School Insurance and School Buses

[SS2002]

Hello

My 5 year old will be starting at the ecole maternelle in September in Dept 17 (near Mirambeau) and I am bit perpelxed as to where to go to get insurance for her?  I will also need contents insurance so can I do it all together, or do they need to be separate?

On the subject of buses, I have been given a form to apply for a place on the bus, but how does the routine work?  Obvioulsy, at the beginning of term I will drop off and pick up as she doesn't speak Frenc but how does the teacher know who is on the bus and who to put on at the end of the day??  This is making me mad with worry!!!

Thanks!

Sandra

[tetley]

Don't fret, it is all pretty relaxed. 

You can go to any insurance agent for the assurance scolaire, and can arrange it at the same time as contents insurarance.  I think from memory I pay about 16 euros a year for 2 children.

With regards to the school bus.  You fill out the form, and give it back at the town hall.  We had to attach a photo at home.

At the end of each day, the children who go home on the bus line up first, and walk up in 2s, and are supervised getting on the bus by a member of staff......they aren't checked on as such with a register. If I am outside the school gates, I make a point of saying hello to the driver, but it is never a problem to take the children home myself.  In the morning, I wait with the children until they are safely on the bus.  This is how it works in our village, and it is free.

[Danny]

Hello,

I can't help with the school bus thing, I'm afraid, but we use MAE for the insurance - I think this is a company most schools recommend and the leaflet was provided by my son's headmistress. We started off using school cover from the company that did our contents and buildings insurance, but when our son needed glasses we looked into the cover further and found it wasn't very comprehensive. We pay 29 euros a year for our (nearly) 5 yr old with MAE and this covers inside/outside school and outings, with two claims per year for spectacles. We have just filed the first claim for 91 euros (replacement lens and frames, squished after he fell off his scooter outside our house) so I will keep you updated as the whether the reimbursement system is efficient or not!

Don't panic, chances are on the first day of term you will be one of the most organised parents there!

Jane

[Sharkster]

We use Aviva for ours.  It has been 20 euros a year for their top cover for my son, which is nothing really for a year.  I am interested to read about the spectacle cover, since my sons have been through the mill (I need to check if our policy covers that) but our local spectacle retailer where we bought the glasses has done a number of minor repairs for free, which is excellent service and we will return for my son's next pair of glasses

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

Just a quick question, but why is insurance required for school children? I have never heard of this before.

[Sharkster]

This is France!  It covers children for accidents at school and trips outside school.  I think in the UK school have their own insurance for this, but in France you have to pay it yourself.  The good thing is if you get good cover and something happens to your child even outside school you can more than likely claim for cost etc.  Think football smashing a neighbours window or something like that.