AnkyroTravel insuranceFrance
Travel insurance for France.
Care in France is not free, even with an EHIC or GHIC. You pay upfront, claim back part, and the flight home is never covered. Here is what to check.
The rules
What France asks of visitors.
Checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Entry rules change, so check again before you fly.
- The border can ask for proof
French border guards may ask visitors for proof of travel insurance that covers emergency costs, plus money for the stay and a return ticket.
Source: gov.uk - EHIC and GHIC: you pay, then claim
An EHIC or GHIC does not stop the bill in France. You pay the doctor, keep the “feuille de soins”, and claim part back.
Source: employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu - Only “conventionné” doctors
The card works with doctors and clinics in the state system. A non-affiliated private clinic charges the full cost, at higher rates.
Source: employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu - “Tiers payant” needs a carte Vitale
French patients can skip paying upfront through the tiers payant, which works by showing a carte Vitale. Fees above the official rate are never covered by it.
Source: service-public.gouv.fr - In hospital, show the card on admission
Showing your EHIC when you are admitted saves you paying upfront the share the French state covers.
Source: employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu - Mountains: rescue costs extra
In the mountains, your insurance should cover mountain rescue and helicopter evacuation. In Savoie and Haute-Savoie you may be moved to Switzerland for treatment.
Source: gov.uk
What care costs
If something goes wrong, this is the bill.
What a visitor pays without insurance. Prices vary by hospital and change every year.
- 23 euros a day in hospital
Since 1 March 2026, the “forfait journalier” is 23 euros a day, up from 20. It is your share of the cost of your bed and meals, and French health insurance never refunds it.
Source: service-public.gouv.fr - 23 euros for A&E
The “forfait patient urgences” also rose to 23 euros on 1 March 2026, from 19.61. You pay it when you leave A&E without being admitted.
Source: service-public.gouv.fr - Doctor visits: 70% back
You pay the doctor upfront. With an EHIC you get 70% of the official rate back, minus a 2 euro charge per visit. Fees above the official rate are yours.
Source: employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu - Medicines and ambulance
Listed medicines are refunded at 65%, 35% or 15%, minus 1 euro a box. An ambulance needs a doctor’s prescription, and 4 euros a trip is kept back.
Source: employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu
What to look for
Choosing travel cover for France.
Ankyro checks each of these on every plan, so you don’t have to read the fine print.
- A repatriation limit for France
French social security pays toward care, not toward getting you home. Look for a limit high enough for an air ambulance.
- The gap the card leaves
Look for a plan that pays the 30% the card doesn’t, the daily hospital fee and doctors’ extra fees.
- Ski and mountain cover
Pistes, off-piste and helicopter rescue are often extras. Add them for any trip to the Alps or Pyrenees.
- Cross-border care
Near the Alps you may be treated in Switzerland. Check the policy covers care there too.
Before you land
Sort these before you fly.
- Call 112 for an ambulance
Dial 112 anywhere in France. In hospital, hand over your EHIC or GHIC straight away.
- Keep every “feuille de soins”
You need this form and your receipts to claim money back, in France or at home.
- Claim at a CPAM office
While in France, you can send the forms, receipts, a copy of your EHIC and your IBAN to the local CPAM to be refunded.
Common mistakes
3 we see all the time.
- 01Thinking the EHIC or GHIC makes care free. In France you pay upfront and only part comes back.
- 02Skiing without rescue cover. Helicopter and mountain rescue are not paid by the card.
- 03Going to a non-affiliated private clinic. You pay the full bill, at higher rates.
Travel insurance stops when the trip ends, and most visas for living in France don’t accept it. See what France asks of residents.
Questions
People also ask.
Do I need travel insurance for France?+
A Schengen visa requires it. Schengen rules: see our Schengen page. Visa-free visitors can still be asked at the French border for cover of emergency costs.
Does the GHIC work in France?+
Yes, with “conventionné” doctors and public hospitals. You pay first and claim part back. It does not cover private clinics or repatriation.
Is healthcare free for tourists in France?+
No. Even with an EHIC or GHIC you pay upfront, get about 70% back for doctor visits, and pay 23 euros a day in hospital.
What is the 23 euro hospital charge in France?+
It is the forfait journalier, your share of the bed and meals for each night in hospital. It went from 20 to 23 euros on 1 March 2026.
Do I need travel insurance to ski in France?+
It is not required, but the EHIC and GHIC don’t pay for mountain rescue or helicopters. Buy a policy that lists them.
Other trips
Going somewhere else?
Visiting Singapore? Care is excellent and expensive. Living here and going abroad? MediShield Life does not pay overseas. Here is what to check.
02Schengen visaA Schengen visa needs travel medical cover of at least 30,000 euros, valid in every Schengen country, with repatriation. Here is what passes, and what doesn’t.
03MalaysiaVisiting Malaysia? Public hospitals charge foreigners full price. Living here and going abroad? Your cover at home stays at home. Here is what to check.
04ThailandThailand doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. But hospitals want a payment guarantee before they treat you, and private care is not cheap. Here is what to know.
05JapanJapan doesn’t ask tourists for insurance yet. But visitors pay the full bill, and unpaid bills can get you refused entry next time. Here is what to know.
06USA visitorsThe US doesn’t ask visitors for insurance. But a few days in hospital can cost more than a car. Here is what care costs, and what a visitor plan must cover.
07Bali and IndonesiaIndonesia doesn’t ask tourists for insurance yet. But a broken leg in Bali can cost over 160 million rupiah, and serious cases can need a flight out. Here is what to know.
08Dubai and the UAEDubai’s law says visitors must be insured, and the 5-year tourist visa asks for proof. Care is good but private, and an unpaid bill can stop you leaving.
09VietnamVietnam doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. But private hospitals cost a lot, and a motorbike crash can stop you leaving the country. Here is what to know.
10SpainPublic care in Spain is free with an EHIC or GHIC. Private clinics, dental care and the flight home are not. Here is what the card leaves to you in Spain.
11MexicoMexico doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. Private hospitals in big cities are good, but most want payment first, and Medicare won’t pay.
13ItalyThe EHIC and GHIC work in Italy’s public system, but you still pay fees, most medicines and any private doctor. Here is the Italian bill the card leaves you.
14GermanyWith an EHIC or GHIC, most care in Germany costs little. Private extras, mountain rescue and the flight home are on you. Here is what to check.
15PortugalPublic care in Portugal is mostly free with an EHIC or GHIC. Private clinics, medicines and the flight home are not. Here is what to check before you fly to Portugal.
16Costa RicaCosta Rica doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. Only first emergency care is free, private clinics want payment first, and extensions have their own rules.
17ColombiaMost tourists need no visa and no policy for Colombia. If you do need a visa, insurance is part of it. Private clinics want payment first.
18South KoreaKorea doesn’t ask tourists for insurance, and the national scheme is not for short trips. Hospitals expect you to pay on the spot, then claim.
19Australia working holidayThe 417 and 462 visas don’t make you buy health insurance. But you pay every medical bill yourself, unless your passport gets you limited Medicare. Here is who is covered and what to buy.
20New Zealand working holidayMost working holiday visas for New Zealand require medical and hospital insurance for your whole stay, and you can be asked for proof when you land. Here is who is exempt and what to buy.