The main health insurance schemes
THE WORKING HOLIDAY VISA – HOW THE SCHEME WORKS
France has signed Working Holiday Visa agreements with Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Argentina, Hong Kong, Russia, Uruguay, Mexico, Taiwan and Brazil.
The French Working Holiday Visa allows French nationals aged 18 to 30 (35 for Canada) to spend a year in one of these countries in order to travel and work there.
Holders are not required to find a job before they leave: they hold an open work visa that lets them look for work once they are in the country.
WORKING HOLIDAY VISA
The international Working Holiday Visa (WHV) insurance policy is designed for any French national aged 18 to 35 leaving under a Working Holiday programme.
A choice between cover that tops up the CFE or French social security, and first-euro cover.
Cover starts the day after you join, with a certificate sent by email to make your Working Holiday departure straightforward.
THE CFE – THE FRENCH HEALTH FUND FOR NATIONALS ABROAD
As an expat, you can continue to benefit from the French health insurance scheme by joining the Caisse des Français de l’Étranger (CFE). You can protect yourself against certain risks depending on your family situation, the specifics of your host country and your financial means. The CFE provides sickness and maternity, old-age, and work accident / occupational illness cover.
The CFE therefore ensures continuity with the French social security system both when you leave and when you return, and covers your healthcare costs during temporary stays in France.
THE CFE – WITH AZUREXPAT
Azurexpat’s CFE top-up health insurance solutions are designed for expats registered with the Caisse des Français de l’Étranger. Thanks to specialist partners, you have a single point of contact, which makes pre-authorisation and reimbursement requests easier. You will find flexible benefits with comprehensive cover and a range of associated services on top of your CFE cover.
SCHENGEN INSURANCE – WHO IS CONCERNED?
The Schengen Area is a zone of free movement of people. 26 States have joined and signed the Schengen Agreement, and 22 European Union members are part of the Schengen Area.
Here is the list of countries concerned: Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Austria, Iceland, Poland, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, Denmark, Latvia, Czech Republic, Spain, Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Finland, Luxembourg, Sweden, France, Malta, Switzerland, Greece, Norway
Free movement within the Schengen Area allows you to travel freely between these countries without border checks.
VISA – SCHENGEN INSURANCE
You must hold insurance covering your health abroad in order to obtain your visa. Medical costs within the Schengen Area can be very high depending on the destination country.
Schengen visas last a maximum of 3 months. Expats leaving for longer periods need to find health cover suited to that situation. Private international insurance will cover your medical costs. We look at your situation together in order to build social protection that fits your plans.
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