Switching ‘top-up’ supplier is (now) easy to do

There are various reasons you may consider switching companies, notably if your annual premiums are increased more than seems reasonable to you.

Rises have in the past typically been moderate (in low single figures) but in 2024 they were around 8%. The rise was blamed on factors such as better reimbursement of sessions with psychologists and high take-up of the 100% santé schemes for glasses and dental work.

At the start of 2025 a professional body for mutuelles estimated the latest rises as being on average 5.3% for individual policies and 7.3% for workplace ones, this time partly linked to rising doctor fees. However even in years such as these, rises can be very different from one policy to another.

The good news is that it is possible to end a contract with a top-up health insurer at any time and without incurring any additional charges, after the first year.

Prior to the measure’s implementation in 2020, the freedom to switch out of an existing insurance policy or to terminate it prior to its term had long been asked for by consumer advocates.

The former laws provided a narrow cancellation window, typically on the policy’s yearly anniversary date.

Since the new law came into effect, consumers may terminate their policy unilaterally and without penalty, provided they have completed at least one year of their subscription.

This right to cancel extends to all types of policies covering health-related risks and warranties (e.g. in case of illness, accident, death, disability, maternity etc.).

To terminate your policy, you simply send a letter of cancellation to your insurer indicating your wish to cancel.

The termination will be effective one month after your insurer receives your cancellation letter, which should be one working day after you send the letter.

When mailing your letter, it is advisable to send it a registered post with a receipt so as to keep a record of your contract termination date.

If you terminate early because you have found better terms elsewhere, your new insurer will take care of the termination procedures for you. This ensures that you remain covered at all times, without interruption.

The various costs borne by top-up insurers in France – and factored into bills – also include certain taxes that are specific to them (on top of the usual taxes paid by businesses). 

These include a tax at around 13% on premiums that goes towards funding the complémentaire santé solidaire and another small tax (0.8%) that helps pay extra to doctors for agreeing to act as patients’ médecin traitant (dedicated GP).

Other taxes come and go. For example, one unexpected consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic was a decrease in medical consultations, which eased the financial burden on insurance companies at the time.

As a result, the government implemented a new tax of 2.6% on insurance premiums for the first year of the pandemic and a reduced tax of 1.3% for 2021.