We have purchased an ATV for use in our garden only and have been told by the retailer we need insurance. We have spoken with three insurance brokers this morning who have all said we need a French driving permit to do so. Can anyone help???
Insurance is mandatory for quads and may not be used without an appropriate permis even if they are used on private land
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MAIF seems to say you can
If not try Fabien - the “vehicles” button at top of page
Just restating the problem isn’t going to help
As @JaneJones says a quick google suggests you might need a driving licence even if it’s not for road use (I assume that you made that clear) but it should not need to be a French  driving licence.
@fabien hopefully will have the answer.
Thank you. It is frustrating when people just repeat the problem you are trying to solve!
we of course have a uk licence and everything I have read states you don’t need a French licence. Perhaps it’s because they were generalist insurers. I have gone to a specialist ATV insurer and I might have gotten somewhere 
I believe you even need insurance for a sit on mower. When mine threw a stone out on the road and broke the windscreen of a passing car (what are the odds?), I found that luckily I was covered by home insurance. Perhaps this might apply to quads at home?
When I had my Quad (homologous) I had it insured with Allianz. Just went into the local office and got everything sorted fairly quickly and painlessly. I don’t know how it would work without a certificat d’immatriculation and just for use on your own land, but (personally) I wouldn’t bother with it - like ride-on mower insurance.
Hi there, what the brokers told you is often true in practice, but not always legally required, and that’s why you’re getting stuck.
To answer the question yes: you do need insurance (even just in your garden)
French law is very strict on this point:
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All motorised vehicles must be insured, including quads/ATVs
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This applies even if the vehicle is not used on the road
So the retailer is correct: insurance is not optional.
That being said a driving license is NOT always legally required (this is the key nuance)
The legal requirement to drive:
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Licence is required only if you use the quad on public roads (and depends on engine size)
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If the quad is:
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Non-homologated (off-road only)
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And if used strictly on private land (your garden). Then no driving licence is required to use it
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On the requirement to get insurance:
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Insurers often require a valid driving licence anyway
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Not because of the law, but because:
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They assess “driver risk”
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Their policies are built for road vehicles
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So this is unfortunately often a commercial restriction, not a strict legal one.
Most standard insurers:
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Treat ATVs like motor vehicles
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Assume road use
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Require:
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French licence (or EU equivalent)
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Registration details
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What actually works is to go with an insurance company that specializes in cases like this (very unlikely to find an English speaking one though) As You need insurers that handle:
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Agricultural equipment
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Off-road vehicles
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“engins motorisés non homologués”
Examples to look for:
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Groupama (agricultural branches)
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MMA
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Areas
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Specialist brokers for “quad agricole” or “loisir terrain privé”
Pro tip => Ask specifically for: “Responsabilité civile pour quad non homologué utilisé sur terrain privé”
Just in case I’ll mention that this is sometimes doable to insure this under your home insurance policy. Worth inquiring 
The process would be to:
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Add it as “engin de jardin motorisé”
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Cover liability only
Not always accepted, but worth asking.
Hope that helps?
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Wow thanks for such a detailed, helpful response! I think I have managed to sort it through a specialised insurer 
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Glad you are getting the insurance.
Of course, one hopes never to need it but Insurance can save a lot of grief if the unexpected does happen. 
Odd one.
Both dealer and original brokers were wrong but I understand their position.
We have a French road registered quad bought in France, uk driving licences, quad declared off road and insured through mainstream Allianz. No dramas, just lots of confirmation we understood we can’t use it legally on the road.
Good to see you got it sorted.