Thank you @Rachel05, I do not know of one at all but the one I use for health and cars is a totally English speaking one in a town not far from me, founded by an Englishman who recently retired, so I am in the procees of asking them if it can be reduced and at what cost in terms of coverage. I am tempted by hospital only cover as long as it covers everything under that banner.
Not necessarily. You need to look at the percentage reimbursement, as some doctors/surgeons and anaesthetists are more expensive than the standard sector 1 rate (secteur 2 or non-conventioné). So if your policy is only 100% you will only be covered for a proportion of the costs.
You also need to check whether there is any cover for consultations prior to hospitalisation and any aftercare, such as follow up consultations or kiné.
Generally hospital policies are from the moment you check in for a procedure as in-patient or ambulatoire, to the moment you leave. Nothing before or after.
1 Like
Hmm, seems like I might be better off staying where I am then, they certainly covered everything some years ago and now I know I made a big mistake on the increase earlier, it doesn’t seem so bad now.
I’ll wait fora couple of answers to come in and take it from there. 
No harm in getting some like-for-like quotes even if you end up staying with the existing provider.
I have never been convinced about the need for a mutuelle for retired Brits in the french system through an S1. Britain ‘picks up the tab’ for our health treatment, does it not? So an extreme case, complicated surgery, long stay hospital recovery … The French are paid by the UK or not?
No, it doesn’t. An S1 only covers you in the same way as any French national. So you pay the percentage that is not covered by social security. This has recently been lowered so you now pay (eg) 35% of your GP consultation costs and 45% of many drugs (and 100% of others!). Emergency treatment in a hospital will be covered, but not many other things. A simple colonoscopy would have cost me some €2000 without my hospital cover policy.
More complex surgery and rehabilitation can be in the 10s of thousands, especially if you choose to go to a top notch clinic rather than the local hospital.
2 Likes