You’ve just found your place in Paris, and the agency or landlord is asking for a “home insurance certificate” (attestation d’assurance habitation) before handing over the keys. For an expat discovering the French rental system, this requirement often raises several questions: is it really mandatory, even for a short-term furnished let? How do you take out a policy without a French banking history? And what cover should you choose beyond the strict legal minimum? Here’s what you need to know before you sign.
Is home insurance really mandatory?
Yes, without exception, for a primary residence in France. The legal basis is Article 7 g) of Law No. 89-462 of 6 July 1989, which requires every tenant to “insure themselves against the risks they are liable for as a tenant” and to provide proof when the keys are handed over, then annually at the landlord’s request. For furnished rentals, the obligation is identical since the ALUR Law No. 2014-366 of 24 March 2014, which introduced Article 25-3 explicitly extending this requirement to furnished primary residences. In other words: furnished or unfurnished, short-term or long-term, you’ll be asked for the home insurance certificate either way.
Furnished or unfurnished: what changes (and what doesn’t)
The legal obligation — insuring at minimum your tenant’s liability (responsabilité civile locative) — is strictly identical in both cases. What differs is the practical scope of the policy: in a furnished let, the furniture belongs to the landlord and generally doesn’t need to be insured by the tenant, which often means a lighter premium; in an unfurnished let, if you bring your own furniture, you may want to insure it too, though this remains a choice rather than a separate obligation.
What happens if you don’t provide a certificate
The landlord can take out a policy on your behalf after a formal notice goes unanswered for a month, and recover the cost in twelfths added to your rent — a noticeably less favourable arrangement than a policy you take out yourself. The lease may also include a termination clause that can be triggered by persistent lack of insurance. This is not an administrative detail to sort out after you move in, but a condition to settle before you get the keys.
Challenges specific to new arrivals
For an expat who has just arrived, several practical obstacles come up frequently: no French banking history, no French IBAN yet at the time of signing the lease, or a tight deadline to get a certificate before the keys are handed over. A few commonly used solutions:
- A SEPA IBAN issued by an online bank or European neobank is accepted by many insurers, without requiring a traditional French bank account.
- Paying by card or opting for an annual payment rather than direct debit can simplify things if your banking file isn’t complete yet.
- Putting together a complete file in advance — ID, passport, a copy of the lease or the promise to lease — noticeably speeds up how quickly the certificate is issued, often the sticking point on the day the keys are handed over.
Cover to consider beyond the legal minimum
The legal obligation is limited to tenant’s liability, but a fuller multirisk home policy (multirisque habitation) generally also covers:
- Water damage, the most common claim in Parisian apartment buildings, particularly in older buildings.
- Fire and explosion.
- Theft and vandalism, particularly relevant for a home that’s temporarily unoccupied while you travel.
- Glass breakage.
- Personal liability cover for everyday life, which covers damage caused to others outside the strictly rental context.
- Contents cover matched to the real value of your belongings, particularly useful if you brought valuables with you when you moved.
Settling in Paris often means sorting out other insurance matters too: also check your repatriation and emergency assistance cover abroad, and if you’re arriving on a short-stay visa, the health insurance documents required for the Schengen visa.
How MAM ASSUR simplifies the process
We support our expat clients from the moment they arrive in Paris to take out home insurance suited to their situation — furnished or unfurnished lease, an incomplete banking file, a tight deadline before the keys are handed over — as part of our Reloc Services support, designed to simplify the administrative side of settling in for newcomers. Request your free quote and receive your certificate within a timeframe that fits your move-in date.
Frequently asked questions
Is home insurance mandatory for a furnished rental in France?
Yes, exactly the same as for an unfurnished rental. The ALUR Law of 24 March 2014 explicitly extended the requirement to furnished primary residences.
What happens if I don’t provide a home insurance certificate before moving in?
The landlord can take out a policy on your behalf after a month’s unanswered formal notice and recover the cost through your rent, and the lease may include a termination clause for persistent lack of cover.
Can I get home insurance without a French bank account?
Often yes — many insurers accept a SEPA IBAN from an online bank or European neobank, or offer payment by card instead of direct debit.
What’s the difference between the legal minimum and a full multirisk policy?
The legal minimum only covers your liability as a tenant. A multirisque habitation policy typically adds water damage, fire, theft, glass breakage, personal liability, and contents cover.
Does home insurance cover my belongings if I travel and leave my flat empty?
Theft and vandalism cover typically applies while you’re away, but check your policy’s specific terms for unoccupied properties.
Running a freelance activity or small business in France as an expat? See our guide to business insurance in France.