French state health insurance (‘Assurance Maladie’), also known as social security, does not cover all medical costs. To supplement the reimbursements paid by social security, it is highly recommended to take out complementary health insurance, known as a “mutuelle”.
Even though it is not always compulsory, it provides you with better cover, in particular if you are hospitalized.
Taking out complementary health insurance
To take out this complementary health insurance, you must:
- be registered for French state health insurance (‘Assurance Maladie’, CPAM or MGEN),
- or have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC),
- or have a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC, students from the UK),
- or have a RAMQ form (students from Quebec).
Many companies offer complementary health insurance, and you are free to choose your own private insurance company or non-profit insurer.
Therefore, do not hesitate to request estimates and take the time to compare the various offers according to your needs.
If you stay in France for one year or less and do not have specific health needs (glasses, dental care, etc.), the minimum cover may be sufficient for you.
If you are a student, some
insurance companies are specialized for students and have low-cost offers.
If you are employed by the university (as a PhD student or a researcher), please note that a new complementary social protection plan, called 'protection sociale complémentaire (PSC)', will come into effect on 1 May 2026. Membership in this new plan will be mandatory (except in cases of exemption). For more information, contact your Human resources department and visit
the website of the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research.
Depending on where you live, you can also benefit from offers specially negotiated for you, as a resident of the Region or of a municipality. For example, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region and the towns of Grenoble and Valence have set up partnerships to give their residents easier access to a complementary health insurance. Information is available on
the Region's website (‘Ma mutuelle Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes’),
the city of Grenoble's website (‘mutuelle communale’) and
the city of Valence's website (‘Ma commune, ma santé’).
If you have limited resources, and are registered for French health insurance (‘Assurance Maladie’), you can apply to the health insurance organization (“CPAM”) in your place of residence for the complementary health coverage called ‘Complémentaire santé solidaire’.
> More information about the ‘Complémentaire santé solidaire’
Cost of complementary health insurance
The cost depends on your contract and the level of cover you choose.
As an indication, special offers for students range from around €6 to €40 per month, whereas for a researcher, offers start at around €40, and can exceed €100 per month depending on your family situation.
If you have a limited budget or are an employee with an employment contract (student job, doctoral contract, etc.), you may be eligible for assistance with complementary health insurance.
> To find out how to benefit from a low-cost complementary health insurance, visit the Healthcare costs page
Rate of reimbursement from complementary health insurance
Complementary health insurance reimburses a varying proportion of the outstanding amount that you are required to pay after being reimbursed by the state health insurance provider (social security).
Reimbursements vary depending on the contract you choose and the type of care involved.
Good to know
Once you have taken out your health insurance policy, you may be subject to a waiting period (called a “délai de carence”), during which certain services are not reimbursed.
