I recently cut back our mutuelle with AXA to hospitalisation only but on reflection do not think that this was neccessarily a good idea.
I realise that this has been discussed elsewhere and that you generally get what you pay for but the choice is bewildering. The comparative sites for ‘seniors’ offer numerous choices.
Do you just stick a pin in? Does anyone have any experience of ‘Aesio’ for example?
I would appreciate personal experiences and not just a suggestion to contact Fabien. I have total respect for him but am trying to educate myself.
But why not? Since MY personal experience is with @fabien and that experience has been excellent and the mutuelle product we’ve arranged with him is significantly cheaper and as good a level of cover than the product we had from our local high street broker.
In order to “educate” oneself…
Take the contract details from each/any company you have dealt with or wish to deal with… and check out “like for like”…
Us too.
This area is a minefield - that is why it is so important to take on board any advice from a professional like @fabien who will guide you through the various clauses and the impact each will have on you according to your circumstances.
Others have differing needs and whilst their experience might be helpful their policy may well have been tailored to their needs, not yours which is why it is so important to get appropriate advice.
Hi, the main problem is that the offers “on paper” are NOT the reflection of what you’ll experience “in real life”. For example, AXA offers a very good level of customer service and has impeccable data processing speed and digital backend. Other insurers may have more shiny websites or commercial offers the first year or whatever but at the end of the end what matters is ease of use. Apart from that the percentages mean the same thing but if you want a general rule I would advise for the following:
Try to get at least 300% on hospitalisation
GPs are usually covered even with 100%
Specialists often require more than 100% to be fully covered but 150% kinda cuts it although 200% would be ideal
100% on pharmacy means up to the real expenses
Glasses offers a “flat rate” so it’s pretty straightforward to understand
On dental this is a mess and that’s the hardest to explain. You usually work from a dentist’s quote and will always have an option they call the “sans reste à charge” or “100% santé” which is fully cover if you have a 100% mutuelle (or more). If you decide to go for another plan then sky is the limit and even 300% is usually not enough.
On another side note, the “good companies” usually aren’t available online as they don’t want to be on comparaison website. AXA isn’t for example, Swisslife isn’t either but so many more aren’t (mutuelle de poitier, ociane, etc.). The choice is actually quite simple => the “big brand” are very often a good pick (in terms of customer service) otherwise they wouldn’t be standing (especially in France where we complain a lot ) so AXA and the like. Sure they aren’t the cheapest but then it comes back to the business you feel more comfortable going with and giving away your hard earned money
Each person’s situation/requirements/choices etc is very different to everyone else… thus giving us the name of a Mutuelle isn’t giving away any State secrets…
Thank you Fabien for your instructive input which is always appreciated and respected although I was not expecting your advice given the phrasing of my question. It does however justify my predicament.
I was simply trying to garner as much information as I could independently to make a decision which best catered to our needs as there are a multitude of offers.
As per usual when I ask anything on here I am ‘told’ what to do as if I have not done that already. That, as Fabien pointed out, proves nothing which is why I was hoping to get some first hand recommendations. Nonetheless thank you for your advice and I shall continue my exploration which will no doubt inevitably mean that I contact Fabien.
apologies if you have already compared “like for like” … that is how I have educated myself in every aspect of life where quotes and “promises/undertakings” are involved…
I did not realize you simply wanted us to recomend our own providers… or have I misunderstood again… sorry if so…
Asaf used to be “best in the market” but their relationship with the underwritter has gone a bit sideways and current premiums aren’t as good as they use to be. And as a general rule of thumb it’s important to note that each year the competitive landscape can change massively due to new regulations (like the 100% santé), new goals at. the company level or increased claim to premium ratio (which needs to be compensated as per legal obligation in France). The 3rd reason is actually why the competition is so fleeting from one year to the next as the cheapest usually attracts tons of new customers (thanks to the premium) and then they lose money and have to compensate so are no longer the cheapest and etcetera
Actually it is quite a good idea indeed. There is no definite rule but very often, once the policy is 4+ years old (so from the 4th year) it may be worth assessing the market although it’s not automatic and sometimes it turns out you’re still with the “right” provider.
Sorry if you feel that it is is going on. I certainly find in most cases on SF I’m being offered advice based on people’s own experience without any “telling”. If you are looking for people’s actual experience, is that not what you have just been given? What then are you looking for? I can give you the name of the insurance company I am with - it’s April (as recommended by Fabien) - and you can do your own research on them - is that what you want? Also, to say they target the English-speaking market here in France, which is useful as all their paperwork and marketing material is in English. Insurance paperwork is complicated enough as it is, especially as the French system of healthcare is not the same as the UK, so having it in English is most helpful.
What you then do with that information is obviously up to you - and apologies if that comes over as “telling” - not meant to be.
which again is our experience with @fabien having asked to check that the policies he has arranged are still the best option for us.
So far, the answer has not been a brief “yes” but an explanation as to why the policy remains the best option - I see that as important.
My mutuelle is the MGEN because of my job, it used to be reserved for us but I think other people who don’t work for the Education Nationale can use it too now. It’s probably better if you do work for the EN though. I don’t have any complaints about it, on the other hand I’ve never been in hospital or had an operation or anything out of the ordinary. It’s ok for specs (I have a complicated prescription).
Do not worry about it Stella. I guess it gets my back up a bit when I’m advised to do the obvious. It is because I have done the obvious and drawn a blank that I seek advice here.
My conclusion from these comments confirms that it is a fluid and subjective matter so I had better get in contact with Fabien.
It’s just one of those things… few of us give the full details, when asking advice or ideas on the forum… we know the story in our heads but just give barebones on-line…
so folk jump in with info as they think best… and sometimes it comes across as utter tripe…
This is really good straightforward advice, I will bookmark this for when I next change my mutuelle.
As has been said the whole thing is a minefield and despite being in France for a while/fluent French etc I still find it totally baffling.
What would be really useful is some sort of comparison / simulator in which you could put various healthcare scenarios (glasses, a regular treatment you have etc) and and it shows you a bunch of options based on that information. For now, the best seems to those comparison tables with vague + / ++ / +++ comparisons for each section.
Anyone got any good comparison websites they can recommend?
) so AXA and the like. Sure they aren’t the cheapest but then it comes back to the business you feel more comfortable going with and giving away your hard earned money 
