How much does health insurance cost in France?
Cover ranges from free of charge to up to several thousand euros for premium private cover
If you have moved to France from the UK or US or are about to apply for a visa, there are different health insurance options available to you
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The cost of health insurance in France varies depending on your age, where you live and the type of cover you choose to buy.
The state also provides free top up health insurance for people on lower incomes.
If you have moved to France from the UK or US or are about to apply for a visa, there are different health insurance options available to you.
Mutuelle top-up health insurance cost
Once you are a French resident and registered with its national health insurance scheme, you can choose to buy a mutuelle.
A mutuelle is a type of private, top-up health insurance policy.
In France, some medical services are only partially funded by the state and you have to pay for the remainder of the cost, known as le ticket modérateur.
A mutuelle works by reimbursing you for the amount you have paid yourself.
Insurance broker Réassurez-moi gives average prices of a mutuelle policy for a 60 year old as €110 per month or for a family of two parents and one child as €134 per month.
The cost of a mutuelle generally rises with age and depends on where you live in France.
The type of policy you choose also affects the price.
More expensive policies will give you a higher level of reimbursement and provide additional benefits, for example a private hospital room and alternative therapy care such as osteopathy.
You may be able to buy a good value policy through your work as French law obliges all firms to offer mutuelles to employees with at least 50% of the cost paid for.
A mutuelle communale can also be a cheaper option if one is available where you live.
For these, the commune negotiates a better rate for residents by buying a group top-up health insurance insurance policy you can then join.
Insurance comparison site lecomparateurassurance quotes a monthly average cost of a mutuelle communale for a 60 year old of €59.45.
Complémentaire santé solidaire: free or low cost health insurance
If you are already registered for national health insurance in France, you may be able to apply for la complémentaire santé solidaire.
Also known as C2S or CSS, it provides free or low cost health insurance for people on lower incomes.
If you are eligible for the state funded aid you will receive standard healthcare free of charge.
The insurance works similar to a mutuelle by covering the part of healthcare costs not reimbursed by social security.
Depending on the number of people and total income of your household, this type of top up health insurance may be completely free of charge.
In 2025, the annual income threshold for two people to receive C2S at no cost is €15,249.
There is an upper eligibility threshold and if you remain below this, you will need to pay for the C2S health insurance.
For a two person household in 2025 the threshold is €20,586.
The amount you pay depends on your age but at most costs €1 per person per day. For example, aged between 50 and 59 the contribution would be €21 per month.
More information is available on the official site Complémentaire Santé Solidaire
Private health insurance in France cost
You may need to buy comprehensive private health insurance if you are coming to France from the UK, US or other non-EU/EEA country or as part of your visa requirement.
You may also choose this if you are not yet registered for the national health insurance scheme or perhaps you are an early retiree looking for comprehensive cover.
Private health insurance is available from several months up to a full annual policy and the cost varies with age, medical history and the level of cover you choose.
Unlike travel insurance, the standard level private health insurance covers your general health as well as emergencies.
Premium cover may include dental care, eye tests and an annual health check though you can usually add different options to a standard policy if you need them.
A basic plan for a 60 year old costs €102.50 per month rising to €243.51 for the premium package with April International.
Options such as personal liability, death and disability benefits can increase the total price.
Some private health insurance policies such as the Plan F from Fab Insurance are tested to check they meet the requirements for visa and residency applications.
This policy can also be converted to a mutuelle once you are in the state health system. The cost of this for a 60 year old UK resident is €368.56 per month.
