It's possible there is a mis-translation there, my understanding reading the assuraland info is that you have to cancel as per the contract you have signed but the assurer must send the renewal 'no earlier' than 3 month before renewal and so on. The little graphic at the bottom makes it much clearer to understand - loved the graphic actually:-)
This year we decided to shop around for the first time for House, Car, Health insurances and so far we have managed to find alternative policies which knock 150Euros off our monthly insurance bill. Most of the policies we have also discovered offer better levels that our existing policies. Always worth checking with some of the online sites.
Rgds, Mike L
Absolutely true and has been the case for a good many years here in France - and it must be registered post to make sure you get a signature the other end
I also had my broker clarify this and he says it is correct and I have had no problems.
Chris I've picked your post to make a very important general point, bl***y customers or not.
Never sign any contract, insurance, devis, mortgage, etc. until you have read and understood it, ever! I give an example of a disaster that befell a client who came to me with an insurance problem:
He had insured his lovely old stone house against, among other things, fire. The house burned down, he claimed on the insurance, who duly accepted liability. Fine, except, the small print meant that the rebuilding would be done in brique and crépis, and not in stone because that is what the cover was and he had simply assumed it would be otherwise!
If you don't understand it.......don't assume, just don't sign it until you do.
Sorry, Stephen - it's true. C'est la systeme! If I had a euro for every time I've heard that in our eight years here, I'd be a lot better off than I am!
I changed insurance companies having been told the same thing, the new company told me that you have 21 days from the post mark on the envelope that the renewal came in to change the law has changed giving the 21 days grace, the new company did everything for me which was Pacifica through Credit Agricole Brit line i saved over 100€ on the car insurance, the house will follow the same path shortly, no doubt they will mislead you as they dont want to loose the business
Clare, that is not quite correct. You have to cancel within the period stated on the contract you signed. Most common in France is two months, but not always. The Loi Chatel gives the customer a way out under certain circumstances and this is where the 15 day rule come in.
We've had the same problem with our house insurance company. They also insist we cannot cancel prior to the renewal notice being received but they ensure that isn't sent to us until 4-6 weeks prior to renewal making it impossible to give the required 2 months written notice.
As our French isn't adequate to argue this with them (tried last year and failed), we're stuck with them for another year even though we could get cover for considerably less :o(
No, you do not have to give 2 months notice the Loi chatel states that the earliest you can cancel is 3 months before the end of a contract and the contract can be cancelled 15 days before the end of a contract. If you have the envelope check that date it was sent as you have 15 days from the postage date if they posted it to you within the 15 days before the renewal of the contract, but you must send a copy of this as proof with your letter as well. Quote the Loi chatel to them and they will back off. See this link which has a pre formatted letter as well.
Yes, I was caught by this a few years ago. FRench insurance practices are not worse than British -just different! Afterall, we are just the PBC [poor bl***y customers] so why should we expect to be treated well?
my dog insurance requires one whole year's notice!
I have changed insurance companies however whilst in the process of doing so I was informed by my new insurance company that they would not insure me until I had given my old insurance company the 2 month notice of cancellation of policy.
Mike
Stephen, Almost all contacts in France have to be cancelled by Signed for Registered Letter (RAR) at least 2 months from the renewal date, so in that they are correct.
However, you do have a right to cancel inside that 2 month period under certain conditions. Two questions for you:
What is the date on your renewal notice?
Is the new premium higher than the last one?
Reason for these question is that within fifteen days from the date of your renewal notice you have the right to cancel, by RAR, if you consider the premium to have gone up too much. In this case you will just have to pay one months premium from the date your insurance company receive the letter. Let me know.
Hello Stephen
It sounds normal, what does your contract says? It's probably stated somewhere the correct way to cancel this insurance. 2 months and registered letter sounds normal, I mean that's the same process to cancel a UGC card:)
Check the contract, it's probably in there, in tiny little letters:)
Yes, I'm afraid its true. The other types of insurance, car etc are similar. I saw an entry on here a few days ago which said several insurance companies require photos of all household valuables + receipts ! That's if you make a claim. Obviously recipts are very difficult where you've been given or inherited something. So I'd check that out when you look around for another insurer.
This was an item on radio 4 the other day. We have had the same in France with car insurance.....and I was insured with two companies one year....which apparently isnt legal, but the new company we had contacted said we had chosen to insure with them, and the previous lot said we hadnt cancelled two months before by registered letter. This is now common practice in the UK.....creepy behaviour and a dishonest way of flogging insurance...by default. I have given up trying to work out what is legal in France, you often get two different answers....wish I could be more helpful...good luck.
Hi Stephen. You may find some helpful answers in this discussion: http://www.survivefrance.com/forum/topics/renewing-insurance-car-house-etc?page=1&commentId=3339392%3AComment%3A364401&x=1#3339392Comment364401