contract must be made by registered letter.
You must be clearly reminded of the option not to recommit no later than two weeks before the deadline for cancelling your contract.

How does the Loi Chatel work?

The Chatel law offers new cancellation options. There are 3 possible scenarios:

  • the insurer respects its obligation and you receive a letter informing you of the possibility of cancelling within the legal time limit, i.e. 15 days before the end of the notice period. You can terminate your contract before the end of the notice period, after which you will be subject to automatic renewal.
  • you receive the notice of termination just a few days before the end of the notice period. You then have 20 days from the date of dispatch of the expiry notice to cancel the contract.
  • the insurer does not respect the rule, does not send a letter or does not comply with the legal deadlines. You can cancel the contract at any time by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt. If you have already paid your premium, the insurer must reimburse you for any overpayment.

However, you should be aware that the Chatel law is only valid for tacit renewal contracts, which only apply to individuals outside their professional activities, and does not apply to life insurance, death insurance or group contracts. Finally, don’t forget that once you’ve cancelled, it’s important to find new health insurance to stay covered.

CFE (Caisse des Français de l’Etranger) is a private organization that operates on the same reimbursement scale as Sécurité Sociale.

Who is affected by the CFE?

Created in 1978, the CFE, as its name suggests, works for French nationals living abroad. It reimburses you for part of your treatment in return for a quarterly contribution calculated on the basis of your income, age and family situation.
You can choose between “1st euro” insurance (without CFE) and complementary CFE insurance.

Other people can also join CFE:

Nationals of a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, when expatriated outside their own country;
Other foreigners, outside their own country and employed by a company that has affiliated its staff to the CFE.

It applies to expatriate employees, the self-employed, the unemployed, pensioners and students.
What types of insurance does CFE offer?

CFE covers 3 risks:

Health: sickness, maternity and disability.
Occupational risks: work-related accidents and illnesses
Old age: retirement

They operate independently and must be subscribed to separately. You don’t have to take out all 3; you can choose the insurances you need.
CFE: protection for all

All expatriates can join the CFE, regardless of their nationality.

  • their family and professional situation during expatriation
  • their country of residence
  • their age
  • their state of health

There is no need to fill in a medical questionnaire prior to enrolment. And there are no exclusions for healthcare costs.
We recommend that you join CFE as soon as possible, as there is a waiting period if you join more than three months after the start of your expatriation. This period is :

Three months for people under 45.
Six months for people over 45.

CFE: continuous protection

CFE ensures continuity of rights with the French social security system. On their return to France, members are immediately reinstated in their social security system.

CFE limits: taking out supplementary health insurance

The Caisse des Français de l’Étranger only covers a portion of your healthcare expenses abroad, such as hospitalization costs or a consultation with a general practitioner or specialist.
It reimburses only on the basis of the conventional tariff, and does not take into account the cost of expenses incurred abroad. To cover the difference, it is essential to take out additional expatriate insurance, especially in countries where medical costs are high.

The Working Holiday Visa (WHV) allows travelers to work and/or travel in a country for one year.

This is a temporary immigration visa, valid for a maximum of twelve months – or up to twenty-four months in Canada for French nationals – and only for young nationals of signatory countries.

Why go on a WHV?

There are several reasons or conditions that may prompt you to go on a WHV :

  • The opportunity to discover new countries
  • You are not obliged to have already found a job before leaving.
  • This allows you to create and develop your own personal and professional network
  • Also gain professional experience abroad and improve your skills

Which countries offer WHV visas?

The French have access to 15 destinations: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, South Korea, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Russia, Taiwan, Uruguay, Hong Kong and Ecuador. In all these destinations, only Australia and New Zealand have unlimited quotas. These are therefore the most accessible destinations.

Belgians have access to 5 countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan).

What are the visa requirements?

