Health cover for low-earners

PEOPLE on low incomes should investigate benefits called the CMU complémentaire - where the state pays your top up insurance costs, or the aide complémentaire santé, which provides money towards buying a policy.

The former is for some people who already have basic cover via the CMU (couverture maladie universelle), which allows people who have not built up entitlement via social security payments through work to have normal state healthcare reimbursements (in many cases, non-working expats are ineligible and need full private health insurance).

Those on low incomes get CMU free and, again depending on income thresholds (€11,282 for a couple, minus €1,325.40 if you do not have to pay for your accommodation), some can also have the CMU complémentaire, which replaces top-up insurance.

Aide complémentaire santé helps you towards buying a private top-up policy and its threshold is 20% higher - ie. €13,538.40 for a couple (€12,213.36 if you own your home outright).

Your local Cpam (state health insurance body) will have details - or try their national English-speaking helpline on 08 11 36 36 46.