When you live abroad, you have the choice of taking out either private expatriate insurance that covers you in full, known as “au 1er euro”, or complementary CFE insurance. To help you make the right choice, here’s some information on how CFE and CFE-complementary insurance work.
Why take out health insurance in addition to CFE?
In countries where medical costs are high (USA, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, Brazil, Australia…), the remaining cost can reach staggering sums. That’s why it’s essential to take out additional insurance to cover these costs in these countries, and strongly recommended for other countries. Some insurances will even cover your hospitalization costs directly, without you having to pay in advance.
If you are French and already insured in your country of residence abroad, but would still like to be covered when you return to France, Mondassur offersFrancExpat insurance as a complement to CFE.
What is the CFE?
CFE is the Caisse des Français de l’Etranger (French national insurance fund for French nationals living abroad). It is a private organization to which you must contribute voluntarily, and which covers your medical expenses at the same percentages and reimbursement ceilings as French Social Security. If you’re an expatriate, you can contribute to the CFE , which will cover part of your healthcare costs abroad. You are strongly advised to take out a supplementary health insurance policy to cover the non-reimbursed portion, as well as advance payment in the event of hospitalization. Only French nationals or Europeans who have lived in France for more than 10 years are eligible for CFE coverage. How much do CFE contributions cost?
How do reimbursements work with CFE?
To take advantage of CFE’s benefits, you’ll need to pay a quarterly contribution, calculated on the basis of your income, age and family situation. CFE offers 3 types of insurance: sickness and maternity, industrial accidents and occupational diseases, and old-age insurance, which enables you to contribute to the French pension system. The healthcare reimbursement system is based on French social security reimbursement levels, and since January 1, 2020 on 5 geographical zones with different reimbursements but now as a percentage of actual costs. For example, if you pay €80 for a consultation in your country of expatriation, you will be reimbursed 70% of €25 by the CFE at the time of treatment, €25 being the conventional rate for a doctor’s consultation in France for our example. Reimbursement percentages vary according to geographical area and type of treatment. If you don’t have expatriate insurance in addition to CFE, you’ll be responsible for the remainder. If you have complementary CFE Mondassur insurance, it will cover the remainder of the costs, depending on your contract’s coverage. Mondassur will reimburse
Why choose Mondassur for your CFE top-up?
As an expatriate insurance broker, Mondassur gives you a single point of contact to subscribe to both CFE and complementary expatriate insurance for your stay abroad, and to obtain your healthcare reimbursements all at once. This system is more convenient , and considerably reduces the time it takes to pay benefits. You send your claims via your personal CFE online interface, which transmits them directly to us. We then reimburse your CFE medical expenses + MONDASSUR top-up in a single payment to the bank account of your choice anywhere in the world. If you don’t wish to join the CFE, this is also perfectly possible. In this case, you’ll need to choose a “1st euro” health insurance plan such as GoldExpat 1er euro.
How do I take out supplementary insurance with the CFE?
Online underwriting: Start by obtaining a free quote on the Mondassur website to assess your coverage needs. Once you’ve received your quote, fill in the required information and provide the necessary documents online. Mondassur then takes care of the entire enrolment process, making it easy for you to sign up for the coverage you’ve chosen.
Subscribing by telephone: Contact our advisors to discuss your needs for additional CFE cover. You will be guided through the selection of your insurance plan. Once you’ve chosen a plan, complete an application form and provide the necessary documents. Mondassur will take care of the entire process, so you can benefit from comprehensive health cover tailored to your needs as an expatriate.
