Introduction - at
AssetSure, we are happy to be able to offer you Buildings & Contents insurance
for your French Holiday Home. Our policy will cover your property if you use it
for your own personal usage, or you decide to rent the property out for
commercial gain. We can provide you with a Comprehensive policy wording
containing all the perils you would expect to receive from a Buildings &
Contents Insurance Policy along with additional extensions unique to property
insurance policies in France:-
Your
policy will be extended to include French catastrophe insurance cover
in accordance with the terms of the French Law No. 82-600 of 13th July 1982.
Your policy thus provides cover in respect of financial loss following direct
material damage to any of the property insured under the Policy due to an
intense and abnormal natural event. However for this cover to apply, a
publication in the official journal of the French Republic of an inter
ministerial decree which states that a natural catastrophe has occurred. has
to be made.
The liability section
of your policy has been extended to include cover as
required under Articles 1382 to 1384 and 1732 to 1735 of the Civil Code.(
Tenants Risks)
The liability section
of your policy has been extended to include the financial consequences of the
liability which you may incur under articles 1382 to 1384 of the Civil Code
for any material damage to property of neighbours and third parties resulting
from fire or explosion originating in the premises insured or containing the
insured property. ( Neighbours & Third Party Risks)
French Catastrophe
Insurance - your policy will be extended to cover the cost of direct
material damage suffered to the property for which cover is in force but not in
excess of the sums insured you have chosen and of course subject to the limits
and conditions provided by the policy at the time of any loss. If you have to
make a claim under the catastrophe section of your policy, you will be liable
for an excess, this excess is fixed by the latest inter ministerial decree in
force and you are forbidden by law to insure against it.
Flooding - insurance
will help ease the financial burden associated with claims but as in Britain,
you may find that if your property is situated in a High Risk area, it may prove
harder for you to obtain cover. You must declare all relevant information to the
insurance company or you may find your insurance is not valid. If you are
searching for a property in France, it would be wise to research the likely hood
of flooding before you buy. If you are buying a property that has previously
suffered from Flood damage, try to ascertain what remedial action if any has
been taken, this may help you to secure insurance. Historically France is prone
to flooding and the last 5 years have produced some very severe weather, with
the government forced to declare several disaster areas. Without doubt the South
of France is more likely to flood that then rest of the country. (Aquitaine,
Departments 24,33,40,47, 64, popular with the British have escaped relatively
flood free)
French Climate - in
the South of France, the hot summers, sea and mountain ranges combine to produce
short torrential down pours which can lead to flash flooding. The winter months
do not escape either, cold air passing over the mountains meets humid air coming
up from the Mediterranean producing very wet weather which can last for days on
end.
The area Languedoc-Roussillion,
again popular with the British has suffered many flood problems in recent years,
departments; 30-Gard, 34 Herault and 48 Lozere have been the hardest hit.
Next door in Provence-Alpes-Cote
d Azur, Department 84- Vaucluse has been identified as the area must prone to
damage by flooding and again if you are going to seek to buy your French Holiday
home in this area, you should undertake checks in respect of your desired
property. Slightly further north in Rhone Alps, the areas of Ardeche and Drome
are considered to be at risk from flooding.
In the north of France, Normandy
& Brittany have recently suffered from exceptionally high rainfall,whilst in the
Loire Valley flooding has occurred between Orleans and Angers.
In the North east of France in
Picardy, in the department of the Somme (80) serious flooding has occurred in
the past, departments 02 Aisne and 60 Oise have also be affected. Parts of
Champagnme- Ardennes department78 Ardennes, have also suffered.
In the east of France, in
Bourgogne,areas near the river Saone have flooded and Lorraine has also been
struck by floods. This list is not exhaustive and as mentioned above, you should
conduct your own enquiries if you are at worried.
Forest Fires - in July
2003 a devastating forest fire swept through the South of France ( Le Var 83),
as many as thirty fires were reported. Although arson was suspected, the
exceptionally hot weather and strong winds helped to spread the fires quickly
and in total approx 21000 hectares of forest was destroyed.
Earthquakes - the Cote
de Azur is considered to be situated within an earthquake zone although there
has been nothing of consequence in recent years.
Subsidence - as in the
United Kingdom, French policies cover the risk of subsidence,
France has it's fair share of clay soils which is arguably the main offender
when it comes to the causes of subsidence. The worst affected areas tend to be
in the North of the Country, Paris and the Departments of Nord (59),
Yvelines(78), Seine et Marne (77) Essonne (91) and Indre et Loire (37) Le Var
(83) also has experienced some subsidence problems.
Assetsure provide overseas property insurance and holiday home insurance for the
following countries:- Australia,
Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech,
Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy,
Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Morocco,
Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Ireland, Romania, Slovakia,
Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UK and the United Arab
Emirates.
