Do you need to inform your insurance company about renovations to French property?

Reader Question: We are looking at building an extension to our property in France, using a well-known local building company. Do we need to inform our insurer about the extension?

Whether work on a home needs to be reported to insurers depends on how extensive it is, so in this case, if it is an extension, yes, they should be notified. 

General maintenance work such as minor repairs, updating existing equipment or features, and decorative/cosmetic updates (painting, installation of new floors, etc) can go ahead without informing insurers.

However, when replacing items that have a safety or security feature (for example shutters,, alarms, etc), you should check your policy to ensure it does not require a specific type of product.

Larger projects will typically require insurers to be informed of the changes.

This applies to any project that increases the property’s living space or otherwise extends the perimeter of the building, adds a major new feature such as a larger swimming pool (typically 10m² or bigger) or solar panels, or increases its value. 

In these cases, insurers need to be informed so coverage can be updated.

A good rule of thumb is any project that needs approval from the mairie – a permis de construire, or a déclaration préalable de travaux – will probably require you to inform your insurer. This is also the case if the extension would require you to pay the taxe d'aménagement (garden shed tax).

You should inform the insurer about the planned changes before they take place, to see any effect on your policy.

Article L.113-2 of France’s insurance code requires owners to inform their insurer of changes during their contract, and not wait until renewal. 

It requires policy holders to inform insurers of changes being made “no later than 15 days after becoming aware of the facts,” meaning within 15 days of completion.

Insurers must be informed through a registered letter or registered email (specific information will be available in your policy or through your insurer website, etc).

Failure to do so could see the insurer reduce payouts in the event of a claim, or denied altogether in some circumstances.

Separate cover for structural work

Major structural work (including work that affects property foundations, load-bearing walls, the framework, the roof, or the installation/removal of windows and doors, etc) is not in itself covered by the ordinary home insurance policy.

Instead, companies carrying out the work should have their own ten-year builder’s insurance (assurance décennale) covering structural damage incidents resulting from the work. 

Homeowners undertaking these projects are required to take out structural damage insurance (assurance dommages-ouvrage) in addition to the builder’s own insurance.

This allows them to be paid up-front in the event of repairs needing to take place, without needing to establish liability first. 

However, homeowners undertaking major changes will still need to inform their insurer of any changes due to these works within the 15-day limit mentioned above, as any extension is likely to change the insured risks (more living space, possibly additional rooms, greater rebuilding value, perhaps altered security arrangements, etc). 

The ordinary (multirisque) policy covers matters such as fire, water damage, theft, storm and natural-disaster damage, and third-party liability. 

Chimney sweeping and other professional activities 

As a reminder, there are a number of activities that insurers require for properties that must be carried out by professionals (many of which are also legal requirements).

This includes maintenance checks on boilers and other equipment, as well as certain safety activities such as chimney sweeping.

In these cases, professionals will need to provide homeowners with a certificate to prove it has been carried out by a qualified individual or company.

If the homeowner cannot prove to the insurer that an accredited professional carried out the checks – either because they did it themselves or it was not done at all – insurers can again reduce coverage or deny payout on a claim. 

Note that injury to a third party will still be covered by the basic civil liability insurance policy included in the home insurance, but this will not include injury to the homeowner or others on the policy.