After a year of contract, you can usually change home insurance at any time, without any reason or penalty, thanks to the Hamon law. Termination shall take effect one month after receipt of the application by the insurer. Before this deadline, a change of situation or annual deadline may allow departure. The main thing is to choose the right procedure and coordinate the two contracts to remain covered.
Identify your exit door before sending an application
After a year: the simplest procedure
For an individual's home insurance coverage under the Hamon Act, termination is possible at any time after the first year. You do not have to wait for the next deadline or justify your decision. The period of one month shall run from the date of receipt of the notification, not the day on which you begin to compare the offers.
Termination of home insurance after moving · Find out the conditions, procedures and deadlines to be met to terminate your home insurance in the event of a move.
If you are a tenant and replace mandatory insurance, the new insurer completes the cancellation procedures and ensures continuity of coverage. Give him or her a mandate rather than sending a request at the same time that might blur the schedule.
Annual maturity: monitor notice and notice of expiry
The annual termination usually takes place with notice of two months before maturity, to check in your contract. A deadline of 31 December therefore implies notification by 31 October. Note: the contractual maturity does not necessarily correspond to the anniversary date of subscription.
The Chatel law regulates the reminder of the deadline for termination. The notice must be sent to you at least 15 calendar days before this limit. With two months' notice, this corresponds to two months and 15 days before expiry, sometimes presented as 75 days. If sent late, you have 20 days after sending it to denounce the renewal. In the absence of compliant information, termination after renewal may be possible: keep the notice and its envelope.
Before a year: a change must have an effect on risk
A move, change in marital status or regime, occupational activity, retirement or permanent termination of employment may be subject to termination rights. The event must change the insured risk So marriage or retirement is not enough automatically.
The request must be sent within three months of the event, with proof and an explanation of its consequences on the contract. The termination shall then take effect one month after receipt of the notification by the insurer.
Prepare a file adapted to the reason for change
Before any steps, find your specific terms, contract number, deadline and contact details of the competent department. The necessary documents depend on the basis of your termination; There is no need to transmit personal documents unrelated to your application.
| Situation | Documents to be prepared | Who's intervening? |
|---|---|---|
| Change after one year | Reference of the contract, contact details of the former insurer, possible mandate | New insurer to replace the tenant's compulsory insurance; otherwise, according to the agreed mandate |
| Annual termination | Contract number, notice of expiry, proof of notification | Insured or agent |
| Moving | New lease, property statement or deed of sale depending on the situation | Insured, with justification of change of risk |
| Family or professional development | Marriage or divorce, proof of retirement or relevant activity | Insured |
| Death of subscriber | Death certificate and documents establishing the quality of the contact person | Heir or authorized representative |
If you make the notification yourself, use a channel allowed by the contract and regulation: online termination functionality when it applies, mail or other authorized means. Keep evidence dated and ask for confirmation of the end date. A simplified online approach does not remove notice or legal conditions.
Compare actual coverage, not just contribution
Ask for estimates based on the same information: surface area, number of rooms, outbuildings, use of housing and value of furniture. An incomplete description may make the price attractive, but the coverage is inadequate. Report useful features, such as a period of occupation or valuables.
- Guarantees: check the covered events, civil liability and options for your accommodation.
- Franchise: they represent the remaining portion of your expense and may vary depending on the disaster.
- Ceilings: examine the limits by warranty, especially for jewellery, equipment and outbuildings.
- Exclusions and conditions: control the closing, maintenance or flight protection requirements.
- Compensation and assistance: compare the old age applied, the replacement of assets and the possibilities of rehousing.
The good test is to imagine a domino effect after water damage: repairing the leak is not enough if the furniture is damaged, the housing becomes uninhabitable and a neighbour is hit. Review each link separately — leak search, property damage, accommodation, liability — then its ceilings and exclusions. This will identify the contracts that cover the initial incident, but leave its consequences to you.
Finally, adjust the comparison to your status. The tenant must maintain the mandatory guarantees; In particular, the co-owner must comply with his obligation of civil liability. For a landlord, the needs differ from those of an occupant. A modification of the current contract may sometimes suffice if the problem concerns only a guarantee or a movable capital.
Organize the transfer of relays without interruption
Do not confuse accepted quote, contract subscribed and active warranties. Only the confirmed effective date lets you know when the new insurer covers you. The safest route is to set this date before finalizing the exit of the old contract.
- Choose the offer and check the final terms, not just the advertised rate.
- Transmit the requested information accurately, including a history of claims.
- Confirm who notifies the termination and when it will take effect.
- Get the attestation of the new contract and check the absence of interval between covers.
- Check the final count of the former insurer and the possible refund of the overpayment.
In the event of termination after one year, the contribution corresponding to the period not covered must be repaid. Do not simply block the levies to terminate the contract: stop paying is not worth termination and may result in unpaid payments.
Address situations that complicate change
An ongoing claim does not, by itself, prohibit a change of insurance. Damage arising during the validity of the old contract shall remain dealt with under it, in accordance with its guarantees and conditions. Continue to transmit the coins to the former insurer: the new contract does not retroactively resume this file.
An increase in contributions does not always allow immediate termination. Check the tariff clause and its exceptions. According to Active Insurance, the contracts concerned may provide for a period of application from 15 days to one month and an effective one or two months after the application. These deadlines are not a universal rule: after a year, the Hamon law can offer a simpler way.
In case of death, do not assume that coverage automatically disappears. The heirs or the authorized representative must contact the insurer to arrange the continuation or termination, taking into account the occupancy of the dwelling. If the insurer terminates the contract itself, quickly seek new coverage and honestly declare this termination when requested. In all cases, have the dates and guarantees maintained confirmed in writing.