Conditions may vary from one country to another, particularly in terms of age and the quota of people accepted. Overall, the conditions are as follows:

  • Not have already obtained a WHV in the country in question. However, there is an exception for Australia, which allows pvtists to apply for a new visa.
  • Minimum age 18, maximum age 30. Canada, Australia and Argentina allow visas to be issued to travelers under 35.
  • French nationality and valid French passport
  • You must not have any dependent children during your stay.
  • Have a return ticket or sufficient savings to be able to finance it
  • Have sufficient resources to support yourself when you arrive in the partner country, while you look for work. The timing of these savings varies according to the bilateral agreement.
  • Travel insurance covering at least the cost of hospitalization, illness and repatriation.

The WHV gives many students and others the chance to study and work at the same time. WHV insurance makes it easier to move from one country to another at a reasonable price.

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As part of a secure payment, your credit card number, expiry date and cryptogram are encrypted during transmission to protect you and ensure that no data is transmitted unencrypted over the Internet. Mondassur uses the “3D Secure” system.

With “3D Secure”, Visa and Mastercard have consolidated online payments. When you make an online payment, you will be asked for a 3D Secure code to verify that you are the cardholder and to protect you in the event of theft of your bank details.

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The country of origin is the country you come from. This is usually the country of nationality.

For some expatriates who acquire another nationality, their country of origin will be that of their “1st” nationality. Today, more and more people have several nationalities, if authorized by the countries concerned. In this case, people generally tend to use the one that best suits their needs.

For an international health insurance quote from MONDASSUR, you must indicate your country of origin and your country of destination.

This covers bodily injury and property damage caused to a third party.

Example: You break a mirror in a store, injuring a customer. The store is entitled to claim compensation from you and the person you have injured. Your civil liability will cover these physical and material damages.

In travel insurance, civil liability cover is limited to private life (not professional liability cover) and does not apply to your rental car, for example, for which you must take out civil liability insurance linked to the car.

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A deductible is the amount that will not be reimbursed, regardless of your expenses.
Example: You go to the dentist and the consultation costs €75. If your deductible is €30, you will be reimbursed for the remaining €45. Reimbursement will depend on the contract you have taken out, and may cover all or part of the remaining €45.

Mondassur, expert in expatriate and international health insurance

You can contact us by :

  • email : contact@mondassur.com
  • telephone: +33 1 80 87 57 80
  • USA: +1 917 933 2010
  • UK: +44 203 868 8560
  • whatsapp: +33 766 54 12 12
  • mail :
    Mondassur
    19, rue des Longs Prés
    92100 Boulogne – FRANCE

Our opening hours are from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, French time, to contact our advisors. Our medical platforms for policyholders are accessible 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Do you have any questions about your insurance policy, buying travel insurance or getting an expatriate insurance quote? You can get a free quote online, send us an email, give us a call and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours.

We look forward to hearing from you.

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When you request a quote or take out an insurance policy, you need to have certain information at hand, such as your date of birth or personal details. Our privacy policy guarantees that your data is protected.

This information is required to give you an accurate quote for your insurance and, if you take out insurance, to enable your insurance to be set up and run smoothly. They are communicated to Mondassur’s contractual partners involved in the execution of your insurance contract.

You have the right to access, modify, rectify and delete data concerning you (art. 34 of the French Data Protection Act). To exercise this right, please write to us at :
Mondassur, 19, rue des Longs Prés, 92100 BOULOGNE – FRANCE or by email at contact@mondassur.com

  • We do not charge you any additional fees for our consulting services.
  • Our aim is to offer you the insurance best suited to your needs.
  • Our rates are exactly the same as those offered directly by contract managers or insurers.
  • We are remunerated directly by the commissions paid by managers or insurance companies, at no extra cost to you.
  • We work in total independence with them, guaranteeing you neutral advice when choosing your insurance.

An international insurance policy is extremely complex to set up and manage.
Over and above the numerous administrative aspects, it is essential to call on specific partners depending on the business.

An international insurance contract requires specialized skills for the whole world, which means that you need specialists in each field: insurance, assistance, claims management, contract administration and insurance marketing.

