France's state health insurance system pays only part of many medical bills. Most residents therefore also have complémentaire santé, commonly called a mutuelle, which covers some or all of the remaining cost, depending on the policy and the treatment.
The cost of these policies vary considerably, depending on age and cover, but for a couple in their 50s a mid-level policy typically costs €2,000-€3,000 a year.
Earlier this year we reported on a new law that sought to prevent complementary health insurers from passing on the cost of an additional government-imposed contribution, estimated at €1 billion, to their customers through higher premiums.
The law said that premiums for 2026 could not exceed the amounts charged in 2025. The insurers argued from the outset that this restriction was unconstitutional.
In practice, they went ahead with increases they had already planned. According to the Mutualité Française, premiums rose by an average of 4.3% for individual policies in 2026. The freeze was therefore not generally applied, despite its inclusion in the legislation.
The Constitutional Council accepted that the government had a legitimate objective in trying to protect consumers. However, it ruled that prohibiting all increases, whatever their cause, imposed a disproportionate restriction on insurers' freedom to conduct business and their freedom of contract.
The restriction would have prevented insurers from setting premiums at a level sufficient to cover their costs, including the rising cost of healthcare reimbursements.
The two main industry federations — the Mutualité Française and France Assureurs - argue that premiums have to reflect the rising cost of healthcare, the ageing population, changes in the share of medical expenses paid by complementary insurers and additional taxation imposed by the government.
As a result of the ruling, insurers remain responsible for setting their own prices.
Outlook 2027
During the summer, the government decided to transfer approximately €1.5 billion of healthcare costs from the state health insurance system to complementary insurers. The measures affected dental care, certain medicines, medical devices and medical transport. Insurers argue that these additional costs will have to be reflected in their pricing.
Industry forecasts reported by specialist publications suggest that increases of 7–8% could be in prospect for 2027, although the eventual rise will vary between insurers and policies.
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