Travel insurance (Assurance Voyage) with S1

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1

Hello Hive

I’m not sure if I’m compiling this post in the correct place.:thinking:

My first post, I apologise for it’s length, but I think that it is probably of interest to quite a few.

My wife and I have been living in France for a while. Retired with S1s, WARP cards, Cart Vital, UK GHICS.

For the first time since coming to France we are looking for travel insurance to cover us in other countries. We understand what they GHIC system covers.

The broker who’s services we use, who specialises in English speaking folk was my first port of call.

I had a long conversation with an advisor.

Basically, Assurance Voyage is readily available for residents contributing to the French welfare system eligible for a French EHIC.

If however, like us, have our social and health costs paid by the UK under the Withdrawal Agreement, French insurance companies can’t work with the GHIC UK system.

The advisor went on to say that as a brokerage, they had examined dozens of Assurance Voyage policy T&C’s, and this information is often deep in the small print.

So much so that they have a long list of people who would like to be informed of a policy that offers full cover. It’s an area of insurance that they would like to offer, but feel that they can’t knowingly sell policies that are flawed.

I looked at easyJet, our flight providers travel insurance, it’s restricted to UK residents.

I am, unsuccessfully, continuing the search.

Has anyone else come across this problem, and found a solution? I’d love to hear the experience of others.

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I used easyjet travel insurance earlier this year, booked in france with french address and paid in euros. I couldn’t see that it was restricted to uk residents (think it was written in french too).

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Try Staysure Expat

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Deleted. On thinking about I am not sure.

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Hello @Bargeman and welcome to the forum…

If you want advice re Insurance… @fabien is a tried and trusted Insurance/Assurance adviser …

cheers

EDIT: If you have a Mutuelle, might be an idea to contact 'em and ask the question about “holidaying abroad”… if it’s not already mentioned in your contract.

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Thanks for pinging me in, @Stella . Actually, @Bargeman already inquired with us on the phone.

It’s a rule that very few are aware of, but when entering the French healthcare system through an S1, “la sécu” won’t cover you abroad. Almost all travel insurance policies are designed to top up whatever “la sécu” covers abroad (even if that’s nothing), so they don’t work for S1 applicants.

Marianne from my team called literally dozens of French companies, and we couldn’t find any who could actually cover S1 applicants properly. Don’t get me wrong, S1 applicants would eventually be covered, but the claiming process is so tedious that we don’t want to sell a policy in such circumstances. Our advice in this case is to source insurance with a non-French company that won’t have that kind of “la sécu” issue.

Hope that helps?

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And also to bounce on the “Mutuelle” question, for the same reason “la sécu” won’t cover you abroad as an S1 applicant and therefore your Mutuelle will have nothing to “top up”.

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cheers Fabien… just as well we have no plans to travel outside of France… :+1: :wink:

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Or, as in my case, it has never occurred to me in all my years of travelling abroad, to have any insurance.
Not totally true, in our early days when Fran used to ride with me to Italy in the lorry, we did take out a minimal, trip by trip, insurance for her with some broker in Folkestone. I of course would have been covered, I think, by my employment. :thinking:

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Just be glad you have led a charmed life… many people are not so lucky and have come unstuck financially…

:rofl: :dizzy_face:

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Yes, I have heard that I am charming. :blush:
Luckily I have only met half a dozen or so people on here to contest that suggestion. :wink:

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12

You might try enquiring with American Express, if you already have a card.

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Hi Mark,

Thanks for your reply.

I can’t remember which easyJet site I booked on, I certainly paid in £s. I tend to go for an English language one if it exists for ease of understanding.

It was only after talking to the broker that I looked at easyJet website, which would have been the English version. I’ll try and find a French version.

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Hi Stella

It was Fab insurance that I contacted, thank you.

I didn’t name them as it may have been against group rules :grin:

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Well, I’ve been surfing the internet… and, if we travel abroad (out of France)… I shall take out Insurance which will get me repatriated to France if I am Injured/Sick … not trying to use my S1 etc…
Just get me Home asap!

and such policies are available… :+1:

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Hello All

Thanks for your rapid replies, very encouraging.

Staysure Expat was suggested.

I’ve just read their T&Cs.

It insists that a CEAM card is held.

Unfortunately with S1 we are not eligible apply for one from CPAM. Instead, thanks to Brexit we have GHICs, which are not the same.:woozy_face:

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Hi Stella

We want insurance for the same reasons, I’m not too bothered about travel costs, delays, etc. just health cover.

I’d really like to know where they are, would you kindly point me to them please.

I’ve checked out Staysure, and it’s specific in there small print that a a CEAM is required, which under an S1 is unobtainable. :frowning:

We all know insurance companies will find any way not to pay out.

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I might well have got the wrong end of the stick… but AXA have various international travel insurances… and I’m about to interrogate Allianz as well… :crossed_fingers:

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WEWWHDWA. Or in other words, What would we have done without acronyms?
Sorry for the flippancy but I have been struggling to read great chunks of this thread, one can only Google so much without needing medical intervention. :blush:

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What makes me unsure of this is that the insurances say that they only cover “medically necessary” transport. E.g., if you’re in a country that can’t treat your problem, you are transported to another country, if you are lucky your country of residence. But what if you can be treated where you are? I’m not sure that you have the right to be transported home just because you have any old injury or sickness. The insurance will always choose the solution that is cheaper for them. If it’s a long term thing they would probably take you home, but if not…?