Choosing insurance to cover your assets and family involves balancing several contracts with very different scopes. Home multi-risk, death insurance, personal accident coverage: each option addresses a specific risk, with differences in coverage and cost that deserve to be compared before any subscription.
Comparison of the main family insurance contracts
Three main categories of contracts cover most of the risks a household is exposed to. The table below summarizes their respective scopes.
| Type of contract | Covered risks | Nature | Point of attention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home multi-risk (MRH) | Water damage, fire, theft, civil liability | Mandatory for tenants | The Cat Nat surcharge increased from 12% to 20% on January 1, 2025 |
| Personal accident coverage (GAV) | Domestic, sports, medical accidents, natural disasters | Optional | Intervention threshold varies by insurer (minimum disability rate) |
| Death/disability insurance | Capital or annuity paid in case of death, disability, or inability to work | Optional | Amount of capital and exclusions (high-risk sports, pre-existing conditions) |
These three contracts do not replace each other. An MRH protects the home and physical belongings but does not pay anything if a domestic accident causes a disability without damage to the home. The GAV then takes over on the bodily aspect.
To delve deeper into these distinctions, the A Vos Finances site for insurance details the guarantees specific to each category of contract.
Natural disaster surcharge: an additional cost to integrate into the housing budget
The increase in the Cat Nat surcharge, which rose from 12% to 20% on MRH contracts since January 2025, significantly alters the calculations for all insured individuals, including those who do not reside in particularly exposed areas. This increase results from a decree dated December 22, 2023, and affects the entire insured population.
In practical terms, each home contract automatically bears this increase. It is not an option: the surcharge is included in the overall premium. For a household comparing two quotes, the price difference between insurers may therefore reflect both their commercial margin and their policy on deductibles or compensation limits.
What the surcharge does not cover
The Cat Nat guarantee compensates for direct material damage caused by an event recognized by inter-ministerial decree. However, indirect losses (extended relocation, loss of income due to the inability to use a property) are not always covered by standard MRH. Checking the temporary relocation and loss of use clauses in the contract remains a useful reflex before signing.
Quality of claims management: a measurable criterion
The price of an insurance contract attracts attention at the time of subscription. The quality of service becomes apparent at the time of a claim, when quick and compliant compensation is needed according to the guarantees subscribed.
In 2025, the Insurance Mediation recorded a significant increase in requests, particularly regarding home contracts and property guarantees. This growing volume of disputes indicates that claims management varies considerably from one insurer to another.
Three indicators to check before subscribing
- The average compensation time after reporting a claim, often mentioned in the general conditions or verified customer reviews
- The existence of a separate internal claims service distinct from customer service, with a dedicated contact person and a defined response time
- The contact details of the insurance mediator, which the insurer must provide as soon as they acknowledge receipt of a claim, in accordance with the obligations strengthened by the ACPR since late 2022
An insurer that is inexpensive but frequently challenged before the mediator can end up costing much more in the long run, in terms of delays and partial compensation.
Death and disability insurance: coverage gaps to watch
Family insurance covers a risk that social security only partially compensates: the loss of income following a death, disability, or prolonged incapacity. Insurance contracts pay a death benefit or annuity to the spouse and children, according to the terms chosen at subscription.
The differences between contracts focus on several concrete points:
- The amount of guaranteed capital, which can vary from one to three times for a comparable monthly premium
- Contractual exclusions, particularly for high-risk sports, travel abroad, or undeclared pre-existing conditions
- The definition of disability adopted by the contract (functional, professional, or both), which determines the threshold for triggering the guarantee
- The potential revaluation of capital over time, indexed or not to inflation
A low-cost death insurance contract may exclude professional disability or limit the capital to an insufficient amount to maintain the household’s standard of living for several years. Comparing exclusions before comparing prices avoids unpleasant surprises at the most critical moment.
Personal accident coverage: intervention threshold and family scope
The GAV covers serious bodily injuries sustained in domestic, leisure, or medical accidents. In France, everyday accidents account for over 24,000 deaths per year, making it the fourth leading cause of mortality in the country.
The determining criterion of a GAV contract is the threshold of permanent incapacity at which compensation is triggered. Some contracts set this threshold at 30%, others at 10%, or even 5%. A low threshold increases the premium but significantly broadens the protection, especially for children exposed to domestic accidents.
Most plans allow coverage of the entire household under a single contract. Checking whether dependent adult children still attached to the tax household remain included, or if they need to subscribe separately, is part of the details that change the actual scope of coverage.
Choosing family insurance rarely boils down to a single contract. The interplay between MRH, GAV, and death insurance defines the actual level of protection for the household. Cross-checking guarantees, verifying exclusions, and comparing claims management before pricing: it is on these three axes that the strength of coverage is determined.
