Top Up Insurance

[Bob]

I am sure this have been covered before in the forum, but I have a query on my Top Up Insurance Premium. 

I am currently living in France and my only income is a  basic UK state pension.

I am covered by an E121 as I am retired (68), and have a carte vitale.

My total income is such that I am excempt from Tax D'habitation, but I pay Tax Fonciere! (although this is minimal, because of my income.)

Question:-  Do I have to pay for Top Up Insurance to make sure I am fully covered for Medical problems?

The reason I ask is because the premium I have been paying and the renewal notice for my Top Up and that of my wife, (who is a dependant) is approx. 20% of my total income, which is a big chunk out of our housekeeping budget.

I would like to add, that  myself and my wife, who has paid NHI contributions for the past 40 years+ have been fortunate so far in not having any serious health problems.

My wife has been here on her E106 for the past 18 months, which has now expired, and she is tranferring to my E121 as an independant.

Any contructive advice would be most appreciated, or if anyone can guide me to the appropriate page if it has already been covered, I would be grateful.

Bob

[Sunday Driver]

If you are on a really low income, then you may qualify for free complimentary insurance cover.

Since January 1, 2000, the law on couverture maladie universelle (CMU) allows any person residing in France in a stable and regular way, the right to apply for free complimentary healthcare cover: La CMU complimentaire.

La CMU complimentaire is dependent upon your income and means that the state will assume responsibility for 100% of your healthcare costs, without you having to pay any of the expenses which you'd normally have to cover with a commercial top-up insurance.  Since January 1, 2005, the recipients of the la CMU complimentaire can also, subject meeting certain resource conditions, obtain a special electricity tarif.

 

To obtain la CMU complimentaire, your monthly income must be lower than a ceiling which varies according to the composition of your tax foyer: 

 

1 person = 598,23 €
2 persons = 897,35 €

 

When applying for la CMU complimentaire, you must provide a statement of income together with supporting documents. The benefit lasts for one year and is renewable annually. Your complimentaire can continue to be managed by your existing top-up assurer and CPAM will pay your future premiums and organise a refund of any advance premiums you may have paid. 

If you are under this threshold, you should apply to your CPAM for free complimentaire cover. If you are over this threshold (by up to 15%), then you may still qualify for a subsidy towards the cost of your commercial top-up insurance.

 

 

[Bob]

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply very comprehensively to my query.  It is very helpful. Our joint income is much lower than the ceiling to qualify, so we will investigate further.........

One further question...do you know if they take savings into account?  Not that we have much left from what we originally came out here with, and we are using this to supplement our housekeeping budget, so, as you can imagine it is dwindly fast, and neither my wife or myself have much chance of employment at our ages.

Regards

Bob

[Sunday Driver]

The "resources" taken into account for la CMU complimentaire are those of your tax foyer during the 12 months preceding your application, ie from your latest tax advice. They include the whole of your resources, taxable or non taxable (wages, pensions, unemployment benefits, social security benefits, family allowance, advantages in kind, interest on capital, dividends) after deduction of social security contributions, the CSG and the CRDS.  Your savings are only taken into account if they exceed 750,000 euros, which takes you into the wealth tax bracket!!!

Note that if you are the owner of your house or if you are living rent free, this is taken into account in the form of a fixed price housing "benefit" charge which is added to your income.  For 2006, the monthly amount of the fixed price housing charge is 51,05 euros for a single person; 89,33 euros for two people; 107,20 euros for three or more people.  This might just take you over the threshold.  If so, then consider the "aide pour un complimentaire sante" - earnings limit is 1,031.95 per month (plus the housing charge as above).  The subsidy payable is 400 euros.