- How To
- Healthcare
- Health System
- State Health Insurance
State Health Insurance in France
French Alps How To
- Moving
- Housing
- Working
- Money
- Family
- Healthcare
- Transport
- Lifestyle
Information about the state healthcare system and French health insurance requirements...
All residents in France are obliged by law to have health insurance. Most qualify for the state health insurance (sécurité sociale); in local terms, this means affiliating to the CPAM (Caisse Primaire L'Assurance Maladie). Those who do not qualify will have to take out private health insurance.- CPAM French Health Insurance Advice Line Tel: 36 46 (from France), +33 811 36 36 46 (English-speaking)
- Comprehensive information from CLEISS (Centre des Liasons Européennes et Internationales de Sécurité Sociale) in English
- Ameli (Assurance Maladie en Ligne) (in French)
- More information for Europeans in France from Service Public (in French)
Joining French Social Security
Visit a local CPAM office and ask for affiliation. Affiliation should then take place that day either as attestation provisiore if not all the documents are available, or as attestation d'affiliation. Claims from that day forward are covered by CPAM to the percentage appropriate to the applicant's status. The following may be needed when completing the form N° Cerfa : 60-3406 (declaration en vue de l'immatriculation d'un pensionné, ou de sa veuve, ou d'un orphelin):- Proof of identity: passport or Titre de Séjour
- Details of place of birth (and for partner and children)
- Proof of address in France with proof of ownership (deeds) or rental agreement
- Date of permanent arrival in the departément
- Proof of having lived in France for at least three months (three months' utility bills, rent statements, or mortgage payments or a notarised statement of home purchase)
- Marriage and birth certificates, if partners are to be included
- A RIB (Relevé d'Identité Bancaire) provided by the bank
- Evidence of income for at least the previous 12 months, whether in France or elsewhere or an avis d'imposition or latest French tax bill
The Carte Vitale
Once affiliated to the social security system, a Carte Vitale (green card) is issued. The Carte Vitale is the national insurance card issued to anyone eligible aged 16 and over. It gives evidence of membership and rights to French health insurance - an affiliation to CPAM. It contains all the administrative information necessary for the refund of care:- Social security number
- Details of health insurance scheme and top-up insurance
- Details of the relevant health insurance office
- Full name and date of birth of the card holder and their dependants
- Details of any exemption or reduction that apples to payments or entitlement to supplementary universal cover
- More information about the Carte Vitale (in French)