Health mutuelles banned from raising rates in 2026 – what to do if yours does

Health mutuelles in France are legally barred from increasing premiums in 2026, despite having warned for months that costs would rise sharply this year.

The ban, written into law in the 2026 Social Security budget, comes as insurers say they face higher taxes, rising healthcare spending and pressure from an ageing population. 

Some policyholders have already seen higher charges applied despite the ban, raising questions over whether the law is being respected.

The measure has triggered an open dispute between the government and the mutuelle sector, which argues that the freeze is unlawful and cannot be applied in practice.

A mutuelle top-up policy is sometimes also known as a complémentaire santé as the cover it provides complements France’s state social security system.

Unlike in some other countries, such as the UK, many medical consultations and treatments in France are only partially reimbursed by the state, leaving patients to cover the remaining cost.

Mutuelles work by reimbursing patients, to varying degrees depending on the policy, for amounts not covered by state health insurance.

It is not compulsory to have a mutuelle policy, although around 95% of residents in France do, according to official data from 2019. French employers are required to provide one for employees.

Why premiums were expected to rise

Before the freeze was adopted, mutuelles had announced average increases of 4.7% for collective contracts, typically provided by employers, and 4.3% for individual policies. 

This would have followed an average rise of around 6% in 2025.

According to the Fédération nationale de la Mutualité française (FNMF), premiums have increased by an average 4.4% per year since 2020, leaving most policyholders paying at least 20% more than before the Covid-19 pandemic. Between 2013 and 2020, increases averaged 1.8% a year.

The FNMF links the trend to rising medical costs, particularly those associated with population ageing, alongside new fiscal measures in the 2026 budget.

€2bn extra costs in 2026

Mutuelles say the 2026 budget will cost them around €2bn extra this year.

This includes a new tax expected to raise around €1bn, described by the FNMF as a ‘VAT on healthcare’, as well as around €1bn in cost transfers from the state, including lower reimbursement rates from the social security system.

MPs definitively adopted the social security budget on December 16.

For contrats responsables, which account for about 98% of policies, the tax rate will rise from 13.27% to 16.2%.

The sector has repeatedly said that, under normal circumstances, most of these costs would be passed on to policyholders.

To prevent this, MPs inserted Article 13 into the 2026 Social Security finance law.

It states that for 2026, mutuelle contributions must not exceed the amount charged in 2025. The wording is explicit and leaves little room for interpretation.

However, mutuelle providers have branded the article “unconstitutional and inapplicable”.

“It infringes freedom of enterprise, freedom of contract and the guarantee of rights, principles protected by the constitution. It also contravenes European law, notably in matters of solvency,” said mutuelle federations France Assureurs, FIPS, UNOCAM and La Mutualité Française in a joint statement.

Why some people are seeing increases

Many premium notices for 2026 were sent out in November 2025, before the law was formally promulgated.

Some mutuelles have since adjusted premiums. Others say corrections will be made later, potentially through reimbursements or accounting adjustments in 2027.

Consumer groups warn that this leaves policyholders responsible for checking whether an increase has been applied.

What to do if your premium has risen

If your premium increased on January 1, 2026, it is likely to be unlawful.

You should compare your 2025 and 2026 contributions, contact your mutuelle in writing, and request reimbursement and correction if an increase has been applied.