There are many reasons to choose Mondassur:

  • You can get an overview of existing contracts on the market, with an in-depth analysis by insurance professionals of the qualities and weaknesses of the contracts on offer.
  • So you can always be sure of getting the contract that’s best suited to your needs and budget.
  • You have access to expatriation or travel insurance that cannot be taken out directly with an insurer.
  • You also have the guarantee of personalized management of your file, thanks to advisors who are at your service by phone or e-mail.
  • You can also be sure that if you have a problem managing your policy (administrative or related to a reimbursement), we can speed up the processing and follow-up of your file, as we have many expatriates and travellers insured with the insurer and manager of your policy.
  • You have the guarantee of dealing with an insurance professional authorized and supervised by the Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel.

Mondassur is an insurance broker specialized in international insurance: insurance for expatriates, travel insurance, insurance for foreigners in France…etc. We’ve been in business for 20 years now, insuring expatriates all over the world, students going abroad for training or study, tourists for short stays, professionals…and more.

We work with the major players in international mobility, and are the only brokers to offer such a wide range of international insurance products.

Our role is to advise you on the best contract from this range, to explain the major differences between the contracts, and to answer your questions objectively so that you understand the details of a contract that can make the difference in your choice. We take care of the administrative and commercial aspects of your contract, and can offer you more suitable contracts throughout your life abroad. We also intervene in the difficult management of reimbursements to ensure proper follow-up.

What is the procedure in the event of hospitalization?

In the event of hospitalization (following an accident, for example), you must contact the medical platform (telephone numbers are shown on your insurance certificate) and state your situation. The medical platform will contact the hospital to take direct charge of the healthcare costs, in accordance with the contract’s guarantees.

What is the procedure outside hospital?

For anything other than hospitalization (e.g. a doctor’s consultation or a hospital emergency room visit), you will initially have to pay in advance. To obtain reimbursement for your treatment, you will have to follow the procedure explained in your subscription confirmation email.

What is the procedure for non-health claims?

For claims relating to cover other than illness or hospitalization, such as third-party liability or loss of luggage, please refer to the general terms and conditions of your insurance contract for precise reimbursement terms and conditions.

How do I apply for a refund?

In your subscription confirmation, you received a list of the documents you need to provide and the email and postal addresses for sending them. This is essential to open your file.

What documents do I need to send to the medical platform to obtain reimbursement?

  • Depending on the type of insurance, you will usually need to send the following documents in original to the platform:
  • a copy of the first page of the insurance certificate attached to this e-mail
  • a letter explaining the exact circumstances of the illness or accident
  • a copy of the initial medical certificate describing the injuries sustained as a result of the illness or accident
  • copies of medical prescriptions relating to these expenses
  • a copy of paid invoices
  • your bank details (IBAN, BIC, Swift with full name and address of your bank)

How quickly will I be reimbursed?

On receipt of your claim with a complete file, your file will be processed and you will be reimbursed within 15 working days.

I sent my refund request over 15 days ago and I still haven’t received a reply. Is this normal?

If you have not received confirmation that your file has been processed, it may not be complete. You should then check that you have sent all the documents required to process your application.

How do I contact the platform that manages reimbursements?

The procedure differs depending on the insurance you have taken out. In the event of hospitalization, you can in principle contact the medical platform immediately by telephone (the number will be indicated on your insurance certificate) for direct payment of your healthcare costs.

In all other cases, priority is given to written requests for reimbursement. It is essential to have all the documents to be able to respond to your request for reimbursement. Once the documents have arrived, a file is opened, and you will be given the telephone number and email address of the person responsible for your file.

How can I find out the exact procedure for the type of insurance I have?

When you took out insurance with Mondassur, you received your certificate with details of how to make a claim, and the documents you needed to complete in order to obtain reimbursement under the best possible conditions. You can also find these procedures in the general conditions of your insurance contract.

In all cases, we remain at your disposal for any information you may require concerning your medical insurance abroad.

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